XN000022-1977-08-04 — Page 4

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THURSDAY, AUGUST 4, 1977

INSTITUTE FOR SOCIAL WORK TRAINING HOLDS LAST

GRADUATION CEREMONY

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THE INSTITUTE FOR SOCIAL WORK TRAINING HAS PRODUCED 179 GRADUATES SINCE IT WAS ESTABLISHED NEARLY FOUR YEARS AGO, THE DIRECTOR OF SOCIAL WELFARE, MR. THOMAS LEE, SAID TODAY.

MR. LEE WAS SPEAKING AT THE THIRD AND LAST GRADUATION CEREMONY OF THE INSTITUTE BEFORE ITS INTEGRATION WITH THE POLYTECHNIC NEXT MONTH, AT THE CEREMONY, 50 STUDENTS RECEIVED THE IR CERTIFICATES IN SOCIAL WORK AFTER COMPLETING THE TWO-YEAR COURSE.

THE DIRECTOR NOTED THAT THE INSTITUTE WAS SET UP TO PROVIDE GENERIC AND PRACTICAL TRAINING AT THE BASIC LEVEL FOR FRONT-LINE JOBS, AND IT HAD FULFILLED ITS FUNCTIONS 'MOST APPROPRIATELY'.

+YOUR GRADUATES WILL BE INVOLVED IN DAY-TO-DAY, FACE-TO- FACE CONTACT WITH CLIENTS IT IS THEREFORE THEY WHO WILL HAVE THE MOST IMPACT ON THE PUBLIC AND IT IS ON THEIR PERFORMANCE THAT THE TRUE EFFECTIVENESS OF ALL WELFARE SERVICES WILL GREATLY DEPEND, HE SAID.

WITH THE INTEGRATION OF THE INSTITUTE INTO THE POLYTECHNIC, MR. LEE CONTINUED, THIS ORIGINAL ROLE AND FUNCTION WOULD BE FURTHER STRENGTHENED AS STUDENTS WOULD BE TRAINED IN A BROADER EDUCATION ENVIRONMENT AND WITH GREATER CONTACT WITH, AND SUPPORT FROM, OTHER DISCIPLINES.

+THIS WOULD GIVE THE STUDENTS THE CHANCE TO ACQUIRE A BROADER PERSPECTIVE AND SO FIT HIM BETTER TO PLAY HIS PART AS A FRONT-LINE SOCIAL WORKER,+ HE ADDED.

MR. LEE THEN ASSURED THAT BOTH HE AND HIS COLLEAGUES IN THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT WOULD CONTINUE THE CLOSE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THEM AND THE NEW SCHOOL OF SOCIAL WORK OF THE POLYTECHNIC.

+NOT JUST BECAUSE WE HAVE ALWAYS BEEN INVOLVED, BUT ALSO BECAUSE OF OUR CONCERN AND INTEREST IN THE OVERALL DEVELOPMENT OF SOCIAL WELFARE MANPOWER IN MEETING SOCIAL SERVICE NEEDS,+ HE EXPLAINED.

IN HIS INTRODUCTORY REMARKS, MR. L.B. MACQUARRIE, CHAIRMAN OF THE ACADEMIC BOARD OF THE INSTITUTE, SAID THAT THE CERTIFICATE IN SOCIAL WORK WHICH THE GRADUATES RECEIVED TODAY WOULD BE CONSIDERED ON THE SAME BASIS AS THE POLYTECHNIC DIPLOMA

IN SOCIAL WORK.

+AS FAR AS POLYTECHNIC IS CONCERNED, AND PARTICULARLY AS FAR AS THE NEW SCHOOL OF SOCIAL WORK IS CONCERNED, INSTITUTE FOR SOCIAL WORK TRAINING GRADUATES WILL HAVE THE SAME STATUS, BENEFITS AND RELATIONSHIPS AS FUTURE POLYTECHNIC SOCIAL WORK GRADUATES.

/+WE HOPE