XN000022-1975-05-02 — Page 9

8

FRIDAY, MAY 2, 1975.

MOVE TO IMPROVE VOLUNTEER SERVICE

*******

SIXTEEN VOLUNTARY YOUTH GROUPS FROM LOCAL SECONDARY SCHOOLS AND WELFARE AGENCIES IN WONG TAI SIN DISTRICT HAVE FORMED A COUNCIL TO PROVIDE BETTER CO-ORDINATION AND DEVELOPMENT OF VOLUNTARY COMMUNITY SERVICES IN THE AREA.

THE WONG TAI SIN DISTRICT COUNCIL OF VOLUNTARY YOUTH GROUPS AS IT IS KNOWN, IS SPONSORED BY THE DISTRICT'S COMMUNITY AND YOUTH OFFICE OF THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT. IT WAS ESTABLISHED LAST MONTH,

AS SUCH, ITS AIMS ARE TO OFFER OPPORTUNITIES FOR VOLUNTARY SERVICE GROUPS TO EXCHANGE WORKING EXPERIENCES, POOL RESOURCES TO MEET COMMUNITY NEEDS ON A MASS SCALE, AND PROVIDE TRAINING PROGRAMMES FOR MEMBER YOUTH GROUPS AS WELL AS THOSE OF OTHER ORGANISATIONS, ACCORDING TO MRS. HENRIETTA CHEN, THE COMMUNITY AND YOUTH OFFICER.

ONE OF ITS FIRST EFFORTS WAS A FUND-RAISING DRIVE FOR OUR LADY OF MARYKNOLL HOSPITAL IN WONG TAI SIN AT WHICH $11,000 WAS COLLECTED.

TOMORROW (SATURDAY), IT WILL BE PURSUING ANOTHER OF ITS AIMS BY STARTING A TWO-DAY VOLUNTEER TRAINING PROGRAMME AT THE WONG TAI SIN COMMUNITY CENTRE AT 104 CHING TAK STREET STARTING AT 8 P.M. AND CONTINUING ON SUNDAY BETWEEN 2 AND 5 P.M.

ONE HUNDRED LOCAL YOUTH VOLUNTEERS EIGHTY OF WHOM ARE FROM MEMBER GROUPS OF THE COUNCIL, WILL MEET FOR LECTURES ON THE BASIC CONCEPTS OF VOLUNTARY SERVICES AND THEIR RELATIONSHIP WITH SOCIAL WORK, THE ROLE OF VOLUNTEERS AND THEIR WORKING ATTITUDE AND THE WORKING RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN VOLUNTEERS AND AGENCY STAFF.

DISCUSSIONS WILL FOLLOW THE LECTURES WHICH WILL BE GIVEN BY EXPERIENCED SOCIAL WORKERS FROM THE ASSOCIATION OF VOLUNTEERS FOR SERVICE AND CARITAS TUNG TAU CENTRE.

MRS. CHEN SAID THIS WAS THE FIRST OF THE TRAINING PROGRAMMES WHICH THE COUNCIL WAS ORGANISING FOR VOLUNTEERS TO DEVELOP YOUTH LEADERSHIP THROUGH STIMULATING THE SPIRIT OF SERVICE TO RAISE THE STANDARDS OF VOLUNTARY SERVICE.

1

19