Education for Citizenship When any young woman leaves school she faces the exciting, often bewildering experience of her first job; if she changes from country to city living she faces even more baffling problems. She may wonder where to live, how to make her pay cover board and clothes and where to go in the evenings. The answers are not always easy for city girls with parents to help and are more difficult for girls from the country, as 100 young Maoris found during a three-day ‘Education for Citizenship Course’ held at Auckland. The course grew from talks between Miss M. Mako, vocational guidance officer, Mr P. Harrison, welfare officer with Maori and Island Affairs and Mr T. Royal, assistant officer for Maori Education. Department of Education, Auckland. Other people and organizations quickly supported the idea either financially or by offering their services free, and included vocational guidance officers, teachers, and members of the Maori Women's Welfare League. In all, 300 people took part. ‘We expected a marked increase in school leavers this year,’ said Mr Harrison. ‘Many will come to us for assistance. Some will come too late when they are already in trouble.’ Planning for the course started two months before. The girls were chosen from 220 applicants, to make attendance widely representative. They were all picked from forms 5 and 6 in the Auckland and South Auckland Education Department areas, Most of the girls chosen were those who had not been outside their own area or who were sure they would be coming to Auckland for jobs or further education. Te Unga Waka Marae provided accommodation, and ten hostesses cared for the girls, travelling with them daily to the course lectures. Seven organizations and one Auckland citizen provided funds for the hire of buses, food and incidentals. ‘We couldn't do without the organizations,’ said Mr Harrison. ‘They have offered to help at future courses and others have offered too.’ Similar courses may be held next year, one for girls and one for boys. The subjects for the course were selected by a hard-working team of ten and the organizers made certain the girls received instruction in Maori culture. An evening too, was arranged at Rev. Kingi Ihaka's youth club. The Rev. Ihaka makes a feature of Maori culture and his club draws 200–300 people in an evening. ‘We feel it is important these young people are made to realize they should be proud they are Maoris,’ said Mr Harrison. ‘We get the reaction from some. “Oh but we are only Maoris”. We feel this happens with people who don't know their identity or language.’ The girls took away a wealth of information and the organizers hoped they would pass this on to other girls at their schools. They learned to use make-up, choose and budget for clothes, and spend their leisure hours. They listened to young Maori women who lived at Auckland, talk about their jobs, they met well-known Aucklanders including the Mayor of Auckland. Dr McElroy, and they visited offices and factories. They learned how to behave at an interview and they were urged to overcome shyness. ‘Shyness is a sign of good manners, but shyness can be a handicap,’ said Mr G. Innes, chief vocational guidance officer, Wellington. The recruiting officer for the Navy. Lt F. Connew, pleaded too for Maoris to forget their shyness. ‘It's important to pass your personality across the desk at an interview,’ he said. ‘Never hide the good things about yourself.’ The girls heard about the unpleasant side of city living from Detective Inspector E. J. Perry, Officer in Charge of the vice squad at Auckland, and Sergeant L. Cuthbert, Officer in Charge of Youth Aid, Auckland.