How about training courses for the unemployed to deal with international disasters..

Run_to_da_hills

There is a lot of people that are genuinly out of work but feel helpless watching; disasters unravel abroad because they do not have the necessary skills or finance to be able to assist in such situations.

Many that are currently out of work are qualified in construction / mechanical but do not have life saving seach / rescue / or first aid training that would be expected on the field.

How about an internationally recognised course that could train people to be able to assist in such events. Those that have achieved top marks could be shortlisted and sent out with the relevent aid agencies..

Aidric

Training for disasters would be better, not many desasters lately.

Wibbs

Not a bad idea at all IMHO.

razorblunt

They could start with your spelling!

Sierra Oscar

The Civil Defence does exactly what you are outlining in terms of the training.

Would be great to have our own national rescue corps which could be sent off to assist other countries during disasters. Does our defence forces have a rescue corps?

jumpguy

Nothing really wrong with the idea at all, except disasters don't happen that often (thankfully), and providing such a high-level of training needed (a bit more than basic first aid would be needed) to a large amount of people would be very costly.

People of various trades would certainly be needed in the rebuilding effort after any disaster, but this is voluntary work, which is fine, but it's not exactly going to give you any money when you have to pay that 200,000€ mortgage...

Oranage2

but arent all the unemployed un-motivated bums that are too lazy to get off their fat @ss do look for a job, nevermind going abroad and helping people espiecally when Jeremy Kyle is on?

m.j.w

I know this is a very cynical viewpoint but the way i see it the majority of people dont care about anything that does not efect them. Something new happens on the news every few months and everyone says "omg i wish i could do something" or "it really makes you think" but a few weeks later everything is forgotten about. They dont really care enough to want to help the people

rebel10

jumpguy wrote: »

Nothing really wrong with the idea at all, except disasters don't happen that often (thankfully), and providing such a high-level of training needed (a bit more than basic first aid would be needed) to a large amount of people would be very costly.

People of various trades would certainly be needed in the rebuilding effort after any disaster, but this is voluntary work, which is fine, but it's not exactly going to give you any money when you have to pay that 200,000€ mortgage...

+1
Agree completely with this.

Millicent

m.j.w wrote: »

I know this is a very cynical viewpoint but the way i see it the majority of people dont care about anything that does not efect them. Something new happens on the news every few months and everyone says "omg i wish i could do something" or "it really makes you think" but a few weeks later everything is forgotten about. They dont really care enough to want to help the people

That's not uncaring; that's the nature of life. When I watched the coverage on Japan, I really felt for the people there. If I had the money, I'd donate something. But I don't and a lot of people don't, but life still has to go on for both those who are affected and those who aren't.

m.j.w

Millicent wrote: »

That's not uncaring; that's the nature of life. When I watched the coverage on Japan, I really felt for the people there. If I had the money, I'd donate something. But I don't and a lot of people don't, but life still has to go on for both those who are affected and those who aren't.

Yea i know what you mean but there are people who will say these things and then go out and spend alot of money on stuff they dont need and then say if only i could help.

Millicent

m.j.w wrote: »

Yea i know what you mean but there are people who will say these things and then go out and spend alot of money on stuff they dont need and then say if only i could help.

Ah, yeah. I know the ones you mean. I like to call those people gobshites.

Chaotic_Forces

Oranage2 wrote: »

but arent all the unemployed un-motivated bums that are too lazy to get off their fat @ss do look for a job, nevermind going abroad and helping people espiecally when Jeremy Kyle is on?

Ahem. :mad:

I prefer Jerry Springer.

Run_to_da_hills

jumpguy wrote: »

Nothing really wrong with the idea at all, except disasters don't happen that often (thankfully), and providing such a high-level of training needed (a bit more than basic first aid would be needed) to a large amount of people would be very costly..

They seem to be happening on average every few years, pending on location some may need much more assistance than others and some even needing continual assistance EG Haiti.

People of various trades would certainly be needed in the rebuilding effort after any disaster, but this is voluntary work, which is fine, but it's not exactly going to give you any money when you have to pay that 200,000€ mortgage...

Someone on long term dole is hardly going to be able to afford a 200K mortgage, more than likely he will be up in front of a judge in a civil case against the banks. The Judge may take a softer approach on the guy if he was abroad helping out on some humanitarian mission instead of sitting on his hole.

pow wow

Could you imagine the headache that would cause them when they missed their signing on day? "Sorry I was in Darfur"...

Nice idea but impractical. There are so many other issues with disasters than a lack of manpower.