Allow?.....they'd get a major kick up the backside if they didn't, lazy little tykes
Considering living off the grid.
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Allow?.....they'd get a major kick up the backside if they didn't, lazy little tykes
From 16 they are expected to be either in full time education or employment. Most go for education of some sort. Most of my kids did the education route. My son left school at 16 and has been in full time employment since. He's not that unusual. Working catering, I guess he's been doing 45-65 hour week's for the past 7 years - catering is the modern version of working down the pit.
I started work (in the final years of the last millennium) the day after my 16th Birthday. In what was then called a modern apprenticeship.
Apprentice, from the old French word apprendre meaning to learn, or from the middle English for "cheap labour"...
J
Apprentice, from the old French word apprendre meaning to learn, or from the middle English for "cheap labour"...
J
I absolutely loved my apprenticeship at BT, called 'Post Office Telephones' in those days. It has stood me in very good stead, so much so that I am still in Telecomms 40 years later.
I simply cannot understand why youngsters dont see them as a viable alternative to Uni these days.
I simply cannot understand why youngsters dont see them as a viable alternative to Uni these days.
That's who I did my apprenticeship with. It might be fine if you're out on the road with the holes and poles lot, but in the office surrounded by graduates, they just didn't understand the idea of apprentices. Not to mention the way projects and people were budgeted. Noone wanted to have a day's labour on their project to teach someone. It's a nice idea, but the implementation leaves something to be desired in some areas.
J
I also started working young (at home in my Uncle's store and in the kitchen garden and with our livestock) and Summer jobs much younger than 16. But I asked because typically here you don't finish ordinary public school (12th grade) until at least age 17 for one thing and more importantly (as I was referring to full working, which might have been a bad way to term it) OSHA (the equivalent of your Health & Safety) prevents minors from working in most occupations. Even the common kid's jobs (fast food) are a bit weird. I.E. they can work legally in McDonald's and similar (never mind the hot appliances) but not at Subway (slicers and knives involved.
After that the labor laws also limit how many hours per week a minor can work.
After that the labor laws also limit how many hours per week a minor can work.
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That was also part of my question: why aren't 16 year olds still in school? That would be 11th grade here: or the last part of 11th (sophmore year)and the first part of 12th (Senior year) depending on your birthday) Apparently your system is completely different.
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For many years mandatory schooling in the UK ended at 16. Having started school age 5 (or 4 in some cases where birthdays are in August). Many kids go onto college or sixth form. The former tends to be vocational skill courses (plumbing, electrician etc...) while the later tends to be more academic (physics, maths, english etc...).
We have rules on the hours that can be worked which vary depending on age. One of the great things that the EU has done is the Working Time Directive, which has limited hours that can be worked.
It's also worth noting that we have very different ages for when you can do somethings in the UK. You can join the army at 16, you can vote and buy alcohol at 18, you can get married at 16, and so on.
J
Yeah, lots different. "Mandatory" school here is typically (varies slightly by state) either age 16 or completion of middle school (8th grade) whichever comes first, but it's expected for almost all to finish high and graduate school (12th grade) The word "college" here is used synonymously with "university" although the 2 year colleges (usually called either "junior college" or "community college") also teach both vocational and higher academic courses leading to degrees.
We have federal labor laws such as those you and I have both referenced, with some states being stricter on top of that. Also graduated ability for some things:
-Voting at age 18
-Drinking at age 21
-Enlisting in the military at age 18 (17 with parental consent and completion of high school)
-Marriage laws vary widely by state
-Smoking and tobacco in most states at 18 for now but I expect that to change. The momentum is already there.
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Sweden:
Age of sexual consent: 15
Drive a 50cc moped, max speed 30 kph: 15
125cc motorbike: 16
Car and bike over 125 cc : 18
Gun license, buying booze: 18
Voting: 18
Joining the National Guard ( Hemvarnet) so possibly going to war to defend Sweden : 16
Unless they changed some since I left 20 years ago.
