Ki nga rangatahi e rapu ana

Tu Tangata, Issue 17, 1 April 1984, Page 28

Ki nga rangatahi e rapu ana

For many of our young people, employment is a forgotten, word, as they face the prospect, along with many others, of training programmes and ‘life modules’. With this in mind Tu Tangata introduces an article prepared by a worker in this training field, a person motivated by aroha to share and build up whanautanga.

“With another year on the way, more and more disillusioned young people having left school we in the community are bound, if not by the AROHA that people talk about, then by our own conscience to assist our young men and women. With the 15/16 year olds there is an opportunity to lead these young people to show courtesy in speech, in manners and in understanding, and therefore putting into practice some of our traditional and spiritual values. These values I believe lie dormant in most of us they only need nurturing for us to live them, that is what I see as the taha-wairua of the Maori. We need to work into these programmes discipline, but in doing this, we do so with love and an explanation of the reasons for this. There is nothing man does that cannot be explained and most of the explanations we need can be related back to our maoritanga, e.g. grounds need preparing for plantings of kumara; the importance of the girls understanding the home and econ-

omics; our women are the precious jewels of Maoridom. In the short term schemes, we can instill in them the Maori heritage, and along with Pakeha idealogy, we must get better citizens, if not immediately, then in the years to come. Healthwise we can pick-up the tabs of our young people make ourselves open to them, share with them it won’t come the first hour the first day it takes time. You can help them to go for health checks, specialised treatment for hearing, sight, and the worst sickness of all depression. Remember many of these young people are “going it alone”, no job, loose family commitment, and many 3rd Generation urbanites. If we do become involved in these programmes either voluntary or by employment situation, I believe we cannot do so without respect, and if we have not this for ourselves, how can we have this from our young people. When we take up the challenge to lead we become the servant, and help to move

things slowly, we are the “grass roots”. It’s only then we see the shoots begin to appear not everywhere, just here and there. It comes with less abusive language among ourselves, a change in the “agro” situation to the “System”, the pulling together of “we” not “I”. In running these programmes we need to be honest in our dealings with government departments. If one doesn’t know something, go and ask how to fill in the monetary returns. We cannot afford to “take a guess” at something. Be specific in what we submit if we need to change a programme, let the employing body know. For example many young people on the STEPS (Secondary Schools, Training and Employment Scheme) don’t know that if a telegram is sent to them to attend a meeting to talk about modules, they must go to the meeting. And after listening to this, they then can say whether they wish to participate or not, not ignore the notice sent out, otherwise they will have their benefit cut. Another area is not giving

the correct home address. If you sometimes go between two or three homes, give all three addresses, then you’re covered. Another area that is causing problems is that our young people don't realise that during the week they must remain in the town they register unemployed in, as quite often a telegram or contact is made but nothing eventuates because they have gone “up-country” to look for employment. It is better to let the department know and thereby keep the communication lines open. We have the knowhow to share out to help each other to avoid the pitfalls in setting up these schemes. Be honest in our submissions or budget. The funding is there to give positive meaning to these participants, and we must be continually exploring avenues of knowledge, whether it be through Government Departments seminars and courses being run throughout the country; whatever it is, combine the learning with the words of wisdom from our kaumatua, for it is the blending of knowing where we come from and where we are going that is our strength for all people whatever race or class. Finally we need to educate our young people to take their place in society; help them to respect themselves. Judge them by what they do not what people say they do. Speak kind words and we will begin to hear kind echoes. There are no young people without a home find theirs or offer them yours, somewhere they have family.” By P E Vermunt-Eady

Ist Week '2nd Week 3rd Week 8.30 Monday Orientation getting to know the module Evaluation of previous week learning Justice & Legal System in N.Z. Practical Theory for Drivers Licence visit. E.g. Court = its function in both criminal and civil areas. Where to go Recreation for legal aid, birth certificates, payment of fines. Tuesday Marae live-in. Covers Sprituality. Cater- Visit Work Scheme famaliarize one Looking at Banking and credit facilities ing: Diet Health Community. on relating to others on schemes. Using in the town. Bankcards savings acHandcrafts = weaving Taniko, Carving, social awareness needs e.g. speaking, counts, dangers in over-committment. Self confidence in speaking. communicating. Wednesday Marae live-in Getting to know transport in ones area Participating in practical help in the e.g. buses, rail, air, rental, freight, community e.g. spend day at Karitane licence. Centre helping in gardens playing with pre-schoolers or helping mothers in Recreation home. Thursday Marae live-in Museum, Civil Defence or other Mental health use resources of Health facilities in one area. Looking at Dept or Hospital, documents, insurance, leases, H.P. Layby. Recreation Friday Day off. Hours filled in. Selection of what participants feel is im- Budget advisory use resources of Dept portant to do this day. Social Welfare Support Services. Barbeque by participants.

The above is the basic Life-Social skills module it must be adapted to individual areas. Use resources from within the community.