Hospital plan for jobless

Press, 27 November 1980, Page 6

Hospital plan for jobless

A plan to give young unemployed people work experience in Christchurch hospitals was put before the North Canterbury Hospital Board yesterday. The Idea of bringing groups of young people into a hospital for training in work skills was suggested by the medical superintendent of Burwood Hospital, Dr R. H. Cla-

ridge. It was brought to the board’s attention by Mr W. L. F. Utley, director of Burwood Hospital’s spinal injuries unit. Mr Utley said that the community was concerned about young people leaving school ana very often being left with nothing to do while on an unemployment benefit. “A great many people

would benefit from such a project besides the young people involved. They would also be taught not only work skills but important social skills which would be of life-long benefit," he sai'd. The board’s policy committee will make further investigations of the proposal and discuss it with the Labour Department.