SUNDAY
APPLICATIONS INVITED FOR OPPORTUNITIES FOR YOUTH SCHEME
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THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT'S OPPORTUNITIES FOR YOUTH SCHEME IS AGAIN OPEN FOR APPLICATION TO ENABLE MORE YOUNG PEOPLE TO REALISE THEIR POTENTIAL THROUGH SOCIAL SERVICE.
THE SCHEME, SINCE ITS INCEPTION IN OCTOBER 1974, HAS MADE AVAILABLE A TOTAL OF $455,000 FOR 393 PROJECTS WHICH WERE CARRIED OUT BY 14,600 VOLUNTEERS WHOSE SERVICES HAVE BEEN EXTENDED TO 610,000 PEOPLE.
ADMINISTERED BY THE COMMUNITY AND YOUTH OFFICERS OF THE DEPARTMENT, THE SCHEME AIMS TO PROMOTE PARTICIPANTS' PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT AND SOCIAL CONSCIOUSNESS BY ENCOURAGING THEM TO UTILISE THEIR KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS IN PLANNING AND IMPLEMENTING PROJECTS WHICH WILL BENEFIT THEIR LOCAL COMMUNITIES.
EXPLAINING THE NATURE OF THE SCHEME, MR. LAM KWOK-WAN, PRINCIPAL SOCIAL WELFARE OFFICER, GROUP AND COMMUNITY WORK DIVISION, SAID TODAY THAT IN ADDITION TO PROFESSIONAL GUIDANCE, CASH GRANTS OF $190 TO $2,000 WOULD BE GIVEN FOR EACH APPROVED PROJECT.
+THIS WILL ACT AS AN IMPETUS FOR THE YOUNG PEOPLE TO ACQUIRE ACTUAL EXPERIENCE IN RESEARCH, ORGANISATION, MANAGEMENT, AND EVALUATION OF A PARTICULAR TYPE OF SERVICE, HE SAID.
HE POINTED OUT THAT PROJECTS SUPPORTED DURING THE PAST YEARS COVERED A WIDE SPECTRUM OF SOCIAL SERVICES WHICH COULD BE BROADLY CLASSIFIED AS RECREATIONAL ACTIVITIES, SERVICES FOR THE LESS PRIVILEGED, COMMUNITY EDUCATION PROGRAMME, CONSTRUCTION WORKS, FILM PRODUCTION AND PUBLICATIONS.
MR. LAM SAID THAT TARGET GROUPS BENEFITTING FROM THE 393 PROJECTS INCLUDED THE HANDICAPPED, THE ELDERLY, YOUTH, CHILDREN, VARIOUS MEMBERS OF THE FAMILY, INDUSTRIAL AND OFFICE WORKERS, THE MARINE POPULATION AND THE RURAL COMMUNITY.
TURNING TO APPLICATION PROCEDURES AND ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA. MR. LAM SAID THE SCHEME WAS OPEN TO YOUTH GROUPS COMPRISING MORÉ THAN 10 MEMBERS AGED BETWEEN 15 AND 25.
HE ADDED THAT THESE GROUPS HAD TO BE RECOGNISED BY INSTITUTIONS SUCH AS SCHOOLS, YOUTH AGENCIES, OR APPROVED BY THE RESPECTIVE COMMUNITY AND YOUTH OFFICER PRIOR TO APPLICATION.
+ASSESSMENT OF THE MERITS OF THE PROJECT PROPOSALS WILL BE BASED ON THE EXTENT OF YOUTH INVOLVEMENT AND DEVELOPMENT, COMMUNITY BENEFITS, PRIORITY OF NEEDS, INNOVATIVE QUALITY, FEASIBILITY AND THE OPTIMUM USE OF RESOURCES, HE SAID.
HE SAID THAT CONSIDERATION WOULD ALSO BE GIVEN TO AVOID DUPLICATION OF EXISTING SERVICES AND PROGRAMMES.
APPLICATION FORMS AND LEAFLETS CONTAINING INFORMATION ON THE SCHEME ARE NOW AVAILABLE AT THE DEPARTMENT'S 15 COMMUNITY AND YOUTH OFFICES. THE DEADLINE FOR APPLICATION HAS BEEN SET FOR NOVEMBER 15, 1978.
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