Lae’s Catholic Diocese is currently conducting a training on Child Protection for volunteers including teachers of Catholic Agency schools in Morobe.
The workshop focuses on children’s rights and how the volunteers could assist the children who are abused and the perpetrators.
Hellen Tali, one of the volunteers from a Catholic Parish in the Tewai-Siassi District, Morobe, will be trained as a child protection volunteer.
The workshop aims to train volunteers including teachers and members of the catholic church to make the catholic agency become a safe place for children.
Thirty-five participants from Morobe’s nine districts, including Huon Gulf and Bulolo are currently participating in the workshop.
Facilitator of the Child Protection Volunteer Workshop, Sr. Ancy John, says the training is focused on how well the volunteers could assist the victim and how best to deal with the perpetrator.
The training was initiated last year by Lae’s Catholic Diocese Head Bishop, Rozario Menezes, however, it didn’t eventuate due to COVID.
The initiative follows the Bishop’s visit to Catholic Agency Schools in the remote areas of Morobe, where he found out that there were more boys in the classrooms than girls.
Bishop Rozario, says the children suffered because of the abuse practiced within the church, however, he has identified volunteers to work in collaboration with him to protect the children.
