XN000022-1978-11-02 — Page 11

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THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 1978

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HE POINTED OUT THAT DIFFERENT WELFARE FUNCTIONS AND NEEDS REQUIRE DIFFERENT LEVELS OF PROFESSIONAL JOB COMPÉTENCE AND EXPERIENCE. MATCHING THE TWO REQUIRES AN ACCURATE ANALYSIS OF THE CONTENT AND DEGREE OF RESPONSIBILITY INHERENT IN EACH JOB. FURTHERMORE, OPPORTUNITIES SHOULD BE BUILT IN FOR PROGRESS ION FROM ONE CAREER LADDER TO ANOTHER UPON FURTHER TRAINING.

+ IN THIS CONNECTION, A NEUTRAL ACCREDITATION BODY FOR PROFESSIONAL SOCIAL WORK TRAINING MAY BE OF IMMENSE VALUE,+ HE SAID.

AS TO INCREASING THE SOURCES OF SOCIAL WORKERS, DR. HO POINTED OUT THAT THE LENGTH AND CONTENT OF TRAINING COURSES SHOULD BE FLEXIBLE, TO SUIT THE TASKS TO BE PERFORMED. THE IMPORTANT THING IS THAT OUR EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMES MUST FIT THE NEEDS OF OUR SOCIAL SERVICE GOALS,+ HE SAID. IN ADDITION, EACH CURRICULUM SHOULD HAVE ITS OWN TRAINING OBJECTIVES SO THAT A WIDE SPREAD OF SOCIAL WORKERS MAY BE TRAINED TO MAN DIFFERENT TYPES OF PROGRAMMES.

+A SYSTEMATIC APPROACH TO MANPOWER DEVELOPMENT AND PLANNING WILL ENSURE A REASONABLY HIGH QUALITY OF SERVICE, WITHOUT WHICH THE VALUE OF A QUANTITATIVE EXPANSION OF SOCIAL WELFARE SERVICES WILL BE GREATLY DIMINISHED, HE SAID.

DR. HO WELCOMED THE DECLINING INCIDENCES OF DRUG ABUSE AND VIOLENT CRIME. HE POINTED OUT HOWEVER THAT SUCCESS IN SOCIAL REHABILITATION IS ASSESSED IN THE END, NOT BY THE NUMBER OF TREATMENT AND CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTIONS BUILT, BUT BY THE EVENTUAL RE-INTEGRATION OF REFORMED ADDICTS AND PRISONERS INTO THE COMMUNITY, AND IN THE IR ABILITY TO LEAD A NEW WAY OF LIFE IMBUED WITH DIGNITY, SECURITY AND CONSTRUCTIVENESS.+

ONE OF THE MOST EFFECTIVE WAYS OF ACHIEVING THIS IS TO ASSIST THEM IN SECURING EMPLOYMENT. HE ASKED THE GOVERNMENT TO PROVIDE JOB OPPORTUNITIES FOR THESE PEOPLE IN ADDITION TO THE PHYSICALLY DISABLED, FOR THEY TOO EXPERIENCE A CERTAIN FORM OF DISABILITY, A SOCIAL DISABILITY. PROGRAMMES OF VOCATIONAL GUIDANCE, TRAINING, PLACEMENT AND COUNSELLING SHOULD BE STEPPED UP. GOVERNMENT INITIATIVE WOULD GO A LONG WAY IN DEMONSTRATING THE IR WORTH TO THE INDUSTRIAL AND COMMERCIAL SECTORS, HE SAID.

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