105. The important part which these organizations play-and will continue to play in the Hong Kong welfare field has required the building up of machinery for consultation, co-ordination and co- operation both between themselves and the Government, not only to ensure the uniform development of necessary welfare services but also to achieve the best use of the resources available.
106. At the present time, co-ordination between the Social Welfare Department and voluntary agencies is maintained both by direct contact and by a process of joint consultation. Some forty officers of the Department sit on the management and other committees of various voluntary welfare organizations: these officers act as consultants and they also advise the organizations of relevant departmental policies. In a few cases-where the need has arisen-officers have been seconded on a temporary basis to work for an organization, but this is very much an exception rather than a rule. But the main avenue of communication is through bodies which themselves co-ordinate a group of welfare services. Caritas and the Hong Kong Christian Council, for instance, co-ordinate the welfare activities of many Roman Catholic and Protestant Church organizations respectively. The most comprehensive body, however, is the Hong Kong Council of Social Service. Although the Council does not represent all the voluntary welfare organizations, it provides a convenient (though not the only) vehicle of communication with some 81 affiliated member organizations. Co-ordination has been one of its most important functions, though it has been equally con- cerned with improving services and raising standards and generally promoting progress in the social welfare field. The Department is represented on the Council's Executive Committee and lends the support of its officers on many of its other subcommittees and divisions.
107. Through this form of regular communication, the Department during the year has been discussing with the Council and its affiliated organizations a number of important issues requiring joint agreement and effort; amongst these may be mentioned the revision of the original draft of a five-year plan for the development of social welfare services; the planning and provision of welfare services in estate welfare build- ings and in Government and Government subsidized low-cost housing estates; the development of a volunteer service; and the training and eventual status of those working with groups of people, and particularly young people. The better the machinery for communication between
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