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SUNDAY, JULY 14, 1974
THE HONG KONG PLAYGROUND ASSOCIATION IS TO RUN A VARIETY OF COURSES FOR YOUNG PEOPLE IN SUBJECTS RANGING FROM YOUTH WORK CAMPS TO BASKETBALL TRAINING.
SMALLER PROJECTS IN THE NEW TERRITORIES INVOLVE THE CONSTRUCTION OF FOOTBALL, BASKETBALL AND MINI-SOCCER PITCHES, SITTING OUT AREAS AND A PLAYGROUND.
FUNDS HAVE ALSO BEEN APPROVED FOR A PLAY LEADERSHIP PROGRAMME BASED ON THE MAPLE STREET PLAYGROUND IN SHAM SHUJ PO TO BE UNDERTAKEN BY THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE ROYAL HONG KONG POLICE FORCE.
COMMUNITY SERVICE THROUGH SUMMER YOUTH ACTIVITIES
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THE DEPUTY SECRETARY FOR THE NEW TERRITORIES, MR. JOHN CHAMBERS, THIS (SUNDAY) EVENING URGED MORE YOUNGSTERS TO TAKE PART IN THE SUMMER YOUTH ACTIVITIES WHICH NOT ONLY OFFER ENJOYMENT BUT, ABOVE ALL, PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES FOR YOUNG PEOPLE TO PARTICIPATE IN COMMUNITY SERVICE.
SPEAKING AT THE OPENING CEREMONY OF THE TAI PO DISTRICT SUMMER YOUTH PROGRAMME HELD AT THE TAI PO MARKET PUBLIC PLAYGROUND, HE NOTED THAT THE AIM OF THE PROGRAMME IS +TO VIDEN THEIR INTEREST AND HELP THEM TO BECOME HAPPIER AND HORE USEFUL CITIZENS.+
HE TOLD THE GATHERING THAT ONE OF THE EFFECTS OF RAPID DEVELOPMENT AND URBANISATION WAS TO CHANGE THE CHARACTERISTICS OF THE POPULATION AND SO TO ALTER THE FABRIC OF SOCIETY.
+THESE CHANGES ARE OFTEN ACCOMPANIED BY PROFOUND SOCIAL CHANGES, PARTICULARLY IN THE STRUCTURE OF THE FAMILY AND THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN DIFFERENT AGE GROUPS. IN HONG KONG, THESE CHANGES ARE AGGRAVATED BY THE EXTREME CONGESTION WHICH IS A CHARACTERISTIC OF OUR URBAN AREAS.
THESE PROBLEMS HAVE SERIOUS REPERCUSSIONS UPON THE COMMUNITY AT LARGE AND EXPERIENCE HAS SHOWN THAT ONLY THROUGH CONCERTED COMMUNITY EFFORTS CAN THE SITUATION BE IMPROVED,+ HE SAID.
MR. CHAMBERS LISTED THE TAI PO SUMMER YOUTH PROGRAMME AS JUST SUCH A COMMUNITY EFFORT BY PUBLIC-SPIRITED CITIZENS FOR THE BENEFIT OF LOCAL YOUTHS, OFFERING THEM ENJOYMENT AND GIVING THEM A CHANCE TO CONTRIBUTE TOWARDS THE SOCIETY.
THE PROGRAMME COMPRISES TRAINING CAMPS, WORK CAMPS, FOOTBALL AND BASKETBALL TOURNAMENTS, A SWIMMING COMPETITION, A FIRST-AID COURSE, VISITS AND EXCURSIONS.
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