Dramatic Changes

New Training Centre Could Mean Dramatic Changes

From a Suva Correspondent "It is planned to collaborate with 40 and the Government of Fiji to tablish a homecraft training ntre as a first step in the develop ent of a community education train g centre for the region. A resi mtial course will begin in 1963 for e training of women’s interests area ganisers and homecraft field rsonnel.” tnTH these rather dry phrases, ▼ the Press statement which was leased after the recent South Pacific >mmission conference revealed a heme that should have dramatic [pact on the women of the South cific in the next few years.

Certainly, the 1960’5, so far, have aught a tremendous change in the es of many women in the area rticularly in territories like Fiji iere a Women’s Interests Officer, iss Ruth Robertson, began work th SPC’s WIO, Miss Marjorie ;wart, in 1960. But, with the ting up of a permanent training itre as envisaged in the Press ease, a new stage has been reached.

At the centre it is expected that ;ween 12 and 24 young women im all over the South Pacific will dertake a year’s training to fit m as “area organisers” on their urn home.

Fhe trainees who will all be re ired to have certain basic ilifications, will study a compre isive syllabus: Homecraft: (a) Food— mtrition, cooking, hygiene. (b) rhe House—care and maintenance, lantitation and furnishings. (c) Clothing—sewing and dressmaking, reservation, laundry, fabrics, (d) fhe Family relationships, be laviour, finance, thrift.

Health and Hygiene.

Child Care.

Food Cultivation.

Club Organisation.

Citizenship—the Community.

Accounts —Thrift—Co-operatives.

Teaching techniques and media.

Principles and practice of adult ducation.

Bursaries will be granted by FAO and the SPC and local organisations are being urged to sponsor a trainee, who at the completion of her course, would be employed by that oraginsa tion.

The employer of a trainee might be a Government, a local authority, voluntary organisation or a church, but everyone undertaking the course must have a guarantee of employment when the training is over, Fiji as host territory will provide classroom accommodation and it has already been arranged that the students will stay at Nawela Hostel.

It is hoped that the centre will open about the middle of 1963, according to Miss Marjorie Stewart who has been concerned with the preliminary planning for the centre, and who, with a home economics expert will be responsible for the running of the centre.

A welcome member of the staff— until a permanent appointment is made by FAO—will be Mrs.

Elizabeth Eden, a highly-qualified home economist from Scotland.

Mrs. Eden, who has had valuable experience in Ghana particularly in the training of women as homecraft teachers, will arrive in Noumea in January to join the South Pacific Commission.

Although her duties will be mani fold and cover the whole of SPC territories, it is planned that she should play a major role in the Homecraft Centre at Suva until the promised home economics specialist from FAO arrives.

That the young women completing the course will have their work cut out on their return to their home territories can be guessed from the “job analysis for area organiser” prepared in connection with the scheme.

Among other things, it will be their duty to survey the needs of the territory or area with regard to family, home and community and to work with administrative depart ments as well as local leaders, whether traditional, constitutional or church, in planning a programme of community improvement.

Another part of their job will be to link groups with each other, thus creating a national framework through which to establish and maintain links with relevant inter national women’s organisations.

It will also be their responsibility to encourage youth work and link youth groups with the appropriate national and international bodies.