City Mission began as a program to get young men off the street and out of a life of poverty, hopelessness and crime.
Today City Mission has developed and expanded the original vision by creating New Life Skills Training Centres (NLSTC). The NLSTCs are located in rural areas with a focus on agriculture and livestock, both as a self-sustaining project and for vocational training. These facilities include a 45 acre farm in Port Moresby, a 155 acre fruit plantation in Lae and a plantation in Madang.
Four-phase Residential Program
The New Life Skills program consists of four three-month phases:
- Phase one includes induction, assessment and literacy. during the first phase the boys work in the agricultural department learning gardening.
- Phase two allows the boys to advance in educational programs and they shift from the gardens to taking care of the livestock or working in the kitchen.
- Phase three sees the boys continuing their literacy education. They also advance to vocational training.
- Phase four boys continue with education and vocational training, but they have to opportunity to work outside of City Mission. Local businesses will contact us for temporary help. The boys that do well often get hired into full time positions. This is part of the overall plan to keep them off the streets by helping them get a job and a bank account in preparation for graduation from the program.
- Graduation and transition. The men that graduate are technically out have the program, but have the option of spending up to six months in our Koki transition dorm, where they are required to attend a local church of their choice, have in-house devotions and follow some basic rules of life and society. They boys pay a monthly fee for room and board in preparation for moving out on their own in a few months.
Basic Life Skills
Many of the young men entering the program have very few life skills, having grown up in remote villages or come off of years in the street life. Basic life skills include: health and hygiene, sex education and HIV/AIDS awareness, citizenship, and more.
Literacy Education
Every boy that is accepted into the program is screened to determine his educational needs and is placed into a literacy program at the appropriate level.
Vocational Training
Every boy in the program has an opportunity for vocational training. We offer a wide variety, and while we do not certify anyone in a vocational field, the boys will gain enough experience to decide what field they may want to pursue as a career. They also the skills to get hired in entry-level positions with many companies. Vocational training includes:
- agriculture and livestock
- mechanics
- building trades
- electric
- plumbing
- retail sales
- hospitality
- security
- basic computer skills
- cooking