XN000022-1977-05-10 — Page 4

TUESDAY, MAY 10, 1977

OVER 280,000 BENEFIT FROM YOUTH OPPORTUNITIES SCHEME

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A SCHEME WHICH AIMS TO PROVIDE YOUNG PEOPLE WITH THE OPPORTUNITIES OF REALISING PROJECTS WHICH THEY HAVE DRAWN UP TO SERVE THE COMMUNITY HAS BENEFITED MORE THAN 280,000 PEOPLE SINCE ITS FIRST INTRODUCTION IN LATE 1974.

ENTITLED THE YOUTH OPPORTUNITIES SCHEME, IT IS SPONSORED BY THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT THROUGH ITS COMMUNITY AND YOUTH OFFICERS.

MR. LAM KWOK-WAN, PRINCIPAL SOCIAL WELFARE OFFICER (OPERATION), SAID SO FAR 249 PROJECTS HAD BEEN COMPLETED UNDER THE SCHEME IN WHICH OVER 6,800 VOLUNTEERS WERE INVOLVED.

ANY YOUTH GROUP RECOGNISED BY A SCHOOL, A YOUTH AGENCY OR AN INSTITUTION CAN SUBMIT THEIR PROPOSALS FOR PRELIMINARY SCREENING BY THE COMMUNITY AND YOUTH OFFICER AND THE YOUTH DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE OF THE DISTRICT. THE SCHEME IS ALSO OPEN TO GROUPS WHICH ARE NOT YET RECOGNISED BY SCHOOLS OR AGENCIES PROVIDED THEY HAVE THE APPROVAL OF C.Y.0.

ALL THE PROPOSED PROJECTS SELECTED BY THE COMMUNITY AND YOUTH OFFICER AND THE LOCAL SELECTION COMMITTEE WILL THEN GO THROUGH ANOTHER SELECTION COMMITTEE IN THE S.W.D. HEADQUARTERS.

MR. LAM EXPLAINED THAT ASSESSMENT OF THE PROPOSALS WAS BASED ON YOUTH INVOLVEMENT AND DEVELOPMENT, COMMUNITY BENEFITS, INNOVATION, FEASIBILITY AND OPTIMUM USE OF RESOURCES.

EACH SUPPORTED PROJECT IS ENTITLED TO A GRANT OF NOT MORE THAN $2,000. BEFORE THE PROJECT STARTS THE GROUP WILL BE ALLOCATED HALF OF THE SUM THE BALANCE WILL BE PAID WHEN THE PROJECT IS HALF WAY THROUGH AND ON SUBMISSION OF AN INTERIM REPORT TO THE C.Y.0.

DURING THE COURSE OF THE PROJECT, THE VOLUNTEERS MAY SEEK ADVICE FROM LOCAL CIVIC ORGANISATIONS OR THE C.Y.0., BUT THEY MUST CARRY OUT THE PROJECT THEMSELVES,

MR. LAM POINTED OUT THAT THROUGH THIS PROCESS, YOUNG PEOPLE'S DESIRE FOR INDEPENDENCE WOULD BE CHANNELLED IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.

+FURTHERMORE, THEY WILL DEVELOP THE SENSE OF CIVIC RESPONSIBILITY AND LEARN TO COOPERATE WITH OTHERS, HE ADDED.

NORMALLY, A PROJECT IS REQUIRED TO BE FINISHED BETWEEN THREE AND SIX MONTHS AT THE END OF WHICH AN EVALUATION REPORT MUST BE SUBMITTED BY THE GROUP TO THE C.Y.O. TOGETHER WITH ALL RECEIPTS, A FULL ACCOUNT OF ALL EXPENDITURE, MINUTES OF MEETINGS AND PHOTOGRAPHS.

/AMONG THE

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