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SUNDAY, OCTOBER 18, 1981
YOUTHS GET FINANCIAL HELP FOR COMMUNITY PROJECTS
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HONG KONG'S YOUTHS ARE ENCOURAGED BY THE GOVERNMENT WITH FINANCIAL BACK ING AND PROFESSIONAL GUIDANCE TO ORGANISE PROJECTS OF BENEFIT TO THE COMMUNITY.
THE OVERALL IDEA BEHIND THE GOVERNMENT-HELP PLAN IS TO PROMPT THE YOUNG PEOPLE TO THINK OF WAYS TO RENDER HELP TO THE AGED, THE HANDICAPPED, THE MENTALLY-RETARDED, AS WELL AS OTHERS, SUCH AS FISHERFOLK, BOAT-DWELLERS, AND PEOPLE IN TEMPORARY HOUSING.
+THE SCHEME AIMS AT ENCOURAGING YOUNG PEOPLE TO INITIATE AND TO CARRY OUT INNOVATIVE PROJECTS DESIGNED BY THEMSELVES AND OF BENEFIT TO OTHERS AS WELL, THEREBY HELPING THEM DEVELOP THE IR POTENTIAL AND BROADEN THEIR SOCIAL EXPERIENCE, A SPOKESMAN FOR THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT SAID.
NOW IN ITS SIXTH YEAR, THE OPPORTUNITIES FOR YOUTH SCHEME' ORGANISED BY THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT HAS SPONSORED ALTOGETHER SOME 600 OF THESE COMMUNITY-HELP PROJECTS, INVOLVING THE SERVICES OF ABOUT 20 000 VOLUNTEERS, AND BRINGING BENEFIT TO 1 000 000 PEOPLE.
THE SERVICE IS STILL GROWING, AND THIS YEAR MORE THAN 100 PROJECTS, INVOLVING SOME 2 500 VOLUNTEERS AND BENEFITING ABOUT 130 000 PEOPLE HAVE BEEN APPROVED THROUGHOUT HONG KONG ISLAND, KOWLOON AND THE NEW TERRITORIES AND OUTLYING ISLANDS.
LAST YEAR, THE OUTLAY BY THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT FOR 104 PROJECTS CAME TO $170 000, THE SPOKESMAN STATED.
UP TO $3 000 IS GRANTED FOR EACH SCHEME CONSIDERED WORTHWHILE, AND APPLICATIONS MAY BE MADE BY ANY GROUP OF AT LEAST SEVEN MEMBERS BETWEEN 15 AND 25 YEARS OF AGE, SPONSORED BY A SCHOOL, YOUTH AGENCY OR BUSINESS ORGANISATION.
+THE PLACE TO APPROACH FOR REQUESTS IS ANY OF THE DEPARTMENT'S COMMUNITY AND YOUTH OFFICES IN THE DISTRICT, HE SAID.
ONE GROUP OF YOUNG PEOPLE FINANCED BY THE PROJECTS, FOR INSTANCE, COME FROM THE WONG TAI SIN PUBLIC HOUSING ESTATES.
GIVING THE NAME +OASIS+ TO THE IR PROJECT, THEY HAVE BEEN GOING ABOUT THE ESTATES ENCOURAGING THE USE OF POTTED PLANTS AND FLOWERS SO AS TO CREATE +A MORE BEAUTIFUL AND RELAXING ATMOSPHERE AND ENVIRONMENT.+
THIS IDEA HAS BEEN CATCHING ON, AND THEY HAVE BEEN ABLE TO RECRUIT SOME 500 YOUTHS IN THE ESTATES TO HELP THEM ALONG.
ANOTHER PROJECT IS ORGANISED BY STUDENTS FROM THE CHINESE UNIVERSITY OF HONG KONG. NAMED THE BIG BROTHER AND SISTER SCHEME+, IT IS AIMED AT HELPING PROBLEM YOUTHS RESIDING IN THE GOVERNMENT SUBVENTED QUARTERS AT HOLLAND HOSTEL IN KWUN TONG.
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