IN THE SERVICE OF YOUTH

Rotorua Morning Post, Issue 5325, 11 February 1947, Page 2

IN THE SERVICE OF YOUTH

HA'LTFAX CONFERENCE VITALITY OF MOVEMENT LN YORKSHIRE. I have been attending a youth eonference — in the capacity of. lecturer, I hasten to add, the age of those pai*ticipating in the conferenee ranging from 17 to 21. The conferenee was a purely lo.cal alfair. organised hy the Yorkshire town of Halifax, but it was typical of youth activities at present being arranged all over Britain, writes Phyllis Bentley from London. Circular 14'86, issued by the Ministry (ihen Board) of Education in November, 1939, may be regarded as the charter of the British Youth Movement. This circular instructed localj government councils to survey the gro.und of what was needed in their locality for young people of M-21, to ascertain what was already being done to strengthen then- voluntary organisations hy aiding them with money, premises and facilities and to fill in any gaps by creating relevant groups. No. Regimented Activities. This arrangement was typically British, for it did not impo.se a set scheme of regimented activities from a'bove, but made use of organisations already in being, the existence f which showed that they were satisfying a local want. That- individual local effort should, whenever posssible^be supported and supplemented, rather than superseded, by central authority, is the firm belief of the- average British citizen. The local town co.uncils appointed youth organisers and started . youth clu'bs; that their woz-k is continually expanding may be judged by, among other things, the number of advertisements for youth club leaders and youth organisers which may be read to-day. Fifty Youth Organisations. Taiking Halifax as a typical town in its provisions of youth activities, the number and types of youth organisations are of some interest, The town has something over 90,000 population. There are about 50 organisations in the service of youth; if each group of an organisation is regarded as a unit. the number reaches 130. All have as their objeet the provision of healthy and happy leisure and of training in good citizenship. There are 16 units of the Boys' Brigade and five of the Girls' Brigade; 37 troops of Boy Scouts, 38 of Girl Guides; there is an Air Training » Corps and -a Women's Junior Air Corps; there are branches of the British Red Cross Society, the Sea Cadets and the St. John's Ambulance Brigade. Besides these uniformed organisations, there are about 34 youth groups of general purpose; church youth groups, cafmm'unity centre sections. "old school" associations, young farmers' clu'bs, gymnasium groups and Y.M.C.A. Red Triangle sports leagues. Conferenee in Mansion. All these groups are linked by a youth leaders' council, on which eacb is represented; the council meets twice a month and plans _combined youth events. Such events during the past year 'have included a youth drama festival, in which nine teams offered themselves to expert comment, a couple of training week-ends for youth leaders, two conferences, some ! courses in citizenship, and various | sports events — a very large girls' netball rally and athletic sports meetings, both -locally and with other ' youth areas. (In this last event, Halifax proudly carried off the Yorkshire championship shield.) The conferenee I attended was held, under the chairmanship of a law student of 20, in a magnificent 18th century mansion, once the home of an eminent local family, now hired out for such gatherings by the co-opera- | tive society which owns it. Some 70 young people, representing about 14 different- organisations, stayed at the hall from Saturday aftemo'on to Sunday evening; during this period they heard five lectures, saw documentary films, attended a religioius service and conducted a symposium and a debate. Severe But Constructive. The subject of the conferenee was: "Own Town: Halifax, Past, Present and Future." Beginning-with lectures on the past 'history of Yorkshire and of Halifax, the programme included an address by our member of Parliament on local opportunities for culture and recreation, a description of the new town-planning. scheme hy the chairman of the housing committee and a- talk -on the present trade of Halifax by the president of the Chamber. of Commerce. The debate and symposium by the young people themselves were significant and interesting. The motion before the debaters was: "That the members of this house regret being citizens of Halifax." The re'solution was overwhelmingly lost, the youthful citizens thus reaflftrming strongly their loyalty to their native town, but on the following evening, when opinions were invited on the sort of town they would like Halifax to be, criticism was severe though practical and constructive. More playing fields, better museums and li'braries, and a more stimulating use of the museums we already have, were among the suggestions offered. Practical Solutions. To my mind the local character of this conferenee was a good sign. Youth is sometimes too apt to indulge in vague dreams of universal goodwill, which it excuses itself from putting into practice hy the plea of lack of apportunity. To consider local problems and tackle their solution is^a practical implementation, as distmct from a mere sentimental discussion, of the brotherhood ideal. Such local service on the part pf British youth gives to the recent conferenee in London of the Council of Education in World Citizenship, which . was attended by 2500 boys and girls from schools all over Britain, a real significance and1 a solid foundation; the young people of Britain are pre--pared to bring to the intemational field the' practical co-operation they have learned to contribute to local citizenship.