What is it that all parents learn to do but no governments seem to think of?

In spite of the belief of the grumpy British at the moment, we are a very advanced and successful society.

We do all sorts of clever things, staff some of the world's best universities, build nuclear weapons and harness nuclear power, perform heart and liver transplants, run high-tech factories, have drinking water come out of our taps, transport millions of people every day on public transport, maintain a sewage system, provide electricity nation-wide and do lots more besides which we take for granted.  But there is one enterprise that is considered too difficult for us.

Most parents, when faced with a child saying "I'm bored" find a task for them to do.  According to age it can be help mash the potatoes, clean the bathroom, sweep the front path, tidy the toy cupboard and find something that can be taken to the charity shop for a younger child.  Sometimes it even enjoys the task, even learns a new skill and wants to do it again.  At the very least, the devil didn't get a chance to employ those idle hands.

But Governments, faced with a million unemployed youth and a country crying out for a general tidying-up, seem unable to harness those forces.  The advantages would be manifold:

1.  Not letting young school and college leavers get in the habit of not having to get up in the morning.
2.  Giving them a feeling that they are needed.
3.  Our neighbourhoods looking more cheerful.
4.  Even if cleaning and cutting back greenery and painting aren't considered skills, they really are useful.
5.  Learning to work in groups to do a task together.
6.  Improving relationships between different ages in society.  The public, seeing a group of youngsters, would not immediately assume they were "up to no good" , and even be afraid of them (Heaven help us!)- might even thank them for the work they are doing!

This should NOT put street cleaners out of a job.  To my mind they are some of the most useful public servants and I am grateful every Tuesday when ours comes round to tidy us up.  But there are plenty of corners they can't, even aren't allowed to reach.  One is just round the corner - some garages set back from the road where rubbish regularly accumulates, to the despair of the owners.  The youngsters could, even, with permission, tidy up the front gardens of those who are too old or too feckless or don't know how to do it themselves.