Within the next two weeks my book Generation F will be available in all good bookshops and will also be available as an e-book on Amazon.co.uk
It contains lots of material that I haven't published on the blog. A few friends said they found the snippets I showed them shocking and incredulous. There was a time I would have responded to its contents in a similar manner, but now I expect nothing short of insanity in the various sections of the youth sector in which I have worked.
I will shortly have some revelatory tales from another part of the state youth sector that I have been working in recently to atone for my sins in a previous incarnation.
35 comments:
ive been reading your blog and i agree with every thing your saying. i also work in supported housing and will definatly be buying your book. i get the feeling that you also work for home!
Please make sure that we Yanks can get a copy. Maybe we can avoid the same mistakes. Yes, I know that is unlikely, but hope springs eternal.
Hi my American follower. You can order it on Amazon or direct from the publisher Monday Books
I'm another Yank who wants to read it. We are well down the same road.
Best of luck with the book, Winston.
I will be buying a copy and I wish you well with your sales!
A follower from Down Under this time.
A) Can't wait to read your book. Also hope we don't go down the same road...
B) You don't update this blog often enough Winston...
Anonymous, Jean
It will be available as an eBook in the USA (currently only from Amazon, but you can download Kindle books onto most readers); we'll ship to the USA (and worldwide) and the postage should be around $4 on top of the price of the book.
I will most probably purchase the book.
I'm a big fan of this blog; it's nice to see a different viewpoint and allow us, as a human race, have a wider vision.
It's available for pre-order on Amazon now. Just ordered it - the jpys of 'one-click'.
Best wishes Winston. and I'll be getting a copy of your book. I am a policeman now working 6pm-2am shifts for a few nights to capture a couple of teenage burglars. Parents never connected with them and have now discovered they are too big to bully into submission. They'll be heading your way very soon! Perhaps I'll write notes in your book and send it to my MP when I've finished reading it.
Just ordered a copy. Things need to change, early intervention is the key, before the damage is done.
Really looking forward to reading the book. We need more of this type of material in the mix. Amazon is saying it's available end of this week.
Good liuck. I stumbled across your blog through the Guardian last August and enjoyed it ever since.
I don't know anyone who works in your line of work but I have relatives and friends in the teaching profession who can all testify to many of the scenearios you present.
Looking forward to reading your book. I rescued 7 years worth of log books from a 'halfway house' when they were binned a few years back. Still wondering what to do with them.
I worked for 13 years in Youth Justice Board secure units. Everything I read in the extract from your book rings true to me. I have seen and experienced it all. I worked essentially as a scivy for some of the most high profile underage, murderers, rapists and muggers in the country. The basic fees were £5,000 per week and they ran riot in there. We could not touch them until they became violent or damged property. We could not lock them in their rooms for more than a very short period of time and so we had to let them out even when they were intent on contnuing violence. Their rooms had carpet and en suite shower facilities. They had televisions and playstations etc and as you said, the word 'punishment' was banned. We didn't punish them, they 'didn't earn their privillages'. But don't worry. They nearly always did 'earn their privilledges' no matter how many violent assaults, threatening and abusive behaviours they engaged in during the day. The kids knew they were in charge. I am a 6 ft 2" brick shit house, but these kids would still take the piss. Despite the care and attention and genuine strong relationships staff their formed with the kids, nearly all went on the reoffend again. The ones who didn't were the ones who weren't quite so bad when they came in. I look forward to reading your book. Like you I was once a lefty liberal. Not any more. Years working and with these 'kids' and living in Peckham opened my eyes to the truth about what is going on in this country. It is a cure I would recommend for all liberals. The kids suffered because the government took away our ability to protect, control and discipline them. Its a shambles. If you are interested to hear any more stories in the first instance, email me at grenaugh@hotmail.com
What he said.
Winston
Wonderful blog.
And I've ordered the book from Amazon.
Jonathan Swift would be proud of you.
Brilliant.
ken Bruen
Thanks Ken and everyone else for good wishes
Shouldn't 'incredulous' be 'incredible'?
Both incredible and incredulous if you ask me. I have enountered a few people that believe I am either making up what I say or grossly exaggerating so for them it is incredulous sadly I am not inventing any of this.
