On the right track to be good citizens

DURRINGTON has more than its fair share of problems with young people. Too many of them indulge in anti-social incidents '” activities which can make adults tend to tar all Durrington youngsters with the same brush.

But such blanket condemnation is, of course, undeserved. Most of them are on the right track for good citizenship. It should all start with good parenting, but helping hands are often needed along the way.

This is where organisations like the 1st Durrington Scout Group are playing a vital part in assisting youngsters and their families to steer a straight course.

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It's never easy. Indeed, it can be downright frustrating in situations that need the patience of a saint, but the Scouting volunteers turn up weekly at the Northbrook Barn Community Centre with the same cheerful approach to help the lads (and some girls) to get the best out of life.

High-spirited is a very apt word to describe the general atmosphere in the Squadron Drive centre when I dropped in one recent Tuesday evening to see the group at work and play.

Group Scout Leader Angela Cooper and her team were just getting the Cubs/Scouts organised. The youngsters, aged from eight upwards, appeared to have too much energy to stand still for more than two seconds!

Leaving Angela and helpers to organise their charges, I popped upstairs to see the Beavers (aged from 5 years) in action. It was certainly a little more orderly up there with the younger ones, but pre-Scout leader Rosemary Munson certainly made one's ears ring with her whistle!

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Back downstairs, and the activities programme was well under way.

The "Flag Break", when the Union Flag was unfurled, had already taken place, followed by a "smartness" inspection of the "sixes".

Angela eventually managed to break away from the session to talk to me about her aims for the group, the need for more helpers and ever more resources.

"Durrington is a challenging area," she said. "If we can give the youngsters the right sort of leadership, they will have the benefit of Scouting.

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"The problem for many young people is that they lack self-confidence. They do not feel valued and, hopefully, we can give them more life skills to help them to meet the challenges of good citizenship," she said.

"Many of them are not necessarily from the traditional two-parent family set-up and this sets its own challenges, especially a lack of self-confidence on the youngsters' part.

"The more resources we can pump into the young people now, the better it will be for the community in the future '” there will be less trouble to contend with."

Angela did not need reminding of the massive expansion planned for West Durrington (about 1,000 new homes) and the extra demands it would make on local youth organisations such as Scouting.

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"Without more help with manpower and resources, we would find it very difficult to cope with a big influx of new members from the young families who will undoubtedly make up much of the new community," she continued.

In addition to the Scouts, Cubs and Beavers, the 4th Northbrook Guides, Brownies and Rainbows also meet at the centre, all enjoying a wide range of indoor and outdoor activities which include outings and excursions.

To keep the programme buzzing merrily along, more helpers will be more than welcome, said Angela, who can be contacted on 01903 266022.

Also needed is equipment such as collapsible tables, three or four benches, camping/cooking gear, pots and frying-pans.

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James Appleton, Worthing Borough Council's assistant director (planning services), told the Herald on Tuesday that the West Durrington development planning application included a youth facility as well as a community centre.

"It is something we will be considering in more detail with the county council because they are providers of youth facilities," he continued.

More people are needed to help run the community centre and anyone interested is asked to call centre manager Marsha Smith on 01903 691761.

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