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SATURDAY, AUGUST 6, 1977
MORE ENROLLED AS VOLUNTEERS TO HELP PROBATIONERS
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ANOTHER 40 VOLUNTEERS WHO HAVE ENROLLED TO HELP PROBATIONERS ARE NOW ATTENDING AN ORIENTATION COURSE ORGANISED FOR THEM BY THE PROBATION AND CORRECTIONS DIVISION OF THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT.
THIS COURSE FOLLOWS TWO SUCCESSFUL ONES HELD LAST DECEMBER AND APRIL WHEN 25 AND 30 VOLUNTEERS ENROLLED RESPECTIVELY.
THE VOLUNTEERS SCHEME FOR PROBATIONERS', ONE OF THE REHABILITATION PROGRAMMES ORGANISED FOR YOUNG OFFENDERS, IS A SERVICE RENDERED BY SELECTED VOLUNTEERS TO PROVIDE PERSONAL AND MORAL SUPPORT THROUGH FRIENDSHIP TO PROBATIONERS.
THE 40 VOLUNTEERS, ALL AGED BETWEEN 17 AND 26, COME FROM A CROSS SECTION OF THE COMMUNITY AND COMPRISE TEACHERS, STUDENTS, OFFICE CLERKS AND FACTORY WORKERS.
A BRIEF OPENING CEREMONY FOR THE ORIENTATION COURSE WAS HELD THIS (SATURDAY) AFTERNOON AT THE LADY TRENCH TRAINING CENTRE TO INTRODUCE THE SCHEME TO THE VOLUNTEERS IN MORE DETAIL AND TO LET THEM HAVE A CHANCE TO MEET EACH OTHER.
AT THE CEREMONY, MR. MAK WING-HONG, HEAD OF THE PROBATION AND CORRECTIONS DIVISION SAID: +AFTER THE INITIAL INTRODUCTION,
TRAINING SESSIONS WILL BE ARRANGED FOR THE VOLUNTEERS. TALKS GROUP DISCUSSIONS AND OBSERVATION VISITS ARE THE MAJOR SUBJECTS
IN THE TRAINING PROGRAMME,
+VOLUNTEERS WILL BE ABLE TO ACQUIRE BASIC KNOWLEDGE OF THE WORK OF THE PROBATION' SERVICE, THE SPECIAL PROBLEMS OF DRUG- ADDICTS, TRIAD OFFENDERS ON PROBATION AND PROBLEM GIRLS ON PROBATION, AND THEIR ROLE AND FUNCTION AS VOLUNTEERS IN THE SCHEME.+
WHEN THEY HAD BEEN EQUIPPED BY THE TRAINING, THEY WOULD BE 'MATCHED WITH THE PROBATIONERS AND START HELPING TO REFORM THEM, HE ADDED.
COMMENTING ON THE MAJOR ADVANTAGE OF THE VOLUNTEERS SCHEME FOR PROBATIONERS', MR. MAK SAID,
MR. MAK SAID, +A YOUNG OFFENDER MAY FEEL MORE AT EASE WITH A VOLUNTEER WHO IS NOT ASSIGNED BY THE AUTHORITY TO KEEP AN EYE ON HIM. HE OFTEN REGARDS THE VOLUNTEER AS A FRIEND AND CONFIDES HIS DEEPEST SECRETS TO HIM. +
HE FURTHER POINTED OUT THAT THE SCHEME WOULD BE IMPORTANT TOWARDS REHABILITATING THE YOUNG OFFENDERS, AS A VOLUNTEER COULD ALWAYS INTRODUCE A PROBATIONER TO A NEW CIRCLE OF FRIENDS AND HELP HIM BREAK AWAY FROM HIS FORMER BAD ASSOCIATES.