XN000022-1974-09-18 — Page 6

5.

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 1974

MORE TRAINED SOCIAL WORKERS NEEDED

FEREER

PROFESSIONALLY TRAINED WORKERS ARE JUST AS IMPORTANT AS MATERIAL AND FINANCIAL RESOURCES FOR ANY PROJECT OR SERVICE TO BE OF THE UTMOST BENEFIT TO THE COMMUNITY, THE DIRECTOR OF SOCIAL WELFARE, KR. THOMAS LEE, SAID TODAY.

ADDRESSING A LUNCHEON MEETING OF THE ROTARY CLUB OF KOWLOON WEST, HE SAID LITTLE ATTENTION WAS PAID TO THE FACT THAT APART FROM BUILDINGS AND MONEY FOR SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT, TRAINED SOCIAL WORKERS WERE ALSO NEEDED TO CARRY OUT THE WELFARE WORK.

SOCIAL WORK. HE EXPLAINED, NOT ONLY INCLUDED RELIEF WORK AFTER DISASTERS AND FINANCIAL AID TO THE FOOR AND AGED, BUT ALSO DEALING WITH MANY OTHER FACETS OF HUMAN FROCLES RELATING TO FAMILIES, CHILD WELFARE, REHABILITATION, PROBATION, YOUTH WORK AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT.

SOCIAL WORKERS HAVE TO UNDERSTAND THE EMOTIONS OF THEIR CLIENTS - THEY HAVE TO HELP PEOPLE ON EVERY LEVEL TO TRUST AND CO-OPERATE WITH ONE ANOTHER AND THEY MUST KIOU THE ECONOMY, CUSTOM AND CULTURE OF THEIR COMMUNITY THOROUGHLY, HE SAID..

IF GOOD SERVICES WERE TO BE PROVIDED THERE HAD TO BE PROFESSIONALLY TRAINED SOCIAL WORKERS, HE STRESSED.

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THERE WERE FOUR SOURCES IN HONG KONG WHERE SUCH TRAINING WAS AVAILABLE THE TWO UNIVERSITIES, THE HISTITUTE FOR SOCIAL WORK TRAINING, AND THE BAPTIST COLLEGE.

MR. LEE SAID VACANCIES STILL EXISTED WITHIN THE SOCIAL WELFARE FIELD. ACCORDING TO THE INITIAL ESTIMATES IN THE FIVE-YEAR PLAN FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES FROM 1973-1978, HIS DEPARTMENT MIGHT NEED SOKE 600 STAFF OF THE SOCIAL WELFARE OFFICER, ASSISTANT SOCIAL WELFARE OFFICER, AND WELFARE ASSISTANT CRADES. CORRESPONDINGLY, VOLUNTARY AGENCIES MAY NEED SOME 800 STAFF OF EQUIVALENT GRADES.

TURNING TO ANOTHER TYPE OF SOCIAL WORKER, THE VOLUNTARY WORKER, MR. LEE SAID THEY ALSO PLAY AN ILPORTANT ROLE IN THIS FIELD TAKING PART IN THE PLANNING OF WORK OF VOLUNTARY AGENCIES AND ALSO PROVIDING DIRECT SERVICES ON MANY OCCASIONS.

HE NOTED THAT APART FROM FORMAL PROFESSIONAL TRAINING, HONG KONG SOCIAL WORKERS ALSO PARTICIPATED IN SOCIAL WORK SEMINARS. BOTH LOCALLY AND OVERSEAS, ENABLING THE STANDARD OF WORK HERE TO COMPARE FAVOURABLY WITH THAT OF ADVANCED COUNTRIES.

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NOTE TO EDITORS:

COPIES OF MR. LEE'S SPEECH ARE AVAILABLE FOR COLLECTION FROM THE GIS PRESS ROOM, 6TH FLOOR, BEACONSFIELD HOUSE.

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