The COVID-19 pandemic provides a once in a generation opportunity to revolutionise the provision of creative and sporting activities. The policy I propose will create a huge demand shock for the arts, entertainment and recreation sector which will strengthen and grow supply chains and lead to the establishment of high-quality clubs and societies throughout the country. It will harness the untapped talent that has abruptly found itself home-working in local communities and will forge stronger societal bonds across socio-economic, cultural, and generational divides. It will provide children with the opportunity to discover and nurture talents, develop diverse friendships and connections, and build self-esteem.
I propose introducing a scheme that gives vouchers worth £200 a year to every child to be spent on activities and classes with local providers. To register as providers individuals and businesses will need to prove that the class they provide is of value to the attendees; perhaps it helps them learn a skill, develop an interest, get exercise, or simply have fun and build friendships. The fee for each class is set by the provider but should have a limit to encourage regular activities rather than one-off special events. Children will sign up for classes online with a system designed so that parents have the final say. To ensure the programme crowds in rather than crowds out consumer spending, parents will also be able to ‘top up’ and pay for additional classes if they wish. A crude calculation based on all children aged 4 to 18 receiving the vouchers estimates a cost to the taxpayer of approximately £2.2 billion per year.
The purpose of this market driven approach is to allow price signals to drive a supply of activities that children and their parents value and enjoy. The significant demand shock provided by the government would quickly strengthen, widen, and diversify existing supply chains. It would bring new innovative products to the market from theatres, chefs, local newspapers, and galleries, and would rescue traditional suppliers such as music teachers, dance instructors and football clubs. A further opportunity is to harness the potential of the millions of adults who now find themselves working around the corner from their local primary or secondary school. These home-workers could provide evening art classes, become part-time yoga instructors, or even embark on a career change by starting a business that provides a wide range of exciting activities.
This policy will tackle many of the challenges that children in the 21st century face, such as bullying, disruption in the classroom and mental health issues. Many children that struggle academically develop a lack of self-esteem due to the absence of other activities through which they can experience success. These students will often compete for attention by being disruptive or being the class clown. Others will mitigate their lack of self-worth by attempting to make others feel the same way. The solution to these problems should be preventative and start with a society that creates a wealth of opportunities through which children can experience success. Through fun and worthwhile clubs and societies children learn to identify and pursue interests, experience a sense of achievement, and perhaps plant the seeds for a future career. This policy will also build diverse and complex social networks which strengthen the resilience of children and forge robust local communities.
The economic case for this policy is strong. It will provide a post-COVID stimulus package that, through the market driven approach, ensures waste is avoided. The investment would be evenly spread around the country reaching every city, town, and village. Any adult or local business that can provide a valuable and fun activity can immediately start to earn and potentially grow a profitable business. The impact up the supply chain will be felt by any business or organisation who can rent out a space, including restaurants, cafes, galleries, libraries, and schools. There is also the opportunity for spill-over income through the provision of refreshments or parent classes. Finally, this stimulation package will put money directly in the hands of those who have earnt little over the course of the pandemic. This will help ensure the investment has a high spending multiplier and a catalysing effect on the wider economy.
Finally, child safety must be central to the design of this scheme with rigorous checks put in place to ensure predatory adults cannot take advantage of its market led design. Further to this a robust system of monitoring and evaluation would be implemented.
Thank you for taking the time to read this policy idea. Regardless of its success in the competition I would very much appreciate any thoughts on the ideas it contains.
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