SATURDAY, MARCH 10, 1984
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+WE HAVE A LONG WAY TO GO BEFORE WE COME ANYWHERE NEAR ADEQUATE PROVISION OF PLACES, SHE SAID.
SHE SAID THAT BOTH GOVERNMENT AND VOLUNTARY AGENCIES WERE VERY MUCH COMMITTED TO THIS WORK.
+EVEN IF ALL NEW PROJECTS PROCEED ACCORDING TO PLAN, BY 1989, THE TOTAL NUMBER OF PLACES WILL BE SUFFICIENT FOR ONLY 60 PER CENT OF THE YOUNG PEOPLE WHO NEED THEIR PROGRAMMES,+ SHE SAID.
MRS GOODSTADT SAID SHE HOPED THAT THE COMMUNITY WOULD RECOGNISE THE NEEDS OF THIS SPECIAL GROUP AND, IN CLOSE COOPERATION WITH THE GOVERNMENT, STRIVE TO PROVIDE FACILITIES SO ESSENTIAL FOR THEIR WELL-BEING.
SHE SAID THAT FOR THE MENTALLY RETARDED, ESPECIALLY THOSE AT THE MORE SEVERE END OF THE SCALE, FORMAL LEARNING HAD TO BE EXTENDED MUCH LONGER.
+AS THEY REACH ADULTHOOD, THEY HAVE TO BE TAUGHT SOCIAL SKILLS, COMMUNICATION, WORK HABITS, FOR EXAMPLE, BECAUSE THEY ARE NOT PART OF THE STORE OF ABILITIES ACQUIRED IN CHILDHOOD OR AT SCHOOL,+ SHE SAID.
+THIS IS NOT A PHENOMENON UNIQUE TO HONG KONG, SHE SAID, +IN THE UNITED KINGDOM AND THE UNITED STATES, FOR EXAMPLE, DAY TRAINING CENTRES ARE PROVIDED FOR THE SEVERELY HANDICAPPED ADULTS.+
+OUR AIM IN SUCH CENTRES IS TO HELP THE YOUNG PERSON TO REACH MAXIMUM INDEPENDENCE AND SELF-RELIANCE, GOALS MORE EASILY REACHED IN A DAY CENTRE RATHER THAN IN AN INSTITUTIONAL SETTING, SHE ADDED.
MRS GOODSTADT SAID THAT OF EQUAL IMPORTANCE TO MENTALLY RETARDED ADULTS WERE SHELTERED WORKSHOPS, AND THE GOVERNMENT WAS COMMITTED TO THEIR RAPID EXPANSION.
THERE ARE NOW 24 SHELTERED WORKSHOPS OFFERING ABOUT 2 000 PLACES TO THE DISABLED, ABOUT 70 PER CENT OF WHOM ARE MENTALLY RETARDED.
THE NEXT FIVE YEARS WILL SEE THIS NUMBER SUBSTANTIALLY INCREASED SO THAT BY 1989, THERE WILL BE ABOUT 5 000 ADULT MENTALLY RETARDED PERSONS IN WORK ACTIVITY CENTRES AND SHELTERED WORKSHOPS.
+THIS RECORD IS ONE OF WHICH ANY COMMUNITY SHOULD BE PROUD. TO ENSURE THAT OUR AMBITIOUS PLANS CAN BE IMPLEMENTED, WE NEED MANY MORE DEDICATED AGENCIES AND PROFESSIONALS AS WELL AS VOLUNTEERS,+ MRS GOODSTADT SAID.
THE WAI CHI CENTRE, WHICH SERVES 50 TRAINEES, WAS DECORATED AND EQUIPPED WITH THE HELP OF A $860 000 GRANT FROM THE LOTTERIES FUND. THE RECURRENT EXPENDITURE IS MET IN FULL BY SUBVENTIONS FROM THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT.
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