Busy city week for rural pupils

Press, 19 August 1978, Page 21

Busy city week for rural pupils

Thirty-six senior high school pupils from 23 schools between Kaikoura and Ashburton will spend next week taking a firsthand look at Christchurch’s social services. They will attend a residential community awareness programme organised by the Kiwanis Club of Christchurch.

Their working week will begin on Monday with addresses by two detached social workers, Messrs Dennis O’Reilly of Napier, and Cos Jeffries, who has worked with the Epitaph Riders at Christchurch and Invercargill. Then they will be introduced to the Social Welfare Department, visit Templeton farm and Sunnyside and in the evening learn about outdoor safety and the Outward Bound organisation.

On Tuesday they will look at the justice system and take part in a discussion with journalists about the role of the media in the community. Alcohol and its effects will be studied on Wednesday, with visits to the St John Ambulance Association headquarters and the Ministry of Transport. in the evening they will hear jhe long-distance runner, Major Albert Kiwi and his dog, Freefall. Thursday will have a discussion on drugs, followed by visits to the courts, hospital, and Social Welfare Department.

On Friday the groups will visit a community organisation of their choice, look at the facilities at Christchurch Airport, Customs, and the U.S. Navy and round off the programme with a panel discussion involving trade

unions, the Employers’ Association, the Union of the Unemployed and a personnel officer.