12
PROGRESS
working relationship with the newly appointed officers. Help has been given to the formation of new social organizations. Young people wishing to give community service in their local districts have begun to look to the City District Officer for guidance and ideas.
Imagination, energy and initiative are essential to the direction and operation of these new arrangements. The work will never become routine and in a sense it will always be experimental since there is virtually no limit to the variety of methods which can be adopted and adapted in pursuit of the basic objectives. But by the end of the year it was becoming apparent that the City District Officer scheme was performing a useful function for the outlet of grievances; in November the number of persons who consulted their City District Officer was four times the number which approached the Ward Offices of Urban Councillors.
A fact which cannot be forgotten in Hong Kong is that 50 per cent of its people are under the age of 20. Partly because of this fact, and the trends of recent years, increased attention was paid during the year to the welfare of young people, including young workers, but especially school children. In the budget an extra $5.2 million was allocated to social welfare, a substantial share of which was devoted to more services for the youth of the Colony. Much time and energy was devoted to the training of youth leaders and the sponsoring of youth activities. However, mention must also be made of the prodigious efforts during the summer holidays by both permanent staff and an encouraging number of volunteers to provide recreational pursuits for school children with holiday time on their hands. Although most of the young people who participated were pupils, there was a small but encouraging break-through with young employees of firms. One firm released some of its staff to enable them to take part and it is hoped that more companies will feel able to do similarly in future years.
One thing is abundantly clear: it will be a long time before the provision of recreational opportunities can meet the tremendous demand for them. The summer of 1968 took a large step in the right direction; it remains for the many and various willing organizations and individuals to continue to develop the fresh impetus that has been started.