Age of sexual consent: 15
Drive a 50cc moped, max speed 30 kph: 15
125cc motorbike: 16
Car and bike over 125 cc : 18
Gun license, buying booze: 18
Voting: 18
Joining the National Guard ( Hemvarnet) so possibly going to war to defend Sweden : 16
Unless they changed some since I left 20 years ago.
I forgot driver's license (all other than commercial) Varies slightly according to what state but generally Learner's Permit at 15, license at 16, and after that's where it varies. In some states that's the end of restrictions while in others there are still restrictions on legal hours and/or whether a licensed adult still has to be present.
Buying Guns (long guns) at 18 in most states, handguns at 21. Given a gun with parental consent at any age.
yes, its possible but very difficult in the way you describe, unless you own the land and have the rescources behind you to grow ,raise your own food and work the land, your gonna be living a pretty hard existance. if your hoping to live a hunter gatherer lifestyle in the uk your having a laugh, there just simply isnt enough around to suppliment you. which means you need money, to get your land and resources ect. as far as laws go, the chances are you will be breaking loads without even realising it.
i tried to do the exact same thing when i was your age, luckily it ended up with an eviction, it could have gone alot worse from a legal perspective
either go down two routes if you want to succeed,
1. get a job, work your **** off and then down the line buy your land, get your planning and do it by the books.
2. buy a van, convert it and live out of that, you will still need a trade and work as running a van is expensive aswell, but it will give you the oppertunity to travel and live in nature more so than if you lived in a house.
cheers
josh
i tried to do the exact same thing when i was your age, luckily it ended up with an eviction, it could have gone alot worse from a legal perspective
either go down two routes if you want to succeed,
1. get a job, work your **** off and then down the line buy your land, get your planning and do it by the books.
2. buy a van, convert it and live out of that, you will still need a trade and work as running a van is expensive aswell, but it will give you the oppertunity to travel and live in nature more so than if you lived in a house.
cheers
josh
In my opinion this is a dream that cannot be made reality in the UK. It may be possible to live like the OP states in the vast reaches of Canada or Russia where there are enormous areas of unspoiled uninhabited wilderness but not here. As stated by others we have no land that isnt owned, too many restrictive laws and far too little natural resources to live long term.
Your definition for "off the Grid" seems to be the same as mine, but lots of people define it as not having piped water and supplied electricity.
A well for water and ( bought!) solar panels.
There is a reason for living like we do. it is easier.
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Not too fast. Can't squat on Canadian Crown Land for more than 2 weeks. At least not in British Columbia.
Unless you like twigs and leaves, there's very little to eat in the mountains unless you are a fantastic hunter.
For several months your world will be buried in snow. Two years ago, in May, there was still 15' of snow on the road into the Holmes valley.
There are a few people in my district that do a pretty fair job of living in the wilderness, Coleman lanterns, wood stove and so on.
The solar power thing is nice but the capital costs are considerable. I have done that in a small way.
Food is always an issue. One couple admits that it simply isn't possible for them to forage, harvest and preserve enough to last even a month.
Unless you like twigs and leaves, there's very little to eat in the mountains unless you are a fantastic hunter.
For several months your world will be buried in snow. Two years ago, in May, there was still 15' of snow on the road into the Holmes valley.
There are a few people in my district that do a pretty fair job of living in the wilderness, Coleman lanterns, wood stove and so on.
The solar power thing is nice but the capital costs are considerable. I have done that in a small way.
Food is always an issue. One couple admits that it simply isn't possible for them to forage, harvest and preserve enough to last even a month.
Sorry Robson Valley, I was only implying that the vast scale of uninhabited space in Canada would allow someone who wanted to wander and bushcraft indefinitely more opportunity than here in the UK. Over here you cant truly escape civilization. Even in the Scottish Highlands there are few places you can walk for more than a few miles without seeing another person or some form of civilization. On a recent visit to the lake district I actually gave up on a hike simply because I felt like I was walking through a shopping centre the numbers of people were ridiculous.
