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WEDNESDAY, APRIL 24, 1974
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MR. BRAY AGREED WITH MR. CHEONG-LEEN THAT MORE STATISTICAL INFORMATION WAS REQUIRED ABOUT THE SIZE OF THE PROBLEM THOUGH EVEN THIS WAS NOT EASY TO PIN DOWN IN BETWEEN CENSUS YEARS. THE GOVERNMENT, HE SAID, WOULD CONSIDER AGAIN WHETHER IT WAS LIKELY TO GET THE INFORMATION FROM PRIMARY SCHOOLS.
ONE IDEA MR. BRAY LIKED WAS TO OFFER CHILDREN NOT AT SCHOOL A CHANCE TO GO TO A CAMP DURING TERM TIME WHEN THE CAMPS ARE SLACK. +IF SUCH A SCHEME DID NOTHING ELSE IT WOULD GIVE THESE CHILDREN SOME FUN WHICH THEY WOULD NOT OTHERWISE GET,+ HE SAID.
ANOTHER APPROACH HE FAVOURED WAS A REACHING-OUT SCHEME. THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT WAS ALREADY CONDUCTING A PILOT PROJECT ALONG THESE LINES IN CHAI WAN AND DOOR TO DOOR VISITS WERE PAID TO SELECTED HOUSEHOLDS TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT YOUNG PEOPLE, THEIR PROBLEMS, NEEDS AND THE SERVICES THAT SHOULD BE PROVIDED.
OVER 5,000 HOMES HAVE SO FAR BEEN VISITED IN THE COURSE OF THE SURVEY WHICH STARTED TWO MONTHS AGO. THE ANALYSIS WILL TAKE ABOUT A YEAR TO COMPLETE.
HAVING IDENTIFIED THE CHILDREN, MR. BRAY SAID, THE NEXT STEP WOULD BE TO DECIDE WHAT TO DO WITH THEM IN THE PERIOD UNTIL SCHOOL PLACES COULD BE PROVIDED.
ONE OF THE PROJECTS UNDER CONSIDERATION, HE WENT ON, WAS THE PROVISION OF HANDICRAFT CLASSES IN WELFARE CENTRES AND THE LIKE. THE AIM WAS NOT TO PROVIDE APPRENTICESHIP OR PRE-VOCATIONAL TRAINING BECAUSE THE CHILDREN ARE STILL VERY YOUNG, BUT TO GIVE THEM AN OPPORTUNITY TO WORK UNDER GUIDANCE WITH THE SORT OF TOOLS AND MATERIALS THAT MAY BE USEFUL TO THEM IN EARNING A LIVING LATER IN LIFE, HE EXPLAINED.
THE ASSOCIATION OF BOYS AND GIRLS CLUBS WAS ALREADY RUNNING SEVEN HANDICRAFT PROGRAMMES FOR CHILDREN AGED BETWEEN EIGHT AND 14, AND HE BELIEVED IT WOULD BE PRACTICAL TO PROVIDE SIMILAR FACILITIES AT 10 MORE CENTRES AND THAT IT WOULD BE POSSIBLE TO FIND RESOURCES FOR THIS.
ON THE WIDER ASPECT OF CARING FOR YOUNG PEOPLE, MR. BRAY SAID, THE COUNCIL FOR RECREATION AND SPORT HAD ENDORSED THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A COMMUNITY RECREATION AND SPORTS SCHEME. THE SCHEME IS NOW BEING CONSIDERED BY THE SECRETARIAT.
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