A difference sort of family christmas

A recent survey suggested different sorts of family interactions could make us happier. Maybe our new years resolution could be to build a different structure for social interaction in 2013..? (maybe even widening the scope of what we currently call family)

1. 26% of children aged 8-11 years old and nearly half of all parents said they would like to spend more time together.. 
2. 81% of children aged 8-11 said they watched TV and DVDs with their parents in their free time 
3. 69% go on activity trips and days out 
4. 66% go to the park together 
5. 61% said they went to the cinema together 
6. 50% played sport 
7.  52% went on walks
8. only 2 per cent of 12-15 year olds want to spend less time with their parents 

According to parents: 

1. 72% watched TV together. 
2. 47% went to the park 
3. 46% went on activity/day trips 
4. 37% went on walks.

Individual action - a timeline on 1 page..

"I am angry all the time and i don''t know why"..

I Am Angry All the Time, and I Don't Know Why

What if money was no object..? (Alan Watts video)

Some stats on our inclination for involvement..

Capable Commmunities: Citizen-powered public services has found that 

1. 42% of people would attend a regular meeting with their neighbourhood police team
2. 18% would volunteer at a police station
3. 20% would be willing to commit to mentoring a child struggling in the education system
4. 46% said they were willing to keep an eye on an elderly neighbour 
5. 33% said they would regularly drive an elderly person to the shops
6. Over 90% however believe that the state should retain responsibility for delivering most key public services.

My Favourite Steinbeck Quote (and its East of Eden not Grapes of Wrath..!)

"The American Standard translation orders men to triumph over sin, and you can call sin ignorance. The King James translation makes a promise in ‘Thou shalt,’ meaning that men will surely triumph over sin. But the Hebrew word, the word timshel — ‘Thou mayest’ — that gives a choice. It might be the most important word in the world. That says the way is open. That throws it right back on a man.

"Now, there are many millions who in their sects and churches who feel the order, 'Do thou,' and throw their weight into obedience. And there are millions more who feel predestination in 'Thou shalt.' Nothing they may do can interfere with what will be. But 'Thou mayest'! Why, that makes a man great, that gives him stature with the gods, for in his weakness and his filth and his murder of his brother he has still the great choice. He can choose his course and fight it through and win... And I feel I am a man. And I feel that a man is a very important thing - maybe more important than a star. This is not theology. I have no bent towards the gods. But I have a new love for that glittering instrument, the human soul. It is a lovely and unique thing in the universe. It is always attacked and never destroyed - because 'Thou mayest.'"...

"It was your two-word translation, Lee - 'Thou mayest.' It took me by the throat and shook me. And when the dizziness was over, a path was open, new and bright. And when my life which is ending seems to be going on to an ending wonderful. And my music has a last melody like a bird song in the night. Lee was peering at him through the darkness.

"'Thou mayest rule over sin," Lee said. That's it. I do not believe all men are destroyed. I can name you a dozen who were not, and they are the ones the world lives by. It is true of the spirit as it is true of the battles - only the winners are remembered. Surely most men are destroyed, but there are others who like pillars of fire guide frightened men through the darkness. 'Thou mayest, Thou mayest!' What glory! It is true that we are weak and sick and quarrelsome, but if that is all we ever were, we would, millenniums ago, have disappeared from the face of the earth. A few remnants of fossilized jawbone, some broken teeth in strats of limestone, would be the only mark man would have left of his existence in the world. But the choice, Lee, the choice of winning! I had never understood it or accepted it before. 'Thou mayest rule over sin.'"

John Steinbeck East of Eden

York Volunteering Statistics from 2010 surveys..

Volunteering (stats from talkabout panel march 2010)

×          Half of york’s population have never volunteered

×          24% of york’s population are currently volunteering

×          Only 15% of 17-34 year olds volunteer

×          Only 17% of social enonomic group DE volunteer (compared to 29% of ABs)

×          Nearly 2/3 of volunteers do it weekly.

×          Only 5% do so once a month, and only 2% infrequently.

Motivations for volunteering (of those who already volunteer):

×          Had free time 51%

×          Saw a need 47%

×          Wanted to use skills 42%

×          Matches life-philosophy 31%

×          New way of meeting people 29%

×          Learning new skills 17%

Motivations for not volunteering:

×          No time 55%

×          Already have a caring responsibility 20%

×          Unaware of what goes on 18%

×          Those 17-34 are twice as likely to say they don’t have time compared to 55+.

How they find out about volunteering:

×          79% know about the volunteer centre

×          56% knew about York CVS

×          33% know about PSC

×          Nearly twice as many 55+ knew about York CVS compared to 17-34 year olds.