361, dated March 12, states: " Arrangements have been made whereby, when District Man-Power Boards have under consideration applications for the deferment of the calling-up of men in respect of their ordinary employment, substantial' part-time service in a recognised Youth Centre or Organisation will be taken into account if the facts are made known to the Man-Power Boatels. . . . The possibility of making somewhat similar arrangements in the case of part-time women workers in the Youth Service is now under consideration."
The above is subject to confirmation being supplied that the worker is engaged for no less than 40 hours per month in part-time Youth Service work, and that the retention of his services is required for the maintenance of the work of the Youth Centre or Organisation in question.
The encouragement that will now be given to the training of leaders is being stressed in all quarters, and similar schemes as that announced in our issue of last week for the training of leaders to work in the diocese of Salford, as well as plans of a like nature now being studied in Birmingham, are expected to be inaugurated elsewhere.
LONDON TRAINING CENTRES
The London area, where Catholics are concerned, is remarkably -backward in this respect. The only training course is the wellknown one at St. Anne's, Vauxhall, where clergy have been taking P.T. lessons and studying the theory of Youth work. It is now announced that similar facilities will be made available to laymen willing to undergo similar training.
Commenting on the position, a high Catholic authority in London said that several noteworthy points would have to be considered by those Catholics taking advantage of the possible wide scope of the new measure.
First of all, they must be prepared to remain as leaders for . a long period, otherwise their long training would be to little purpose, and they might well be listed with those who saw in such a scheme a loophole of escape front military service.
In the second place, the nature of their occupation and its importance as a contribution to the War (War, must weight their decision.
Finney—and nor the feast serious con.sideration—reflection must be given to the personal authority likely to be enjoyed by an exempted Youth Leader working among boys training to be drafted sooner or later to the various branches of the armed Forces. The degree of discipline obtained would depend chiefly upon the personality of the individual Leader.
BOYS' CLUB LEADERS WELCOME IT
Mr. Keane, Public Relation and Research Officer of the National Association of Boys' Clubs, stated that the association welcomes this memorandum and regards it as a further proof of the Government's sincerity and genuine desire to support the various Youth Associations in the work they are doing.
" It is the first time a voluntary leader has been helped in this country," he said to Inc CATHOLIC HERALD.
"The memorandum will apply to men who have qualified to do Youth work, and, if they are not specifically trained, the Government is making this very great concession and it is up to leaders to equip themselves as excellently as possible. It is up to their organisations to offer them the fullest possible facilities for attending training