TRANSFER SCHEME A SUCCESS
The particular advantage of a national organisation such as the society of St. Vincent de Paul, is reflected in the gre,at work that society has undertaken in looking after boys who have been transferred from distressed areas to districts where their labour can be utilised under the juvenile employment transfer scheme.
This scheme has been particularly successful and from Liverpool alone 136 unemployed boys have been transferred to Birmingham of whom only twenty have returned for various reasons, the main one being home-sickness.
Contre Counelis Co-Operate The Liverpool central council of the S.V.P. is supplied with the names and addresses of all Catholic boys transferred to Birmingham by the Liverpool juvenile unemployment bureau. the information being forwarded to a special sub-committee formed by the Birminharn central couna.
In all, thirty-five boys have been included in the scheme, two of whom returned to Liverpool. In Birmingham the boys are mostly accommodated in Catholic homes, not less than Two being lodged in the one house. Every assistance is given to the Catholic authorities by the Liver
Birmingham made itself responsible for the reception of the boys. arranged for their lodgings and looked after their welfare.
Better Careunistan
All the boys from Liverpool have been placed in private lodgings and are in receipt of the standard wage for the district according to age. By means of a government grant they receive an additional sum to enable them to pay lodgings and leave them with at least half-a-crown pocket money and half-a-crown towards clothing expenses. In some cases boys have quickly jumped from the juvenile rate of 17s 6d. a week to 36s. or 35s.. and are now self
supporting. In five cases. their families have followed them to Birmingham and are all doing well. The boys selected in Liverpool were chosen as Likely to make good in industrial employment and Mr. Fogg believes that the scheme will develop: considerably.
There is no question of sweated labour or blind-alley occupations, he says. The boys are placed in selected industries, mostly light engineering. and it is laid down by the receiving authority that the work must be at a standard w_ge and pro. gress i ve.