I agree with Skylark about the gliding bit. Certainly for youngsters with time on their hands gliding is a wonderful introduction to flight (wonderful in it's own right too of course) and a great "social" conditioner. A good gliding club will encourage kids to be a part of a team without which the whole club would grind to a holt. It's also one of the few situations where teenagers and pensioners regularly learn to work together for a common goal.
This can only be good for young people where they learn that they have to be responsible for their own and others safety and where they soon realise that the more they give generally pays dividends in what the recieve.
Plus of course gliding experience does help make REAL PILOTS
SS