3
-
TUESDAY, JUNE 3, 1975
SOCIAL WORK STUDENTS URGED TO CONCENTRATE
ON LOCAL CONDITIONS
*****
STUDENTS OF SOCIAL WORK IN HONG KONG SHOULD GEAR THEIR THINKING AND IDEAS TO THE LOCAL SITUATION FOR MORE POSITIVE BENEFIT TO THE COMMUNITY, THE DIRECTOR OF SOCIAL WELFARE, MR. THOMAS LEE, SAID TODAY.
ADDRESSING THE OPENING SESSION OF A FOUR-DAY WORKSHOP ON LOCAL LITERATURE AND SOCIAL WORK EDUCATION AT THE LADY TRENCH TRAINING CENTRE, MR. LEE STRESSED THAT TO BECOME BETTER SOCIAL WORKERS +THEY SHOULD LEARN TO IDENTIFY WITH THE PEOPLE HERE, TO UNDERSTAND THEIR FEELINGS AND PROBLEMS, SO THAT THEY MAY BE BETTER ABLE TO OFFER THEM ASSISTANCE AND HELP IN A REALISTIC WAY.+
HOWEVER, THESE AIMS COULD NOT BE ACHIEVED, HE ADDED, +UNLESS WE HAVE AN INDIGEMISED CURRICULUM AND LOCAL TEACHING MATERIALS FOR OUR STUDENTS.+
IN THIS REGARD, HE HOPED THAT THE WORKSHOP -- A CO-OPERATIVE EFFORT BETWEEN SOCIAL WORK TRAINING INSTITUTIONS IN HONG KONG TOWARDS LOCALISATION OF SOCIAL WORK TRAINING CURRICULUM AND TEACHING MATERIAL - WAS ONLY THE BEGINNING OF A SERIES OF SIMILAR PROJECTS TO ACHIEVE THIS GOAL.
MR. LEE SAID SOCIAL WORK TRAINING IN HONG KONG WAS STILL VERY MUCH DEPENDENT ON MODELS AND IDEAS DEVELOPED IN THE WEST, PARTICULARLY THE UNITED STATES AND BRITAIN. +SOCIAL WORK AS A PROFESSION IS RELATIVELY NEW HERE AND SOCIAL WORKERS ARE OFTEN MORE PROFESSIONALLY ORIENTED TO WHAT IS HAPPENING IN THE WEST THAN IN HONG KONG.+
MR. LEE SAID HE WAS NOT SUGGESTING THAT ALL THINGS FOREIGN SHOULD BE DISPENSED WITH BECAUSE HONG KONG, IN FACT, HAD STILL A LOT TO LEARN IN THE SOCIAL WELFARE FIELD FROM CERTAIN WESTERN COUNTRIES.
+WHAT I AM SUGGESTING IS THAT SOCIAL WORK STUDENTS IN HONG KONG SHOULD BE BETTER ACQUAINTED WITH THEIR IMMEDIATE SURROUNDINGS. WITH HOW THE PEOPLE HERE THINK AND FEEL AND WHAT ARE SOME OF THE PRESSING PROBLEMS WE FIND HERE IN HONG KONG,+ HE SAID.
14...