YOUTH disorder has unfortunately been a feature of the recent end of school term celebrations.

To put it in context it’s a small number of pupils, it always is a small number that ruin it if for everyone else but the reaction of the communities at the receiving end of the abuse and vandalism is understandable.

Having your privacy and security threatened by teenagers urinating in public and throwing rubbish into your garden is unacceptable.

And while you are at the receiving end it is tempting to think that all young adults and in some cases, children act this way.

Thankfully they don’t.

The vast majority of Inverclyde’s youth are sickened by the behaviour of the minority.

Recently I have attended a youth theatre production, an athletics event for schoolchildren, youth music projects, the one hundred year celebration of Inverclyde Scouts.

During my eight years as the Member of Parliament I have witnessed far more good behaviour than bad and the volunteers that give their time to work with children in sports, drama, art, music and many more disciplines do a magnificent job in helping to mould responsible members of society while providing a foundation for young adults to develop and grow.

The wider the network of support the fewer kids turn to antisocial behaviour. And at the heart of that support network are the many volunteers that give their time, effort and often money to provide good role models and create better outcomes for Inverclyde’s youth.

Our condemnation of the few should at least be matched by our appreciation of the many.

They truly reflect the society we want to see flourish in Inverclyde.