Hi Winston,
I just downloaded your book. You have gathered it together. Very coherently. Was most impressed. Can I be your Julia.. My mother is in a similar position. She is a psychiatric nurse on Single sec ward. Obligation is a profanity.
Just reading it right now, Winston, via the miracles of the iPad. Good heavens that Mrs Stenson isn't worthy of the name 'mother'.
From your Yank fan: I just downloaded the book on my Kindle. So far it is great. I will recommend it to more of your American cousins.
Just finished the book Winston and its fantastic - couldn't stop laughing out loud. As someone who also works in the system, I can vouch that this insanity exists.
Enjoyed it very much.
Short review on my blog at
http://viewsfromthebikeshed.blogspot.com/2011/05/books-im-reading-10.html
Finished the book last week and felt justified-as I often do after reading the blog. The sector is not changing, as my own work attests. On one positive note, my supported housing provider has arranged for our staff to be recognised by a regional governing body. Staff have to document relevant CPD in order to maintain registration, and I've listed 10hours reading your book (it counts)as first item in my record.
Much obliged, Winston!
L.
Reading your book now, brilliantly written and a compelling read.
Although it is disheartening to us Law abiding tax paying folk who get nothing from the state, to really know what goes on :(
Hi Winston
I also currently work in this sector and I am really looking forward to reading your book. I have only just found out about this via the Manchester Evening News today.
I too know people who work in Yth Service ir what is left of it ... I read your article in this weeks evening news and I know from partnership working and my colleagues what you say is undoubtedly true ..... These Young people have no respect for anyone because they've never had to .... I think leftie liberals have MUCH to answer for and taking away teachers rights in junior schools on instilled a 'you can't touch me' attitude among young people.... We really have thrown the baby out with the bath water .... The words Reap and Sow come to mind .... Your book looks like an excellent and TRUE realistic account if how it 'really is' all you suits out there who make decisions from behind your desks and based on 'rights' have a lot to learn .... But look out it's coming to bite you in the behind very soon... Now in fact, I mean look at what you have done to our society!!! Shame on you!!! I applaud you Winston for saying it as it REALLY is ... All the best xxx
I read the book and loved it, especially the gag about Pol Po's housing benefit claim. The funniest bits made me laugh and the terror was gripping. I'm thinking of writing a review of this, for you missed your calling as a journalist. The decision to smoke weed was the reson you missed it.
@Chris Henniker
Hi Chris. Indeed the weed got in the way of me developing a career in journalism. I twice dropped out of the first year of a two year course in Journalism as a result of legal and mental health consequences of heavy weed smoking. Thankfully though I learned from my mistakes. A review would be much appreciated. Who do you write for?
You REALLY need to get this up on the itunes bookstore thing! I read about the book and read the comments and was absolutely dying to read it, but unfortunately can't now! thank you :-D
usmc.tangoecho@gmail.com
Just finished reading your book on my kindle. After working at YOT for 4 years and most of my caseload coming from the supported housing project The FOYER across the road, I can totally identify with everything in your book. Still working with families and young people and really don't know how we are ever going to get the respect back into our society, it is so frightening the way young people are being brought up these days. Have delivered many parenting programmes over the years but unless these families want change it's not going to happen. I was also brought up in a strict irish family and we would not dare talk back to our parents never mind people in authority. The soft youth justice system needs radical change and borstals brought back. What kid is ever going to fear having all the latest games consoles, three meals a day and their own bed every night. Sorry ranting now but it makes me so angry!!!
Just finished reading your book. Well written and in rather beautiful language too. I have worked under SP in a large housing association and now in the same organisation but under cqc and working in adult mental health but I recognise so much of what you have described. I feel I could already write a couple of books about what I have seen! It actually made me question if I really am in the right job, and if what i do actually makes any difference. I wonder if it's worth destroying my own mental health to "support" clients to manage theirs. This isn't your fault, I wondered this anyway! I do feel a little better, though, that I am not alone in feeling angry and let down both for myself and the clients by the pathetic beurocracy of the rotten system. Thanks for a great book. If you fancy an even tougher ride maybe think about a stint in mental health? It'd make a cracking read...
Post a Comment