IST 1, 1974
SELF-PRUGAMNHG YOoi
C57S
SCHEME TO PROMOTE VELL DEIRO "F YOUNG
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A SCHEME TO PROMOTE THE WELL BEING OF YOUNG PEOPLE THROUCH THE ACTIVITIES OF MUTUAL INTEREST CROUPS NOL HAS HORE THAN 3,000 ACTIVE PARTICIPANTS.
THESE SELF-PROGRAMMING YOUTH GROUPS, ORGANISED BY THE YOUNG PEOPLE THEMSELVES WITH GUIDANCE FROM THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT, ORIGINATED FROM THE ANNUAL SUMMER PROGRAMME ACTIVITIES SPONSORED BY THE DEPARTMENT.
AFTER TAKING PART IN THE SUMMER PROGRAMME, MANY OF THE YOUNG PEOPLE TOOK THE INITIATIVE TO SET UP INTEREST GROUPS SO THAT THEY COULD CONTINUE THEIR WORK AND DEVELOP THEIR FRIENDSHIP TOGETHER.
THE NUMBER OF SUCH YOUTH GROUPS HAS INCREASED FROM 17 TO 62 SINCE 1968 WHEN THE SCHEME FIRST STARTED.
+ THE SELF-PROGRAMMING GROUPS ARE SO CALLED BECARSE EACH HAS ITS OWN NAME AND CONSTITUTION AND IS FINANCIALLY INDEPENDENT WITH INCOME CONTRIBUTED BY ITS OWN MEMBERS,+ A SPOKESMAN FOR THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT SAID.
+ PARTICIPANTS, AGED BETWEEN 16 AND 25 AND RANGING FROM 25 TO 100 IN EACH GROUP, COME FROM A DIVERSITY OF BACKGROUND STUDENTS FROM SCHOOLS, COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES AND WORKERS FROM VARIOUS TRADES THROUGHOUT HONG KONG.
+THE GROUPS ALSO ORGANISE THEIR ACTIVITIES TO SUIT THE INTERESTS OF THEIR OWN MEMBER,+ THE SPOKESMAN ADDED.
GENERALLY THEIR ACTIVITIES ARE DIVIDED INTO THREE AREAS-- RECREATION, COMMINITY SERVICES AND CULTURAL ACTIVITIES.
WHEN THE GROUPS WERE FIRST FORMED, THEIR ACTIVITIES HAD BEEN MAINLY RECREATIONAL WITH PICNIC TRIPS CAMPING, AND BARBECUE OUTINGS.
MOST HAVE SINCE PROVIDED COMMUNITY SERVICES BY ORGANISING CHILDREN'S DAYS AND WORKCAMPS, HELPING YILLAGERS IN THE NEW TERRITORIES DISTRIBUTING WARM CLOTHINGS TO THE NEEDY AND ARRANGING RECREATIONAL ACTIVITIES FOR CHILDREN IN ORPHANAGES AND CONVALESCENT HOMES. WHILE OTHERS SET UP STUDY-AID GROUPS AND RESPONDED TO DONATION DRIVES BY THE RED CROSS BLOOD BANK.
FOR CULTURAL ACTIVITIES, THEY HAVE ORGANISED DISCUSSION GROUPS ON DIFFERENT TOPICS, DEBATING SESSIONS, PUBLISHED THEIR OWN BULLETINS, AND VISITED FACTORIES AND GOVERNMENT INSTITUTIONS TO BROADEN THE HORIZON OF THEIR MEMBERS.
+ THE SELF-PROGRAMMING GROUPS SCHEME HAS PROVED SUCCESSFUL BECAUSE IT SATISFIES THE NEEDS OF YOUNG PEOPLE WISHING TO MEET OTHERS AND LOOKING FOR PRACTICAL EXPERIENCE, THE SWD SPOKESMAN SAID.
+BESIDES, IT PROMOTES THEIR WELL BEING AND HELPS TO DEVELOP THEIR COMMON INTEREST BOTH IN RECREATIONAL ACTIVITIES AND SERVICE TO THE COMMUNITY.+ KE ADDED.
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