XN000022-1981-01-06 — Page 2

TUESDAY, JANUARY 6, 1981

SOCIAL WELFARE DIRECTOR STRESSES IMPORTANCE OF VOLUNTEERS ****

THE DIRECTOR OF SOCIAL WELFARE, MR SELWYN ALLEYNE, TODAY EMPHASIZED THAT VOLUNTEERS HAVE A SIGNIFICANT PART TO PLAY IN THE PROVISION OF WELFARE SERVICES,

SPEAKING AT A LUNCHEON MEETING OF THE CITY LIONS CLUB OF HONG KONG, HE DESCRIBED VOLUNTEERS AS THE +BACKBONE OF A CARING COMMUNITY+ WHO OFFER THEIR SERVICES AND ADVICE WITH NO THOUGHT OF REMUNERATION.

THEY ARE A SOURCE OF SUPPORT TO PROFESSIONAL SOCIAL WORKERS AND A WEALTH OF HUMAN RESOURCES AND NEW PERSPECTIVES, HE SAID.

MR ALLEYNE SAID THE DEVELOPMENT OF A HEALTHY COMMUNITY LIFE AS THE ULTIMATE OBJECTIVE IN SOCIAL WELFARE COULD NOT DEPEND ON GOVERNMENTAL OUTLAYS AND DIRECTIVES ALONE, NOR ONLY ON PROFESSIONAL STAFF,

+ IT ALSO REQUIRES THE COOPERATION AND PARTICIPATION OF OTHER MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY, HE EMPHASIZED.

HE SAID VOLUNTEERS MIGHT NOT BE TRAINED IN SOCIAL WORK THEMSELVES BUT THEIR PROFESSIONAL KNOWLEDGE IN THEIR OWN FIELDS WAS OF IMMENSE VALUE IN HELPING TO SHAPE SOCIAL WELFARE POLICIES IN THE CONTEXT OF THE SOCIETY.

HE CITED THOSE SERVING AS UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS OF GOVERNMENT BOARDS AND COMMITTEES, SUCH AS MEMBERS OF THE SOCIAL WELFARE ADVISORY COMMITTEE AND THE ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON SOCIAL WORK TRAINING.

+WE ALSO HAVE THOSE WHO SERVE ON BOARDS OF DIRECTORS OF MANY VOLUNTARY WELFARE AGENCIES, WHO DO THE IMPORTANT JOB OF MONITOR ING AND DEVELOPING THEIR AGENCIES SERVICES, HE SAID,

VOLUNTARY SERVICE GROUPS LIKE LIONS CLUBS REPRESENT ANOTHER CATEGORY OF VOLUNTEERS WHO SHARE AND CONTRIBUTE THEIR TIME, IDEAS AND MONEY IN HELPING THOSE LESS FORTUNATE ONES, HE ADDED.

AT THE FRONT LINE, MR ALLEYNE SAID, STUDENTS AND YOUNG WORKERS CONSTITUTE THE MAJORITY OF VOLUNTEERS IN DIRECT SERVICES.

HE POINTED OUT THAT IN THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT, VOLUNTEERS ASSISTED IN A WIDE SPECTRUM OF SERVICES, SUCH AS GROUP AND COMMUNITY WORK AND PROBATION SERVICE.

HE GAVE AS EXAMPLE THE DEPARTMENT'S +OPPORTUNITY FOR YOUTH SCHEME+ UNDER WHICH OVER 500 COMMUNITY SERVICE PROJECTS HAD BEEN ORGANISED IN THE PAST SIX YEARS INVOLVING SOME 17 000 VOLUNTEERS BRINGING SERVICE TO OVER ONE MILLION PEOPLE.

THE VOLUNTEER SCHEME FOR PROBATIONERS ALSO SUPPLEMENTS THE DEPARTMENT'S PROBATION SERVICE BY RECRUITING VOLUNTEERS TO HELP REFORM YOUNG OFFENDERS, HE ADDED.

/MR ALLEYNE