MONDAY, MARCH 15, 1976
CANADIAN YOUTH TEAM VISITS' HONG KONG
******
FIVE YOUNG CANADIANS WHO ARE WINNERS OF THE COMMONWEALTH YOUTH SERVICE AWARD ARE AT PRESENT IN HONG KONG VISITING VARIOUS OFFICES AND INSTITUTIONS RUN BY THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT AND VOLUNTARY AGENCIES.
THEY ARE MEMBERS OF THE VICTORIA COOL-AID TEAM WHICH WON THE AWARD IN 1974. THE AWARD TAKES THE FORM OF A TEAM VISIT TO ANOTHER COMMONWEALTH COUNTRY FOR MEMBERS TO STUDY COMMUNITY PROJECTS AND TO EXCHANGE IDEAS.
THE GROUP ARE, NOW ON THEIR WAY BACK TO CANADA AFTER A -TOUR OF AUSTRALIA. SPONSORED BY THE COMMONWEALTH YOUTH PROGRAMME.
THEY SPENT YESTERDAY VISITING THE WU KWAI SHA YOUTH VILLAGE RUN BY THE CHINESE Y.M.C.A.
TODAY, THEY VISITED OFFICES OF THE GROUP AND COMMUNITY WORK DIVISION OF THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT AND THE CHILDREN AND YOUTH DIVISION OF THE HONG KONG COUNCIL OF SOCIAL SERVICE. THEY ALSO TOURED THE YOUTH CENTRE OF THE HONG KONG FEDERATION OF YOUTH GROUPS.
TOMORROW, THEY WILL VISIT THE OFFICE OF THE DUKE OF EDINBURGH AWARD SCHEME AND TOUR THE HO MAN TIN DISTRICT AND THE 01 MAN PUBLIC HOUSING ESTATE. LATER, THEY WILL VISIT THE CHILDREN'S CENTRE OF THE BOYS' AND GIRLS' CLUBS ASSOCIATION.
THE TEAM WILL ROUND OFF THEIR VISIT TO HONG KONG ON WEDNESDAY WITH A TOUR TO THE SHAM SHUI PO YOUTH CENTRE AND THE PRINCESS ALEXANDRA COMMUNITY CENTRE, BOTH RUN BY THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT.
THE COMMONWEALTH YOUTH SERVICE AWARD IS GIVEN TO A YOUTH PROJECT THAT HAS MADE VALUABLE CONTRIBUTION TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE TERRITORY.
VICTORIA COOL-AID WAS FORMED IN 1968 AND ITS FIRST PROJECT WAS TO ORGANISE A YOUTH HOSTEL FOR YOUNG PEOPLE WHO +TAKE TO THE ROADS IN THE SUMMER+. IT HAS SINCE GROWN INTO A YOUTH-RUN, YOUTH-ORIENTED MULTI-PURPOSE HELPING ORGANISATION.
THE PROJECT IS RUN BY VOLUNTEERS AND PAID STAFF WITH AN AVERAGE AGE OF 23. IT NOW PROVIDES A RANGE OF URBAN SERVICES, INCLUDING A COUNTRY FARM WHICH SUPPORTS THE URBAN ACTIVITIES OF COOL-AID, A HOME FOR HOMELESS TEENAGERS, A DAY-CARE CENTRE FOR YOUNG CHILDREN, A THEATRE AND COMMUNITY CENTRE, A DENTAL AND MEDICAL CLINIC, A 24-HOUR COUNSELLING SERVICE, AND AN INFORMATION AND REFERRAL SERVICE.
/2 .....