Row Over Highland Boot Camp for Neds

An organisation behind a proposal to open Scotland’s first “boot camp” for young offenders has been criticised over its choice of name. Critics claim the firm’s title New Education Developments Scotland — whose acronym is Neds — is demeaning and offensive to young people. The Neds centre, based at Glenlivet, in Morayshire, will house up to 35 young people aged 12-16 who have been in trouble with the police. Youngsters with behavioural and drug problems will undergo a strict physical regime of outdoor activity and vocational training.

The Glenrothes-based company behind the centre, which will be built on a former campsite, said it was aware of the pejorative connotations of its acronym, but is refusing to change it.

“Some people will be offended by the name Neds, but we would say to those people ‘lighten up’,” said Gary Johnson, a business consultant and director of the company. “I’m sure the young people will relate to it and engage with it rather than taking offence.”

A spokeswoman for Kathleen Marshall, Scotland’s children’s commissioner, said she feared that young people would be unfairly labelled. “What we hear time and again from young people is that they really do resent being labelled or stigmatised as neds,” she said.

Earlier this month Tavish Scott, the transport minister, had called for the term “ned” to be dropped, claiming that it was derogatory and risked “demonising” a generation.

The Beano comic also came under fire after it introduced a strip called The Neds which featured a slobbish, anti-social jobless family; Ned and Nedette and their teenage children, Asbo and Chavette.

Serious offenders, youngsters with chronic substance abuse problems, persistent absconders from school and those considered to be a risk to themselves or others will be referred to the Neds centre by local authorities.

Johnson said the school will use strategies similar to those used in the Channel 4 series Brat Camp. “We are not proposing a military-style boot camp, but a lot of the principles are the same. We are looking to get young people to end their cycle of offending and low self- esteem by giving them the skills, confidence and discipline that they need to enter employment,” he said.

“Our aim is to make the most of the outdoors and the fantastic surroundings that we have at Glenlivet. There are no distractions when you are out in the hills and there is no mobile phone reception, no shops and no microwaves. In that kind of situation people learn pretty fast that they need to work with others and show respect.”

The youngsters will be taught skills such as painting and decorating and engineering through practical exercises.

Residents will be expected to clean and maintain the site, do their own laundry and work on charitable community projects.

Johnson added that the youngsters would be strictly supervised and would not pose a threat to the local community: “We are very confident that the school and its young people will come to be regarded as assets by the community.”