New dorm means greater enrolment

 CITY Mission’s new Life Skills Training Centre outside Port Moresby is accepting more young men in the National Capital District for training following the opening of a new dormitory and a classroom.

The centre has been operating in partnership with the Australian government through StrongimPipol Strongim Nesen (SPSN) initiative for more than 10 years to train disadvantaged young men on the streets of Port Moresby and Lae with life enhancing skills.

City Mission chief executive officer Ronald Brown said with the inclusion of the new facilities, more young men would be taken on board for training and rehabilitation – spiritually, mentally and physically.

Brown said the new 36-bed dormitory and the classroom would help facilitate life skills training that would be a living course for young and homeless men who had dropped out of the formal education system.

“City Mission focuses on improving centres and expanding its operation to meet the increasing needs of the underprivileged, mistreated and overlooked citizens of the country,” Brown said.

“We house, feed and offer spiritual direction to troubled young men on the streets. 

“We train those youths and help them build moral, ethical and spiritual skills so they become useful citizens in their communities when they finish their training here. We help them to get jobs.

“I thank the PNG government and the Newcrest Mining Ltd for their ongoing partnership with us to advance our mission and to spread the love of God that meets human needs.”

Australian High Commission official, Jennifer Clancy said non-profit organisations like City Mission needed greater partnership to provide rehabilitation services to the youths on the streets.

“If we want to deliver services to the people, the government, business houses and non-government organisations must work together to bring real developments and alleviate poverty faced by young people in the country,” she said.