VOCATIONAL GUIDANCE

Evening Star, Issue 21091, 2 May 1932, Page 9

VOCATIONAL GUIDANCE

[Contributed.] At the recent meeting of tluk committee Mr J. Lock spoke interestingly of the work being-done by the Child Welfare Department. Unfortunately Mr Look’s official position prevents giving a resume of his address. However, a wide range of matters affecting the welfare and training of youth were very effectively dealt with by the speaker, who .spoke as a specialist. With several cases cited as examples, he revealed his own experience, whilst explaining the activities of his office. Mr Lock was freely questioned by those present, and his replies and the opinions expressed by committee members were frankly discussed. The committee’s officer, in making his report, said that a pleasing sign was the continued use of his services by those seeking advice. The numbers requesting guidance and information, opart; from employment, would alone justify the officer’s attendance at the office week by week. Mr Conby further reported on a meeting with the Dunedin Head Masters’ Association, where after an informal talk it was decided that the recording of primary school pupils should be done about the time of the spring term holidays. He had also attended a meeting of the local council of the Chamber of Commerce, and reported on the work being done by this committee. Through the courtesy of Dr Holloway, the organiser was permitted to speak at a Friday luncheon of the University Club. A lecturette from 4YA served to make more widely known the aims of vocational guidance. The organiser finalised an interesting report by' saying the soundness of vocational guidance methods was being borne out by letters and appreciations received from young folk, and by the support of employers who are repeating their requests for juniors for widely varying spheres of labour. Particulars of the Unemployment Board’s No. 7 scheme for placing boys on farms were laid on the table. This scheme provides for a subsidy of one half-crown a week where not fewer than two boys are placed on the same farm, and with various other qualifying conditions. Several members considered this provision to be quite inadequate in view of the numbers unemployed, the distress amongst young people, and the amount collected as wage tax from those young folk happily in work. The Vocational Guidance Committee finds difficulty in placing boys singly on farms, so it would seem that the Unemployment Board’s condition requiring that boys must he placed at least two on the same farm will be a pretty effective bar to claims on the board’s funds. A letter received from a vocational guidance lady in Auckland endorsed the general feeling of disappointment arising from Cabinet’s continued indifference to unemployment amongst girls and t boys^