Returnees acquire I.T. skills

06 July 2017, 12:00AM

The Toefuataina Support Centre has been busy setting up a computer learning centre at their Returnees Office, according to the Director of the Samoa Returnees, Magele Vernon Mackenzie.  

This is one of our latest endeavours to promote our ongoing service delivery and contribution to rehabilitation through capacity building initiatives and finding ways to resettle our returnees, said Magele. 

“We have scheduled different activities during the week and have already started basic computer classes at 10 am and Alcohol & Drugs counseling at 11am.”

Magele said their project goal is that the rehabilitation centre supports institutional strengthening for all Returnees, to improve their quality of life and to reduce their propensity to re-offend.

“This initiative is kindly sponsored by the Civil Society Support Programme

(C.S.S.P.) and is another milestone for the Trust. 

“This project will contribute to Australia’s Strategic priority to progress health and education outcomes and to enable economic growth. Accordingly, this also

aligns with the Samoa Development Strategy (SDS) 2016-2020 with the theme

“Accelerating Sustainable Development and Creating Opportunities for All”.

Magele has also linked up with Moananu Tyrone Laurenson In Country Manager of the  High Tech Youth Network Centre which is situated next to Samoa College.

“If some of their returnees are younger than 26, they may fit into our target market of 8 to 26 year olds to make use of our I.T. facilities at a designated time,” he said.

The Trust has successfully launched several workshops over the years with

a strategic plan to develop a comprehensive rehabilitation hub focussed on

engaging (criminal deportees). 

The centre aims to facilitate a ‘safe’ space to inspire learning and provide 'real world' transferable skills for those returnees who did not finish high school or even consider taking academic courses.

We plan to implement various programs for returnees' and empower them towards a goal oriented outlook. This initiative is both crime preventive and progressive.

06 July 2017, 12:00AM
Samoa Observer

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