Training for ‘at risk’ Maori youth

Press, 7 May 1987, Page 28

Training for ‘at risk’ Maori youth

PA v Auckland An Auckland group plans a national system tor training and rehabilitating Maori former inmates and youth it describes as “at risk.” The chairman of the Parihaka Peace Foundtion, Mr Peter Love, said the group planned to establish a number of centres providing accommodation, education and care. He said $500,000 was being sought from the Maori Affairs, Social Welfare, and Justice Departments to establish a centre in Taranaki. If approved, the centre would cater for 30 trainees. Mr Love said trainees would attend Labour Department modules during the day and seminars, cultural or sports activiy ties in the evenings. ' He believed present courses failed because

trainees returned to J troubled or unstable; homes at night “People need to be in a settled environment while participating in education programmes,” he said. A three-month employ-; ment skills course would be compulsory for everyone. This would be' followed by an optional-three-month cultural course or entry into em--ployment or further tertiary education. The foundation has. worked with Maori in-: mates and parolees in; Auckland since 1982. It isbased on the philosophy, of Te Whlti o Rongomai, who lived at Parihaka for most of his life. Meanwhile, an Inter-: tribal sub-committee led' by Mrs Whetu Tlrikatene-; Sullivan has been set up to encourage other tribal*, groups to establish similar, centres. - :