XN000022-1978-02-19 — Page 2

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 1978

OPPORTUNITIES FOR YOUTH SCHEME

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THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT'S SEVENTH OPPORTUNITIES FOR YOUTH SCHEME HAS ATTRACTED MORE THAN 70 PROJECT APPLICATIONS OF WHICH WERE APPROVED.

THE LATEST SCHEME STARTED LAST DECEMBER.

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THE OPPORTUNITIES FOR YOUTH SCHEME, WHICH HAS BENEFITED MORE THAN HALF A MILLION PEOPLE IN THE PAST THREE YEARS, IS AIMED AT PROVIDING YOUTHS AGED BETWEEN 15 AND 25 WITH OPPORTUNITIES TO START PROJECTS UNDER THEIR OWN PLANNING AND ADMINISTRATION SO AS TO ENABLE THEM TO REALISE THEIR POTENTIAL, TO UNDERSTAND THE COMMUNITY AND TO ENHANCE THEIR SOCIAL WORKING EXPERIENCE.

+YOUTH SERVING YOUTH+ IS THE THEME OF THE LATEST SCHEME AND SERVICE PROJECTS COSTING MORE THAN $60,000 INCLUDE ONE ON ANTI-SMOKING AND ANOTHER ON COMMUNICATIONS BETWEEN LAND AND MARINE RESIDENTS.

THE ANTI-SMOKING DRIVE INITIATED BY A GROUP OF YOUNG STUDENTS FOR SERVICE OF KWUN TONG IN RESPONSE TO THE RECENT CAMPAIGN LAUNCHED BY THE GOVERNMENT, IS AIMED AT AROUSING PUBLIC'S AWARENESS ON THE HAZARDS OF SMOKING THROUGH SEMINARS, POSTER-DESIGN AND ESSAY COMPETITIONS.

ANOTHER LARGE-SCALE PROJECT GIVEN PRIORITY IN THE SCHEME IS DESIGNED TO PROVIDE MORE RECREATIONAL FACILITIES FOR ABOUT 600 CHILDREN LIVING IN YAU MA TEI TYPHOON SHELTER AND TO ENHANCE THE IR KNOWLEDGE OF COMMUNITY.

MR. LAM KWOK-WAN, PRINCIPAL SOCIAL WELFARE OFFICER (OPERATION), SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT'S GROUP AND COMMUNITY WORK DIVISION, SAID: THE MAIN PURPOSE OF THE SCHEME IS THAT THROUGH PARTICIPATION IN VARIOUS COMMUNITY SERVICE PROJECTS, THE YOUTHS CAN DEVELOP THEIR OWN POTENTIAL, SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY AND CIVIC- CONSCIOUSNESS AND DISCOVER THE IR OWN GENUINE NEEDS.

+SINCE ITS INCEPTION IN 1974, THE SCHEME HAS PRODUCED 334 PROJECTS, INVOLVING OVER 10,000 YOUNG STUDENTS AND WORKERS.

+ THE SCOPE IT COVERS RANGES FROM YOUTH RECREATION TO SERVICES FOR THE ELDERLY AND SCHOOL WORK GUIDANCE TO PRODUCTION OF FILMS AND PUBLICATIONS. THESE SERVICES ARE PARTICULARLY FOR THOSE LIVING IN RESITE AREAS, REMOTE VILLAGES AND IN TYPHOON SHELTERS,+ HE SAID.

UNLIKE CONVENTIONAL SOCIAL PROGRAMMES, HE ADDED, PROJECTS IN THE SCHEME HAD TO BE ASSESSED AND APPROVED BEFORE THEY WERE INTRODUCED.

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+ THE CRITERIA IN SELECTING THESE PROJECTS TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THE EXTENT OF YOUTH INVOLVEMENT AND DEVELOPMENT, BENEFITS TO THE COMMUNITY, INNOVATION, FEASIBILITY AND OPTIMUM USE OF RESOURCES,+ MR. LAM SAID.

/+CONSIDERATION