XN000022-1977-12-14 — Page 3

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WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 14, 1977

OVERALL EXPANSION AND DEVELOPMENT OF SERVICES FOR YOUTH TO CONTINUE

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ALTHOUGH THE GREEN PAPER ON PERSONAL SOCIAL WORK AMONG YOUNG PEOPLE FOCUSED ONLY ON YOUNG PEOPLE AT RISK' OR 'POTENTIALLY DEL INQUENT', THE GOVERNMENT IS CONTINUING THE OVERALL EXPANSION AND DEVELOPMENT OF SERVICES FOR YOUTH GENERALLY, SAID THE DIRECTOR OF SOCIAL WELFARE, MR. THOMAS LEE, TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

SPEAKING AT THE LUNCHEON MEETING OF THE ASSOCIATION OF THE PAST AND PRESENT DIRECTORS OF TUNG WAH GROUP OF HOSPITALS, MR. LEE SAID THAT SUCH SERVICES HAVE EXPANDED RAPIDLY IN RECENT YEARS AND THERE IS NO SUGGESTION THAT THIS EXPANSION WILL NOT CONTINUE.

+ THE VERY FACT THAT THERE HAS BEEN SUCH SIGNIFICANT EXPANSION IN THIS FIELD MAKES IT NECESSARY TO CONSIDER PROVIDING SERVICES FOR THOSE YOUNG PEOPLE WHO ARE MOST UNLIKELY TO BENEFIT FROM THE PRESENT SERVICES. THE YOUNG PEOPLE WHO DO NOT COME FORWARD TO ENJOY SERVICES PROVIDED BY THE COMMUNITY ARE IN FACT THOSE WHO NEED SUCH SERVICES MOST.+

THEREFORE, HE CONTINUED, THE GREEN PAPER PROPOSES THE USE OF "REACHING OUT APPROACH IN WHICH A SOCIAL WORKER IDENTIFIES THE INDIVIDUALS WHO NEED TO BE HELPED, OFFERS THEM SPECIAL ASSISTANCE, AND INTERESTS THEM IN COMING FORWARD TO ENJOY WITH THEIR PEERS IN THE COMMUNITY ALL THE FACILITIES AND SERVICES WHICH EXIST FOR THE IR BENEFIT.

THE DIRECTOR SAID THAT ABOUT ONE-THIRD OF ALL YOUNG PEOPLE IN THE AGE RANGE OF SIX TO 20 YEARS ARE TAKING PART IN SOME FORM OF ORGANISED YOUTH OR RECREATIONAL ACTIVITIES IN THEIR SPARE TIME, AND IT IS HOPED THAT THIS PROPORTION WILL CONTINUE TO INCREASE IN FUTURE YEARS THROUGH THE CONCERTED EFFORT OF THE GOVERNMENT, AND VOLUNTARY SECTOR.

QUOTING EXAMPLES ON THE INCREASING PROVISION OF ORGANISED YOUTH AND RECREATIONAL ACTIVITIES, MR. LEE SAID THAT MEMBERSHIP OF BOY SCOUTS AND GIRL GUIDES HAD INCREASED, SINCE 1973, BY 48 PER CENT AND 44 PER CENT RESPECTIVELY TO 37,000 AND 11,500 THE JUNIOR POLICE CALL HAD DOUBLED ITS MEMBERSHIP FROM 100,000 TO OVER 200,000 IN TWO YEARS AND YOUTH GROUPS ORGANISED BY THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT HAD INCREASED THEIR MEMBERSHIP BY 47 PER CENT SINCE 1973 FROM 9,000 TO NEARLY 13,000 IN JULY THIS YEAR.

SINCE THE RECREATION AND SPORTS SERVICE WAS ESTABLISHED IN 1974, HE ADDED, IT HAD CATERED FOR INCREASING NUMBERS OF PEOPLE YEAR BY YEAR FROM 57,000 IN 1974/75 TO 192,000 LAST YEAR WITH +EVERY EXPECTATION OF DOUBLING OR EVEN TREBLING THAT NUMBER THIS YEAR AND NEXT.+

/+THE SUMMER