Mendi Catholics host workshop to promote children’s safety

FOURTY-two participants received certificates after a weeklong workshop on the Lukautim Pikinini Act – Child Protection Training – in Mendi, Southern Highlands, recently.
The training was hosted by the Mendi Catholic Diocese with support from AusAID through incentive funding.
Participants came from Catholic parishes in the Mendi district, as well as community development officers, in the Church-State-Partnership programme between the Catholic Church and the Department for Community Development with the Office of Child and Family Services given prominence in taking the lead under the ministry.
Mendi diocese Bishop Donald Lippert said: “When it comes to children’s issues, it is everyone’s business and responsibility.
“I am grateful that you all have sat through the week-long Lukautim Pikinini Act Training.
“The challenge now rests with you.
“To be good volunteers in child protection, your mindset must change completely.
“When your mindset changes, your character changes too, so you are prepared to make a change in your communities.”
The acting chief executive of the Office of Child and Family Services, Simon Yanis, told the participants that the government was serious about addressing child protection and the churches played an important role in delivering those services.
“I want to congratulate Bishop Donald and the Mendi Catholic diocese for hosting this training and it’s a milestone for the district itself as for too long we have been out of contact with this province,” he said.
“But through such partnership with the Catholic Church, we are able to run a successful training.”
Yanis emphasised that children were the government’s responsibility and he would ensure that those living in care centres had their data collected and registered.