XN000022-1979-11-18 — Page 4

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 18, 1979

3

A NEW PROMOTIONAL BROCHURE WITH A JAPANESE TEXT WAS PREPARED FOR THE FAIR, AND A FEATURE ON THE TICD STAND WAS A VIDEO-TAPE PRODUCTION WITH A JAPANESE COMMENTARY GIVING INFORMATION ON THE OPPORTUNITIES HONG KONG OFFERS TO JAPANESE INDUSTRIES.

THIS WAS REINFORCED BY A PAPER DELIVERED BY MR. BERNARD TO THE INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM ORGANISED BY THE LICENSING EXECUTIVES SOCIETY OF JAPAN, IN WHICH HE DETAILED THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT'S POLICIES FOR ATTRACTING OVERSEAS TECHNOLOGY.

FOLLOWING THE FAIR MR, BERNARD IS REMAINING IN JAPAN UNTIL THE END OF THE MONTH TO COMPLETE A FULL PROGRAMME OF APPOINTMENTS WITH LEADING COMPANIES ON SPECIFIC PROJECTS, MAINLY IN THE METAL AND ELECTRONIC FIELDS.

72 CITIZENS JOIN VOLUNTEER SCHEME FOR PROBATIONERS

*****

SEVENTY-TWO CIVIC-MINDED CITIZENS FROM ALL WALKS OF LIFE HAVE BEEN SELECTED TO JOIN THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT'S VOLUNTEER SCHEME FOR PROBATIONERS,

THEY WERE GIVEN AN ORIENTATION COURSE TODAY (SUNDAY) TO PREPARE THEMSELVES FOR WORKING WITH THE DEPARTMENT'S PROBATION OFFICERS IN PROVIDING AFTER-CARE SERVICES TO YOUNG OFFENDERS.

THEY WILL SOON TAKE UP THE ROLE OF HELPING TO SOLVE THE OFFENDERS' SOCIAL PROBLEMS THROUGH CARE AND UNDERSTANDING WHILE PROBATION OFFICERS ASSUME, THE LEGAL RESPONSIBILITY OF GUIDING THEM IN BEHAVIOURAL DEVELOPMENT

AT THIS AFTERNOON'S ORIENTATION COURSE, THE VOLUNTEERS WERE GIVEN AN INSIGHT INTO THE BASIC PRINCIPLES OF PROBATION SERVICE BEFORE THEY ARE ASSIGNED LATER TO SUITABLE CASES IN ACCORDANCE WITH THEIR AREAS OF INTEREST AND ABILITY.

FOR EXAMPLE, VOLUNTEERS MAY HELP PROBATIONERS DEVELOP MEANINGFUL HOBBIES BY JOINING THEM IN SUCH ACTIVITIES AS PICNICKING, SWIMMING OR PHOTOGRAPHY. OTHERS WHO ARE PROFESSIONALS MAY PROVIDE KNOWLEDGE IN THEIR OWN FIELD.

AT A CEREMONY HELD AT THE DUKE OF WINDSOR SOCIAL SERVICE BUILDING, THE ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF SOCIAL WELFARE (OPERATIONS), MRS. EVELYN DOE, WELCOMED THE NEW RECRUITS AND THANKED THEM FOR GIVING GENEROUSLY OF THEIR TIME TO JOIN THE SCHEME.

MRS. DOE SAID MANY PEOPLE HAD THE MISCONCEPTION THAT PROBATION WORK WAS A LENIENT MEASURE FOR OFFENDERS.

+IT IS IN FACT A POSITIVE MEANS BY WHICH OFFENDERS ARE REFORMED AND HELPED TO BE REINTEGRATED INTO THE COMMUNITY, SHE SAID.

SHE STRESSED THAT SUCCESSFUL PROBATION WORK CALLED FOR BOTH EFFORTS BY PROBATION OFFICERS AND SUPPORT FROM PARENTS AND THE COMMUNITY.

THE VOLUNTEER SCHEME, SHE SAID, IS ONE WAY OF COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT WHEREBY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC ARE ABLE TO HAVE DIRECT PARTICIPATION IN UNDERSTANDING OFFENDERS AND HELPING TO REFORM THEM.