MONDAY, MARCH 22, 1982
CAS CADET CORPS SEEKS MORE YOUNG MEMBERS
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THE CIVIL AID SERVICES IS LOWERING ITS ENROLMENT AGE FROM 14 TO 12 SO THAT MORE YOUNGSTERS CAN JOIN AND MAKE BETTER USE OF THEIR LEISURE HOURS.
FROM APRIL 1
ALL BOYS BETWEEN 12 AND 15 YEARS WHO HAVE THE WRITTEN APPROVAL OF THEIR PARENTS OR GUARDIANS WILL BE WELCOME TO JOIN THE CORPS.
ANNOUNCING THIS TODAY (MONDAY) A CAS SPOKESMAN SAID THAT GOVERNMENT HAD GIVEN APPROVAL FOR THE ENROLMENT OF 125 MORE CADETS, WHICH WILL RAISE ITS STRENGTH FROM THE EXISTING 2 400 MEMBERS TO 2 525.
THE SPOKESMAN SAID THERE WAS A GENUINE NEED FOR MORE ORGANISED ACTIVITIES FOR THE YOUNG PEOPLE IN RESETTLEMENT AND LOW-COST HOUSING ESTATES AND SQUATTER AND CONGESTED TENEMENT AREAS.
THERE WERE INDICATIONS THAT MORE YOUNGER PEOPLE WERE COMMITTING CRIMES AND THE CAS HOPED THAT BY REDUCING THE ENROLMENT AGE IT COULD GET MORE YOUTHS TO MAKE BETTER USE OF THE IR FREE TIME. BY DOING SO, THE CAS WOULD AT THE SAME TIME BE HELPING. TO REDUCE THE INCIDENCE OF JUVENILE DELINQUENCY, THE SPOKESMAN SAYD.
+THE CAS CADET CORPS AIMS TO HELP BOYS DEVELOP, MAKE THEM AWARE OF THEIR CIVIC RESPONSIBILITIES, AND ENABLE THEM TO COMPETE MORE FAVOURABLY WITH OTHER YOUNGSTERS WHEN APPLYING TO JOIN THE DISCIPLINED AND UNIFORMED SERVICES. IT AIMS ALSO TO PROVIDE THEM WITH A WIDE RANGE OF ACTIVITIES SO THAT THEY MAKE BETTER USE OF THEIR SPARE TIME, THE SPOKESMAN SAID.
THEY LEARN SUCH BASIC SKILLS AS CAMPING, ORIENTEERING, LIFE-SAVING, AND FIRST-AID, AND TAKE PART IN TREKKING, CANOEING SKIN-DIVING, AND THE DUKE OF EDINBURGH AWARD SCHEME.
FOR THE BIGGER BOYS, MORE ADVANCED COURSES ARE HELD IN MECHANICAL ENGINEERING, CANOE-MAKING, PHOTOGRAPHY, CYCLING, AND MOUNTAINEERING TECHNIQUE.
THEY PLAY AN ACTIVE ROLE IN COMMUNITY SERVICE, PERFORMING NON-HAZARDOUS DUTIES, INCLUDING CROWD CONTROL, FORESTRY PATROL, AND FIRE PREVENTION. IN ADDITION, THEY HELP IN CIVIC PROJECTS SUCH AS THE CLEAN HONG KONG CAMPAIGN+, THE +ANTI-NARCOTICS DRIVE+, AND THE WALK FOR A MILLION+.
CADETS ALSO ASSIST IN FUND-RAISING ACTIVITIES FOR CHARITABLE ORGANISATIONS, REGULARLY VISIT HOMES FOR THE AGED, AND ORGANISE OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES FOR THE HANDICAPPED.
+ IN SHORT, A WIDE RANGE OF COURSES AND ACTIVITIES ARE ORGANISED FOR THE CADETS TO ENABLE THEM TO LOOK AFTER THEMSELVES AND BE OF ASSISTANCE TO OTHERS, THE SPOKESMAN ADDED.
/THE CAS WAS