Callan Services
Papua New Guinea
Network of Callan Services – National Conference
The Network of Callan Services works with children and adults with disabilities. The work involves ensuring that children or adults can get education, training or employment, and can receive the right health care. The work also focuses on assisting people with disabilities to participate in the life of their families and local communities.
The Conference was sponsored by CBM (a Germany based non-government organisation) and the European Union and was held at Sivarai Namona Catholic Pastoral Care Centre in Boomana on the outskirts of Port Moresby.
This allowed two representatives from each of the seventeen (17) Resource Centres in the Network of Callan Services and eight (8) staff members of the Callan Services National Unit to participate in the Conference. With them were representatives of the PNG Assembly of Disabled Persons, the Inclusive Education section of the Education Department and of the Disability and Child Welfare Sections of the Department of Community Development.
The exploration of how to conduct services that protect children was lead by Dr Pauline Meemeduma who is the Child Protection Consultant for the Oceania Province of the Congregation of Christian Brothers. The Christian Brothers conduct Callan Services National Unit.
This workshop is the beginning of the development of Children's Services and Child Protection policies, procedures and training of all staff employed in the Network. This will be done in the context of the Strategic Plan (2009 – 2015) of the Callan Services National Unit. This Strategic Plan was formally launched and explored at the Conference. Work commenced at the Conference will continue over coming months.
