PROBLEMS OF YOUTH
I think problems of youth are problems of the whole people in the country. The main problem today is lack of money and unemployment. Take for example one interesting fact: in the USA and the UK religious organizations and many churches run a lot of centers, clubs and projects for young people. They organize excursions and traveling, music festivals and amateur theatres. 2 years ago a group of students from Pennsylvania visited Syktyvkare (and our lycee). This visit was organized and run by the American Methodist church.
I have read that there are about 3000 clubs in Great Britain , which are united into the National association of Boys Clubs. The members of these clubs participate in theatre, poetry, photography, sports and other activities. In the USA and the UK there are interest clubs, such as theatre - club, amateur composers and amateur poets clubs, and for those who love songs and playing guitar or other musical instruments. They say, bird - watching clubs are very popular in Great Britain . So we may say that there is no problem of spending free time for young people in English - speaking countries.
As for is, we have. A lot of clubs closed because of lack of money, though I' m glad to say some of them are still working, especially folk dance and song clubs. Many Russian boys and girls attend ballet-dancing clubs with great pleasure. But to my mind, there is a problem of free time for our young people, who study at school. You see, they study a lot of subjects than some years ago and that is good. But the working day of a pupil became longer and besides there is always much homework.
It seems to me, American boys and girls have more free time after school. Some of them have an opportunity to work and earn money if they want. Many American students who visited Syktyvkare earned money for traveling themselves. Pity we can't earn such sum of money and travel abroad. I should say all young people - American, British and Russian have the same very important problems: use of alcohol and drugs, smoking, early pregnancy and some others. It seems to me we have to decide these problems together, because they are very difficult problems. They create danger for the nation's health. It is a great problem of man's ecology. I have not mentioned British youth organizations, which help young people to decide many problems. I mean Boy Scouts and Girl Guides and Woodcraft Folk.