XN000022-1981-11-28 — Page 2

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 1981

PLANS FOR 11 NEW YOUTH CENTRES EACH YEAR

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PRESENT PLANNING, TAKING ACCOUNT OF CONSTRAINTS IN TRAINED MANPOWER AND WELFARE PREMISES, PROVIDES FOR 11 NEW YOUTH CENTRES EACH YEAR, THE DIRECTOR OF SOCIAL WELFARE, MR SELWYN ALLEYNE, SAID TODAY (SATURDAY).

HE WAS SPEAKING AT THE OPENING OF THE BRADBURY CENTRE, ANOTHER NEW YOUTH CEN. E RUN BY THE HONG KONG FEDERATION OF YOUTH GROUPS. JOINTLY OFFICIATING AT THE CEREMONY WAS MR D.B. MINNS, MANAGING DIRECTOR OF HONG KONG BANK TRUSTEE LIMITED.

MR ALLEYNE SAID THAT YOUTH CENTRES ARE PROVIDED TO MEET NEEDS ON A LOCAL BASIS, AT A RATIO OF ONE CENTRE FOR EACH 20 000 POPULATION.

+THEIR MAIN OBJECTIVES ARE TO PROVIDE YOUNG PEOPLE WITH OUTLETS FOR THEIR ENERGIES IN HEALTHY RECREATIONAL PURSUITS AS WELL AS ADEQUATE OPPORTUNITIES TO DEVELOP THEIR ABILITIES, TO TEST THEIR SKILLS AND TO INVOLVE THEMSELVES IN WORTHWHILE ACTIVITIES AND INTERESTS, HE SAID.

AT PRESENT THERE ARE 113 YOUTH CENTRES WHICH RECEIVE SUBVENTION FROM THE GOVERNMENT.

MR ALLEYNE SAID THAT YOUTH WORKERS WERE FACING NEW CHALLENGES IN THE FACE OF THE INCREASING PROSPERITY AND SOPHISTICATION OF YOUNG PEOPLE, NOT TO MENTION THE MANY TYPES OF LEISURE AND ENTERTAINMENT PURSUITS COMPETING FOR THEIR ATTENTION.

+THEY MUST BE PREPARED TO DEVELOP PROGRAMMES THAT ARE IMAGINATIVE AND SUFFICIENTLY STIMULATING TO ATTRACT YOUNGSTERS TO YOUTH CENTRES AND TO KEEP THEM COMING BACK, HE SAID.

+THEY MUST ALSO BE PREPARED TO REACH OUT TO THOSE YOUNG PEOPLE WHO ARE LESS LIKELY TO ATTEND ORGANISED ACTIVITIES OF THIS SORT.+

MR ALLEYNE SAID THAT THE OPENING OF THE BRADBURY CENTRE, AT 55 MODEL LANE, NORTH POINT, WAS +PARTICULARLY WELCOME, IN THAT IT OFFERS SERVICES TO YOUNG PEOPLE LIVING IN THE NORTH POINT DISTRICT, WHERE FEW FACILITIES OF THIS SORT EXIST.+

THE CONSTRUCTION COST OF THE FOUR-STOREY BUILDING HOUSING THE CENTRE HAS BEEN MET IN FULL BY A DONATION FROM THE BRADBURY TRUST FUND. THE FURNITURE AND EQUIPMENT HAS BEEN MET THROUGH A GRANT OF $160 000 FROM THE LOTTERIES FUND,

IN HIS SPEECH, MR MINNS, WHO IS THE CHAIRMAN OF THE BRADBURY CHARITABLE TRUST FUND, SAID THAT IN MANY RESPECTS, THE FUND HAD, BY WAY OF TIMELY DONATIONS, BEEN A PIONEER IN MANY PROJECTS IN THE SOCIAL WELFARE FIELD.

HE SAID THAT THE FUND WOULD TRY TO DO MORE IN SAFEGUARDING AND PROVIDING FOR THE NEEDS OF THE YOUNG, THE WEAK, THE SICK AND THE DISADVANTAGED IN HONG KONG.

HE NOTED THAT IN THE LAST TEN YEARS, THE FUND HAD DONATED MORE THAN $27 MILLION AND THAT DONATIONS AGREED TO BUT NOT YET PAID AMOUNTED TO ABOUT $40 MILLION.