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NEW ZEALAND JAYCEE – A HISTORY

In its heyday, Jaycee was one of New Zealand’s liveliest service organisations, with members who were both ‘developers of people’ and ‘builders of communities’. The organisation made an impressive contribution to the social infrastructure of New Zealand after World War II and later. Almost every community has amenities built or aided by the Jaycees. The organisation's role in training leaders in politics, local government and business is less well known but many a parliamentarian and mayor learned public speaking and meeting procedure in a Jaycee chapter.

Jaycee was also an international movement that looked to foster world peace through democracy, trade and international brotherhood. New Zealand Jaycees boxed far above their weight in the international body, taking a strong lead in the Asia-Pacific region. But, like the whole voluntary sector throughout the western world, Jaycee lost ground as new forces in society and the economy invaded its niche. By century’s end the decline in social capital and social cohesion emerged as a worldwide concern. As the New Zealand movement celebrates its 75th anniversary it faces reinventing itself in this new situation.

This readable and well-illustrated book remembers the fun times and the more serious times, while making an important contribution to New Zealand history and the international study of service organisations.

Handsomely produced hardback book with 293 pages and 240 illustrations.

Table of contents: click here to see the table of contents and more pictures.

Index: click here to see the full index.

"A must-have for all those thousands of former Jaycees out there." (Former Napier Jaycee chapter president Graham Beattie, in The Lion.)

"Jaycee is an outstanding book." (Jim McLees, Wanganui Chronicle)

"Throws light on the voluntary community subculture that once flourished like an ancient civilisation now almost buried beneath shrines to Mammon." (Denis Welch, NZ Listener)

"The Butterworths did a great job in researching and writing this book...a great read." (Former Jaycee Royce Pepin, Australia)

"Many wonderful memories flooded back as I read this professional publication. Jaycee shows just what a huge contribution service clubs made to the social capital of this country." (John Irwin, former Jaycee and past president of Wellington Rotary.)

"A gem on almost every page." (Dave Belcher, former Jaycee)


ABOUT THE AUTHORS
Susan and Graham Butterworth are New Zealand’s longest-established independent professional historians. Susan has been in practice since 1985 and Graham since 1990, after a career in government, university and as executive officer of the Police Association. Their books and papers cover a very wide range of New Zealand history, government and local government, business, community and Maori history. They live in Tawa, Wellington.

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