Youth Council

Hutt News, Volume 20, Issue 3, 19 June 1946, Page 7

Youth Council

FORMATION IN HUTT VALLEY

CO-ORDINATION OF EFFORTS

One of the most important moves ever made for the religious, cultural and recreational development of the young people of the Hutt Valley took place last week, when a Youth Council was formed. The council was set up with a full appreciation of the fact that a youth committee of the National Council of Churches was in process of being formed locally, and full co-operation between the two bodies was desired. The Council desires to develop in three stages. First is the setting up of a youth organisation which would have centralised leadership within a given age group, together with certain individuals known to he interested in youth. The organisations represented were the ( Boys' Brigade, Boy Scouts, Girl Guides, Girls" Life Brigade, Junior Red Cross, Salvation Army, St. John Ambulance Cadets, Toe H, Y.W.C.A. and Y.M.C.A. The individuals were Miss Linton, Messrs. V. Bunning, R. Griffin, J. Harvard and W. Bryan, Revs. W. A. Hurst, A. R. Scott and R. W. Simpson. The idea was that, the youth organisation should iron out certain problems and try to work out some scheme of avoiding overlapping. Mr. J. E. F. Vogel was appointed chairman, and Mr. B. Laws secretary: Widening of Activities When the initial difficulties are solved and future plans drawn up it is proposed to ask ,the following bodies to join: Bible Class Union, Free Kindergarten, Heritage, Junior Chamber of Commerce, Plunket Society, R.S.A. and Rotary Club. Activities will then be consolidated and an executive formed. The final stage will be to ask athletic and sports bodies, youth clubs, school committees and boards, the Students' Christian movement, the Lower Hutt Younger Set, and 01cl Pupils' Associations to join. If any other organisations want to join they will be welcomed. Eventually it is hoped to get everybody interested in youth into the movement, and thus be able to plan soundly and present a united front. At the meeting last week it was resolved that members of the organisation offer to help the wives of exservicemen by taking out children after school hours or at week-ends. It was also decided that all the organisations represented be urged to encourage /their members to at•tend church in uniform on Youth Sunday (the fourth Sunday in the month). "*"'"■. '"fff Messrs. G. A. Pitkethley and J. Harvard were appointed.a sub-com-mittee to investigate playing areas and facilities for young'people who do- not belong to registered sports clubs. ' . Subjects for Next Meeting The next meeting will beheld on Tuesday, July .9, when playing areas, games facilities, camps and camping areas, and halls will be among the subjects discussed. The object of the Youth Council is to consider all problems affecting youth, bring forward plans for helping existing organisations - to carry out their functions, and secure as much co-operation as possible. It is hoped to get things on a firm basis at the start, and then build on the solid foundations established, on as broad a basis as possible. It is recognised that the development of the young people's activities must be on the right lines, and that is the aim of the Youth Council.