Around 65 children, aged between three and fourteen years of age, are participating in sessions of learning and entertainment in a summer school in the centre attached to the church of St Paul in Marsalforn.

The Minister for Gozo, Giovanna Debono, met with the coordinators, teachers and children, who attend the centre. The Minister praised the initiative of the coordinators, including that of the Rev. Canon Michael Borg, Rector of the Marsalforn community, for providing somewhere for children to spend time with their friends, having fun, learning about new skills and in a hazard free environment.

The centre opened in July and will run until mid-September. Children aged between three and five years attend sessions every Tuesday and Thursday and those aged between six and fourteen attend on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. The sessions are open to any children living in Marsalforn, or who are visiting the area through the summer.

The four teachers who look after the children are from the Work Trial Scheme of the ETC. The scheme targets various groups including youth with no relevant work experience or no experience at all, graduates or persons who completed a course and who never worked in the area of their studies, persons who were not working for the previous year, persons aged 25 years and older who are registering and who have been unemployed for at least six months and persons who were recently made redundant. This scheme was specifically conceived to meet employer’s demands of more qualified and experienced employees. Through the scheme, participants are given the opportunity to be placed in a real work environment for twenty hours a week for a maximum twelve-week period. During this time participants undergo on the job training and gain valuable work experience. Participants are paid an allowance whilst employers incur no financial costs. During this period, the employer has the opportunity to evaluate the participant prior to considering employment after the scheme.

The participation of over 200 employers and NGO’s was crucial for the success of this scheme. 68% of the 340 participants are not registering work anymore.

The children who have been attending the centre in Marsalforn through the summer, have so far taken part in sessions of photography, first aid courses and cultural and sports activities. A session on the effects of heat stress is coming up and there will also be activities where the children are able to showcase the talents they have learnt.

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