SERVICE FOR YOUTH

New Zealand Herald, Volume 81, Issue 25030, 21 October 1944, Page 4

SERVICE FOR YOUTH

NEED GfIOWS IN DOMINION LOCAL CENTRES URGED About 100 representatives of various organisations in the metropolitan area attended a meeting at the end of July, called by the Mayor. Mr J. A. C. Alltnn. to discuss a proposal to establish youth service centres in Auckland. Since then local committees to inaugurate such centres in their particular districts have been formed in Dcvonport and Onehunga, and Avondale is also taking active steps in the matter. Now Parnell is considering the question, and the essentials to be aimed at in establishing a centre were ably presented by Mrs Clifford Welch and Miss Joan Rattray at a meeting convened by the Parnell branch of the Citizens and Ratepayers' Association, with Mr R. S. Little in the chair.

England's Example Having been closely associated with girls' el lib work in England two years ago under the auspices of the National Council of Girls' Clubs. Mrs Welch briefly described a typical club in Manchester. It was found, however, (that, excellent as these clubs were, there were .still many thousands of young people between 14 and 20 who did not belong to any club or movement. With the outbreak of war the problem of these young folk, most of whom were employed in industry, became more acute, and in October, 1939, the British Government launched a movement termed "The Service of Youth." Every possible help was given by the Government, local youth committees were established throughout the country and specialised personnel appointed. As a result, mixed youth centres run by full-time leaders, were now open every night of the week throughout the year and provided for mixed activities as well as for the individual needs of each sex. It was found to be wiser to have activities that the voting people wanted and enjoyed rather than to force serious discussion and religious instruction upon them or to run classes that did not interest them and were therefore badly attended. Character Building

The whole essence of the scheme was not to impose on them a perfect streamlined, programme which would be too highbrow for them to appreciate, but to start from where they were and build from that level, widening their interests and developing their characters. Tt was hoped in this way to train a youna generation which, as the responsible citizens of tomorrow, would be fitted to carry out the plans for post-war reconstruction, instead of being so physically and emotionally unfit, so intellectually uninformed and so spiritually unawakened that they would wreck all plans by their pleasureseeking, disillusionment and discontent ".4s approximately .'WOO children went through the Juvenile Courts in New Zealand last year, it will be realised that there is much to be remedied in this country also," said the next sneaker. Miss Joan Rattray. She quoted the example of Northern Ireland, where youth clubs were not established until after the outbreak of war. -but there were now 90 clubs with 46,000 young members Every effort should be made to establish such clubs here and she urged Parnell to follow the example of those districts where local committees had already been set up As young people were on he whole very critical and looked for a high standard in their leaders and lecturers, the selection of personnel called for the utmost care Another central meeting of local delegates was to be called soon, and she Hoped that by then Parnell residents would have decided what wrb needed.