Opening marks 10 years planning

Press, 15 May 1987, Page 5

Opening marks 10 years planning

The opening of the Association of Canterbury Youth Groups office in Colombo Street on Wednesday evening marked the culmination of 10 years planning, said the Mayoress of Christchurch, Lady Hay. During an address at the opening ceremony, Lady Hay, convener of the association, said planning began with the International Year of the Child when she became Mayoress.

In 1976, the Year of the Child, several youth

organisations throughout New Zealand worked together to co-ordinate and share events planned, and this led to the idea of a co-ordinating council being formed in Canterbury. The association consists of the provincial heads of several leading youth organisations, including the Scout Association, the Girl Guides Association, the Boys’ Brigade, the Girls’ Brigade, and the Red Cross Society.

Lady Hay said the

primary reason for the association was to provide an information centre which could also give an office service of typing, photo-copying, and fielding telephone messages and inquiries. “The greatest challenge, of course, is financing such a venture. The Government-funded employment and training programmes were a wonderful gift to us, enabling us to provide job opportunities and training for a dozen or so young people, at the same time doing a

real promotion of the different groups,” she said.

For five years these young people were housed on the top floor of the Municipal Buildings and recently extra space was rented there. This office is now occupied by the Boys’ Brigade, Girls’ Brigade, and the Duke of Edinburgh Awards scheme with some information about the activities of girl guides and St John and Red Cross groups, available.

Lady Hay said some funds for alterations were still needed.

The opening of the office, was important for a number of reasons, she said.

“It brings together groups with like interests. It provides for the first time in New Zealand a centre for the dispensing of information and for the promoting of a higher profile for each.”

An < information kit covering all groups has already been put together.