6 Chch pupils for Pacific

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32775, 27 November 1971, Page 18

6 Chch pupils for Pacific

Six young people from Christchurch are among the 35 secondary school pupils from throughout New Zealand who have been selected by the Volunteer Service Abroad scheme to work in the Pacific Islands next year.

In January, 1972, Helen Robbins, aged 18 (Villa Maria College); Laura Harrington, aged 18 (Mairehau High School); Paula Jameson, aged 17 (Avonside Girls’ High School); Bill van Peer, aged 18 (Hillmorton High School); and Mary Dawson, aged 18 (Rangi Rum Girls’ School) will leave for a year’s service in Tonga and Catherine Woodward, aged 18 (Christchurch Girls’ High School) will leave for Fiji. Each of them will teach English and other subjects at various schools—Catherine will work at Niusawa High School, Tavenui, in Fiji; and in Tonga, Helen will be assigned to Pea Primary School; Laura will be at Siuilikutapu College, Vava’u; Paula will be working at Pilolevu College, Ha’apai; Bill will go to Mailefihi College, Vava’u; and Mary will be at a school in Tonga or possibly in the New Hebrides “The school-leaver volunteers play an important role and give much valuable assistance in helping with the education of these various Pacific communities,” said the director of Volunteer Service Abroad (Mr G. Skipper). “The need for education is critical, and young people such as these from Christ-

church will make an important contribution.” Before leaving Wellington, all members of the group going to the South Pacific will receive some basic language instruction, and once they arrive at their particular assignments, all will live in the local community. There are still some adult teaching positions in the Pacific with the Volunteer Service Abroad scheme to be filled.