Planning for Your Children's Future

Te Ao Hou, December 1965, Page 17

Planning for Your Children's Future by Vel Puke Mr Vel Puke, who comes from Waitara and is Senior Vocational Guidance Officer in Christchurch, describes this free service which offers parents and their children advice on careers. ‘What do you want to be when you leave school, Hemi?’ ‘Aw I dunno. Something will turn up.’ I have heard this too often to think that it is an isolated incident. Many young people today do not worry much about careers, and this is particularly noticeable amongst Maoris. The reasons for this attitude are not altogether clear, but it was not so long ago that these decisions were made by the elders, and the younger folk did what was decided for them. With the breakdown of the old way of life it is sometimes difficult for the old people to see that the world of yesterday is gone, and that it is becoming necessary for the younger people to plan the future for themselves. This is what the Pakeha youth has to do, and the Maori youth must do likewise.