Education as a way forward

I have listened with bemused interest to the reactions of British political leaders to the stress resulting from riots which have ignited in various cities during the past week.

I suppose it has compounded my belief that those at the top of organisations tend to lose the sense of what they are about. In many cases theory, control and sound-bites are their daily food, consequently they begin to propagate knee-jerk and inapropriate solutions to any given situation.

I was perplexed when I heard the British PM, Cameron, had invited an American "top-cop" to offer advice as his first reaction to the riots. I had been listening to local community leaders put forward what to them was the cause and the solution to the riots. They expressed the anger of a local community that was ashamed and wanted to deal with the situation. A common thread through all their comments was: engaging, tutoring, mentoring, training, job creation, rehab centres etc. Education in the broadest sense.

Why do I think the politicians are not in touch? In our present economic climate they have cut back on many initiatives that the community leaders spoke of, by withdrawing funding. To compensate, they have to put "legal" strategy in place which will ultimately bring people before the courts to have them locked up.

I am always suspicious of political interference at the day to day level. I work with the homeless section in Dublin (Ireland). Political interference has screwed up a system which I believe was working at greater than 80% effectiveness and now have imposed one which is full of paper work and I reckon is less than 50% effective. Their theory is out of date, they have control by dictating the allocation of funding, but yes their sound bites are great - "we will have eliminated homelessness by such and such a date" (which has already passed!)

Perhaps those at the top could also benefit from education, a practical training like "Undercover Politician" to realise how they are failing their communities.