SATURDAY, OCTOBER 1, 1983
YOUTHS URGED TO JOIN SOCIAL WORK
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THE DIRECTOR OF SOCIAL WELFARE, MR JOHN CHAMBERS, TODAY APPEALED TO WELL-MOTIVATED YOUNG PEOPLE TO JOIN THE SOCIAL WORK PROFESSION TO MEET THE RAPID EXPANSION OF WELFARE SERVICES AND THE IMPLEMENTATION OF NEW PROGRAMMES.
HE MADE THE APPEAL AT THE OPENING OF THE SOCIAL WORK AND YOU+ EXHIBITION ORGANISED BY THE FEDERATION OF HONG KONG STUDENTS AT THE TSUEN WAN TOWN HALL.
+A CAREER IN SOCIAL WORK CAN BE EXTREMELY REWARDING. PROVIDING OPPORTUNITIES OF HELPING INDIVIDUALS IN DIFFICULTY AND OF IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF LIFE OF OUR PEOPLE, HE SAID.
DESPITE A STEADY GROWTH IN THE NUMBER OF SOCIAL WORKERS OVER THE YEARS MR CHAMBERS SAID THE OUTPUT FROM THE TRAINING INSTITUTIONS WAS INSUFFICIENT TO MEET THE DEMAND AND THERE WAS A SHORTAGE OF TRAINED PERSONNEL.
+THIS SHORTAGE HAS BECOME A MAJOR CONSTRAINT IN MEETING PLANNED TARGETS AND IN DEVELOPING NEW APPROACHES,+ HE SAID.
APART FROM INCREASING THE INTAKE OF SOCIAL WORK STUDENTS INTO THE TRAINING INSTITUTIONS, THE GOVERNMENT WAS ALSO CONSIDERING USING OTHER TYPES OF PERSONNEL IN WELFARE SERVICES, INCLUDING THE UNTRAINED, PART-TIME WORKERS AND VOLUNTEERS, TO HELP SOLVE THE SHORTAGE PROBLEM, HE SAID.
+THIS WILL ENABLE US TO MAKE THE BEST POSSIBLE USE OF THE SKILLS OF THE FULLY-QUALIFIED SOCIAL WORKERS IN THOSE AREAS WHERE THEIR PARTICULAR EXPERTISE IS NECESSARY, HE SAID.
HE SAID HONG KONG HAD DEVELOPED A CAREFULLY PLANNED SYSTEM OF WELFARE SERVICES TO MEET THE CHANGING AND GROWING NEEDS OF A HIGHLY URBANISED AND INDUSTRALISED SOCIETY.
THESE SERVICES INCLUDE SOCIAL SECURITY, INTENSIVE COUNSELLING, REHABILITATION OF THE DISABLED, CARE FOR THE YOUNG AND OLD, COMMUNITY BUILDING AND PREVENTIVE PROGRAMMES.
THE EXHIBITION, WHICH FORMS PART OF A SERIES OF PROGRAMMES TO BE TAKEN IN VARIOUS LOCATIONS THROUGHOUT THIS MONTH, AIMS TO AROUSE PUBLIC AWARENESS ABOUT SOCIAL WORK AND SOCIAL WORK SERVICES PROVIDED BY THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT AND VOLUNTARY AGENCIES.
HOUSEHOLD SURVEY BEING CARRIED OUT
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THE CENSUS AND STATISTICS DEPARTMENT IS CONDUCTING, ON A MONTH-TO-MONTH BASIS, A GENERAL HOUSEHOLD SURVEY.
THE SURVEY STARTED IN AUGUST 1981 AND IS CARRIED OUT ON A CONTINUOUS BASIS BY THE PERMANENT FIELD STAFF OF THE DEPARTMENT TO COLLECT INFORMATION ON THE ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL CHARACTERISTICS OF THE POPULATION.
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