WEDNESDAY, MAY 24, 1978
DEBATE ON GREEN PAPER ON PERSONAL SOCIAL SERVICES
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AN UMELCO AD HOC GROUP HAD ASKED FOR A MORE INTEGRATED AND COMPREHENSIVE APPROACH TO OUR YOUTH PROBLEM.
THE GROUP, CONVENED BY THE HON. MRS. KWAN KO SIU-WAH TO STUDY THE GREEN PAPER ON DEVELOPMENT OF PERSONAL SOCIAL WORK AMONG YOUNG PEOPLE FELT THAT PREVENTION OF DEL INQUENCY INVOLVED A WIDE RANGE OF PROGRAMMES AND SERVICES, SUCH AS HOUSING, EMPLOYMENT, EDUCATION, HEALTH CARE AND RECREATION, ALL OF WHICH HAVE A BEAR ING ON THE PROCESS OF GROWING UP.
THEY SUGGESTED THAT THE INTER-RELATION BETWEEN, THE VARIOUS PROGRAMMES SHOULD BE CLEARLY SPELT OUT, BECAUSE THEY WERE COMPLEMENTARY IN PREVENTING DELINQUENCY.
MOVING THE DEBATE ON THE GREEN PAPER IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY, MRS. KWAN KO SIU-WAH SUGGESTED THAT IF IT WAS PREMATURE NOW TO FORMULATE A COMPREHENSIVE YOUTH POLICY, THERE COULD BE MORE JOINT PLANNING, BETTER CO-ORDINATION, AND CLOSER CO-OPERATION AMONG ALL THE PARTIES CONCERNED TO MAXIMISE THE UTILISATION OF RESOURCES.
SHE FURTHER URGED THAT ONE WHITE PAPER ON SOCIAL WELFARE BE PRODUCED IN THE FUTURE TO COVER ALL THE VARIOUS AREAS IN THE FIELD, BECAUSE THEY ARE SO CLOSELY RELATED.
FOUR OTHER UNOFFICIALS SPOKE ON THE GREEN PAPER DURING DEBATE ON THE MOTION AND ALL WERE IN FAVOUR OF A WIDER APPROACH TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF YOUTH WORK.
THE HON. HILTON CHEONG-LEEN NOTED THAT IF AN INTEGRATED SERVICE APPOACH COULD BE PLANNED FOR THE ELDERLY THERE WAS NO REASON WHY AN EQUALLY INTEGRATED APPROACH IN SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT COULD NOT BE PLANNED FOR YOUNG PEOPLE.
HE SAID THERE WAS AN APPARENT NEED TO SET UP AN ADVISORY COMMITTEE, CHAIRED BY AN UNOFFICIAL MEMBER, TO MONITOR AND CO- ORDINATE THE PROPOSALS IN THE GREEN PAPER.
CO-ORDINATION AT THE DISTRICT LEVEL SHOULD FOLLOW THE TEAM APPROACH, IN WHICH THE CITY DISTRICT OFFICER, THE COMMUNITY YOUTH OFFICER AND REPRESENTATIVES OF GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS WOULD BE INVOLVED.
THE HON. ALEX WU CALLED FOR A SENSE OF PROPORTION IN
OUR YOUTH SERVICES DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME. HE SAID WHILE THERE WAS A NEED FOR PROFESSIONAL SERVICES FOR THOSE WHO SHOWED SYMPTOMS OF DELINQUENCY, SUCH SERVICES SHOULD ALWAYS BE REGARDED AS ONLY A PART OF A LARGER PROGRAMME OF CONSTRUCTIVE DEVELOPMENT.
THE REV. THE HON. JOYCE M. BENNETT SAID THAT THERE WAS
A DANGER IN OUR CURRENT SERIES OF GREEN PAPERS IN FRAGMENTING OUR PROBLEMS AND OUR RESOURCES.
SHE AGAIN URGED THE SECRETARY FOR SOCIAL SERVICES TO CO-CRDINATE ALL THE WORK AMONG YOUNG PEOPLE.
/THE HON. WONG