THURSDAY, AUGUST 22, 1974.
- 7 -
IMPORTANCE OF ORGANISED YOUTH LEADERSHIP STRESSED
******
THE DEPUTY SECRETARY FOR SOCIAL SERVICES, MR. PETER WILLIAMS, TODAY EMPHASIZED THE IMPORTANCE OF ORGANISED LEADERSHIP TO CATER TO THE NEEDS OF YOUNG PEOPLE IN HONG KONG.
ADDRESSING MEMBERS OF THE KOWLOON ROTARY CLUB IN HIS CAPACITY AS SECRETARY OF THE AREA COMMITTEE OF THE HONG KONG SEA CADET CORPS, MR. WILLIAMS NOTED THAT WE HAVE AN UNPRECEDENTED SOURCE OF YOUNG PEOPLE WHO WILL RESPOND TO THE SLIGHTEST OPPORTUNITY OF LEADERSHIP.+
THIS WAS EVIDENT IN THE OVERWHELMING RESPONSE FROM YOUNGSTERS IN VARIOUS YOUTH UNITS SUCH AS THE SCOUTS, THE JUNIOR LEADER SQUADRONS OF THE ROYAL HONG KONG REGIMENT, THE CIVIL AID SERVICES CADETS AND THE SEA CADETS CORPS, AMONG OTHERS.
ONE OF THE BIGGEST CONCERNS FACING EVERYONE IN HONG KONG, HE WENT ON, WAS THAT OF YOUNG PEOPLE IN THEIR EARLY TEENS. BUT THIS SPIRIT NEEDED CONSTANT NURTURING BECAUSE THERE WAS A GREAT RASS OF YOUNG PEOPLE WHO NEED HELP. DEDICATED AND ORGANISED LEADERSHIP
IS ONE MAJOR ANSWER,+ HE SAID.
MR. WILLIAMS SAID THERE WAS REMARKABLE POTENTIAL FOR EXPANSION OF THE HONG KONG SEA CADET CORPS - THE CORPS WAS FORMING A SAILING BASE AT STANLEY AND A NEW BASE WAS BEING ALLOCATED IN THE NEW EXTENSION OF THE ROYAL HONG KONG YACHT CLUB. IN ADDITION IT WAS MOVING INTO YUEN LONG.
AT PRESENT, HE SAID, THE CORPS' MAIN CONCERN WAS TRAINING OF INTRUCTORS +BECAUSE THE YOUNGSTERS ARE 'CRYING OUT' TO JOIN.+
THE CORPS WAS FORMED IN 1969 WITH THE AIM OF GIVING BOYS AND GIRLS BETWEEN THE AGES OF 12 AND 20 A MIXTURE OF DISCIPLINE AND ADVENTURE TRAINING WITH A NAUTICAL FLAVOUR. AT PRESENT IT HAS A MEMBERSHIP OF ABOUT 500.
18.