8
Monday, October 15, 1973
CLASSES BEGIN AT INSTITUTE FOR SOCIAL WORK TRAINING
****
The Institute for Social Work Training, one of the projects in
the five-year plan for the development of welfare services in Hong Kong,
officially began classes today (Monday).
Speaking at a brief welcoming ceremony for the students, Mr.
K.W.J. Topley, the Director of Social Welfare, said the occasion marked
"the start of something that will have a very big influence on Hong Kong
in the future."
He said as the intake of students built up so would the corps
of professionally trained social workers to form the base on which social
welfare services will be expanded.
He said while each school or institution had its own style,
much depended on the students themselves and how they responded.
"We need to establish a new style in social work in Hong Kong
and one way of doing this is through new people like yourselves," he told
the students.
Mr. Topley stressed that helping people is important and said
they could achieve new standards through their training to deal with
more difficult problems as more demands are made of social workers.
In welcoming the students, Mr. L.B. MacQuarrie, Principal of
the Institute, said many had made sacrifices such as giving up jobs to
join the Institute, but they would have the satisfaction of knowing they
would become professionally trained social workers.
/The Institute