TAP for unemployed

Waimarino Bulletin, Volume 4, Issue 34, 10 February 1987, Page 6

TAP for unemployed

Weaving, landscaping, administration and music and drama are four schemes currently operating in Ohakune, under the Department of Labour's Training Assistance Programme. The twenty week courses run at the Maungarongo Marae are to teach young unemployed people basic skills in the programme they are employed in. The landscaping programme is in its seventh week. Under the tuition of Walter Mareikura, the ten students are currently landscaping the Maungarongo Marae in preparation for the Governor General's visit. The first four weeks the trainees spent learning the theoretical skills of beautifying a garden by using its natural environment. The group have learnt to draw plans of their ideas on paper to scale and also how to use the different materials including scoria, fencing and concreting. "The aim is to teach them to express their ideas in their own way", says their tutor, Mr Mareikura. "They have the potential — it's just a matter of bringing it out", he added. Over the coming weeks the trainees will be obtaining practical experience doing jobs around Ohakune. Trips out of town have been

arranged including a visit to Wanganui's Botanical Gardens to look at other peoples ideas. The administration course is teaching its students a wide range of office skills. The ten trainees have been taught how to do wages, accounts and general clerical duties. The syllabus has also covered typing skills, the preparation of books for auditing and balancing personal chequebooks.

They have attended court days as 'amateur reporters' to improve their listening skills and to learn to deal with facts. The students have been learning through hypothetical stiuations in the classroom. However. local businesses have been approached to give the students first hand work experience in the community, one day a week. Gail Mareikura. a trainee on the administration course

spent last Wednesday at Skiers Innand theadjoining T.A.B. Twenty-four-year-old Fiona Mills had a day with the Waimarino Bulletin , also last Wednesday. Fiona says she is really enjoying the course. She added that it is easy to stagnate being unemployed and the course is providing discipline and the stimulation of learning. Two further courses — Catering and College Craft are being held at the Raetihi Marae.