RECREATION AND THE ARTS
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Plans are also at hand to transfer the subvention responsibility for the camps from the Social Welfare Department to the Municipal Services Branch to make as many of the camps as possible economically viable and effective in attracting children and young people to make maximum use of the facilities.
Outward Bound School
The Hong Kong Outward Bound School is a private registered charity and part of a world-wide network of such schools. It provides year-round land and sea-based stress- challenge personal development training programmes, lasting from seven to 18 days.
The training is held on the school's training ship, the brigantine Ji Fung (Spirit of Reso- lution), and from the residential base in Tai Mong Tsai, Sai Kung. In October the Ji Fung sailed to Hainan Island, conducting training activities in Chinese territory for the first time. The purpose of each course is to improve the trainee's self-confidence, self-awareness, resourcefulness, leadership and communication skills. Trainees include an ever-increasing number of employees of corporations and businesses who use Outward Bound as part of their staff development programmes, students, and young people, including the handicapped. During its year-round operation the school organised a total of 109 courses for 2 892 people, including 44 courses for adults, 12 children's adventure and social education programmes, six special outdoor skills courses, 20 courses for the disabled and under- priviledged, and two rehabilitation programmes for juvenile delinquents.
In the past five years the organisation has:
(1) increased total revenue from $1.7 million to $4.1 million,
(2) increased overall fund assets from $8.6 million to $10.4 million,
(3) increased number of trainee programme days from 16 302 to 21 269,
(4) increased the number of trainees from 1 561 to 2 892,
(5) increased staff from 20 to 32.
On August 14, a new permanent jetty built with $2.9 million donated by the Jockey Club, was opened. This now enables the ship to be berthed at the school, increasing its usability and accessibility.
Financing is provided through tuition income, charitable donations, and a government subvention which enables the participation of handicapped people and young people who are unable to afford the full course fee.
Adventure Ship
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The Adventure Ship Limited is a charity operating the 90 foot, three-masted junk, Huan for the benefit of underprivileged and handicapped youth.
Founded in 1977 with the purchase and conversion of a partially-completed passenger junk, the project trains over 4 000 young people each year in basic sailing and seamanship skills within Hong Kong waters. In addition, when sponsorship is available, overseas trips are undertaken to provide a higher level of training.
Most trips are subsidised through donations from the Jockey Club, the Community Chest, and many other private organisations, thus enabling the project to cater mainly for those who are unable to afford such activities.
Ocean Park
Ocean Park, Asia's largest oceanarium and fun park located on the south side of Hong Kong Island, and overlooking the South China Sea, attracted more than 1.75 million visitors this year.