YOUTH RECONDITIONING

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXV, Issue 162, 25 June 1935, Page 10

YOUTH RECONDITIONING

Slump Vitalises Y.M.C.A. OCCUPATIONAL CENTRES By Telegraph—Press Association WELLINGTON, June 24. A veteran of tho world Y.M.C.A. executive, Mr J. J. Virgo, arrived in Wellington to-day by the Monowai from Sydney. Ho is vice-president of tho English National .Council' of the Y.M.C.A., and honorary representative of tho world committee of the Y.M.C.A. at Geneva. Ten years ago he retired from the position of national field secretary and world representative. Mr Virgo has come from Australia with enthusiastic impressions of the work being done there by the Y.M.C.A. The work there has developed along different lines from that in Great Bri tain, he said. It is carried on under a group system, with each group conducting by itself fully-fledged spiritual, social and economic activities. “In all countries in tho last few years I have been impressed,” ho continued, ‘‘with tho ability of the Y.M.C.A. to get busy in a crisis, such as the economic depression in England recently. Tho Y.M.C.A. has provided the unemployed with 400 occupational centres, not lounging, loafing places. They are taught there many of the arts and crafts and how to undertake jobs that must come to them at some time Similar work is being done in Australia It is work of reconditioning youth.” Mr Virgo is at present asking for strong representation from all countries to the next conference of Y.M.C.A.’s, which is to be held in India. This was unique, ho said, in that it would be the first occasion on which the conference had been held outside of Europe. Accompanying Mr Virgo on his tour is Mr Frank Derry, an English Y.M.C.A. leader. They will leave to-morrow for Napier, Rotorua, then Auckland.