SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 1981
FAMILY LIFE EDUCATION
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THE UNDERSTANDING SUPPORT AND ENCOURAGEMENT OF A FAMILY, ESPECIALLY PARENTS, ARÉ ESSENTIAL IN HELPING THE ADOLESCENT TO PASS THROUGH THE VITAL +GROWING UP+ YEARS BETWEEN CHILDHOOD AND ADULTHOOD, THE ACTING SECRETARY FOR SOCIAL SERVICES, MR GEOFFREY BARNES, SAID TODAY (SUNDAY).
HE WAS SPEAKING AT THE OPENING OF A YOUTH CARNIVAL AT OCEAN PARK ORGANISED JOINTLY BY THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT AND VOLUNTARY AGENCIES TO MARK THE START OF THE FIFTH FAMILY LIFE EDUCATION CAMPAIGN.
THE FAMILY, MR BARNES SAID, SHOULD IDEALLY BE A SECURE BASE, PROVIDING LOVE, SHELTER AND SUSTENANCE, FROM WHICH THE YOUNG COULD ADVENTURE FORTH ON GRADUALLY MORE DIFFICULT JOURNEYS INTO THE WORLD.
*THE ADOLESCENT WHO FEELS LOVED AS PART OF A CARING FAMILY STANDS A FAR BETTER CHANCE OF EMOTIONAL STABILITY, AND DEVELOPING POSITIVE ATTITUDES, THAN ONE WITHOUT SUCH BENEFITS,+ HE SAID.
IT WAS A SAD FACT, HE ADDED, THAT THE EFFECTS OF NEGLECT AND DISCORD ON YOUNG PEOPLE MIGHT EXTEND NOT ONLY INTO LATER LIFE, BUT ALSO TO THE NEXT GENERATION.
MR BARNES NOTED THAT ABOUT 40 PER CENT OF THE POPULATION OF HONG KONG WAS UNDER 21 AND THAT 21 PER CENT, OVER ONE MILLION, WAS BETWEEN 11 AND 21, NINE PER CENT, OR ABOUT HALF A MILLION, WAS BETWEEN 11 AND 15.
+ YOUTH PROBLEMS, HE SAID, +ARE THEREFORE QUITE RIGHTLY A MATTER OF PUBLIC CONCERN, NOT ONLY BECAUSE WE ARE TALKING ABOUT OUR CHILDREN, GRAND-CHILDREN, NIECES AND NEPHEWS, BUT BECAUSE THEY REPRESENT A VERY LARGE SLICE OF OUR SOCIETY AND ARE, OF COURSE, THE CITIZENS OF TOMORROW.+
SPEAKING GENERALLY ON FAMILY LIFE EDUCATION, MR BARNES SAID ITS AIMS WERE TO AROUSE PUBLIC AWARENESS OF THE VITAL IMPORTANCE OF THE FAMILY TO THE INDIVIDUAL, TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF FAMILY LIFE AND TO PREVENT FAMILY PROBLEMS.
THIS YEAR'S FAMILY LIFE EDUCATION PUBLICITY CAMPAIGN AIMS AT TWO TARGET GROUPS THE EARLY ADOLESCENTS AGED 11 TO 15, AND THE IR PARENTS.
MR BARNES APPEALED TO EVERYONE TO SUPPORT THE CAMPAIGN. PROGRAMMES WILL, I AM SURE, PROVE REWARDING AND WORTHWHILE, +
HE SAID.
+THE
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