XN000022-1980-07-23 — Page 11

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WEDNESDAY, JULY 23, 1980

1980'S DEMAND DIFFERENT TYPE OF SOCIAL WORKERS

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THE 1980'S, WITH ITS FAST DEVELOPING TECHNOLOGY AND CHANG ING SOCIAL NORMS AND VALUES, WILL DEMAND SOCIAL WORKERS OF A DIFFERENT TYPE FROM THE 60'S AND 70's.

THE DIRECTOR OF SOCIAL WELFARE, MR THOMAS LEE, SAID THIS TONIGHT (WEDNESDAY) WHEN HE DECLARED OPEN THE 20TH ́ INTERNATIONAL CONGRESS OF SCHOOLS OF SOCIAL WORK AT THE CITY HALL.

MR LEE SAID THE PRESENT GENERATION OF YOUNG MEN AND WOMEN WERE ARTICULATE, BETTER EDUCATED, WELL-MOTIVATED AND EAGER TO SERVE THE IR COMMUNITY.

HOWEVER, HE SAID, IT REQUIRES URGENT ATTENTION AS TO HOW BEST TO HARNESS AND CHANNEL THEIR ENERGIES AND POTENTIALS DURING THE IR PROFESSIONAL EDUCATION AND DEVELOPMENT IN BECOMING SOCIAL WORKERS WHO ARE NOT ONLY JUST WELL-VERSED IN THEORIES BUT ALSO ABLE TO RESPOND TO REAL LIFE SITUATIONS IN A CONSTRUCTIVE AND RESPONSIBLE MANNER.

+THESE ISSUES REQUIRE URGENT ATTENTION FROM OUR EDUCATIONAL IST WHOSE TASK IT IS TO EDUCATE OUR FUTURE GENERATIONS, HE SAID.

MR LEE SAID THE CONGRESS, WITH ITS THEME ON +CONFLICTS IN CONTEMPORARY SOCIETY ISSUES IN SOCIAL WORK EDUCATION+, WOULD PROVIDE AN EXCELLENT FORUM FOR CRITICAL ANALYSIS AND LIVELY DEBATE.

HE POINTED OUT THAT EFFECTIVE SOCIAL WORK WAS LABOUR-INTENSIVE AND WITH THE GREATLY EXPANDED SOCIAL WELFARE PROGRAMMES IN RECENT YEARS, IT WAS INEVITABLE THAT DEMAND SHOULD OUTSTRIP SUPPLY,

+ I DO NOT EXPECT THAT SUCH DIFFICULTIES ARE UNIQUE TO HONG KONG, HE SAID, ADDING THAT THE GOVERNMENT AND THE VOLUNTARY SECTOR WERE BOTH CONCERNED AND WERE PUTTING THEIR HEADS TOGETHER TO SEEK A SOLUTION.

SOME REMEDIAL ACTION HAS ALREADY BEEN TAKEN, HE SAID, BOTH TO INCREASE THE CAPACITY OF THE EXISTING TRAINING INSTITUTIONS AND TO ENSURE THAT THE EXISTING TRAINED STAFF ARE USED TO BEST ADVANTAGE.

IN THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT, HE SAID, THE STAFF STRUCTURE WAS REVISED LAST YEAR TO ENSURE THAT TRAINED STAFF ARE DEPLOYED IN WORK REQUIRING PROFESSIONAL EXPERTISE AND TO PROVIDE IMPROVED CAREER OPPORTUNITIES.

+ IN CONSULTATION WITH THE VOLUNTARY SECTOR, A SIMILAR REVIEW IS BEING CARRIED OUT ON THE STAFFING STRUCTURE AND DEPLOYMENT PATTERN IN VOLUNTARY AGENCIES, HE SAID.

MR LEE STRESSED THAT THE GOVERNMENT HAD ALWAYS ATTACHED CONSIDERABLE IMPORTANCE TO THE EDUCATION AND TRAINING OF SOCIAL WORKERS.

/HE SAID