XN000022-1982-02-23 — Page 13

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 1982

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YWCA PRAISED FOR DIVERSIFIED SERVICES

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TODAY'S OPENING OF THREE NEW WELFARE PREMISES OF THE YOUNG WOMEN'S CHRISTIAN ASSOCIATION IN WESTERN DISTRICT IS A GOOD

ILLUSTRATION OF THE DIVERSIFIED SERVICES BEING RENDERED BY THE HONG KONG YWCA, THE DIRECTOR OF SOCIAL WELFARE, MR SELWYN ALLEYNE, SAID THIS AFTERNOON (TUESDAY).

THE NEW PREMISES ARE THE SAI WAN SOCIAL CENTRE FOR THE ELDERLY, THE WESTERN OUTREACHING SOCIAL WORK OFFICE, BOTH LOCATED IN SAI WAN ESTATE, AND THE NEW CONTAINER-TYPE MOBILE OFFICE OF THE MOUNT DAVIS COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT PROJECT OFFICE IN VICTORIA ROAD NEAR THE HOT PONG VILLAGE, A SQUATTER AREA.

SPEAKING AT THE OPENING CEREMONY, MR ALLEYNE SAID THAT AS DEMAND FOR THE SERVICE OF THE YWCA KENNEDY TOWN SOCIAL SERVICE CENTRE GREW OVER THE YEARS, IT HAD BECOME NECESSARY FOR THE CENTRE TO ACQUIRE ADDITIONAL PREMISES FOR THE OPERATION OF ITS NEW SERVICES AND ACTIVITIES.

+THE REPROVISIONING OF THE ASSOCIATION'S WESTERN OUTREACH ING SOCIAL WORK TEAM AND THE SOCIAL CENTRE FOR THE ELDERLY TO SAI WAN ESTATE IS THEREFORE A TIMELY MOVE AND ONE WHICH WOULD NO DOUBT FACILITATE THE WORK OF THE ASSOCIATION IN THE DISTRICT AS WELL AS BENEFIT THE RESIDENTS IN SAI WAN ESTATE AND THE NEIGHBOURHOOD,+ HE SAID.

REFERRING TO THE SAI WAN SOCIAL CENTRE FOR THE ELDERLY MR ALLEYNE SAID ONE OF THE MAIN PROBLEMS OF OLD AGE WAS LONELINESS, BECAUSE IT DEPRESSED THE PERSON AND DAMAGED MENTAL HEALTH.

+ IT IS THEREFORE OUR DESIRE AND RESPONSIBILITY, HE SAID, +TO HELP OUR ELDER CITIZENS RETAIN A VARIED, ACTIVE SOCIAL LIFE.+

HE EXPRESSED THE HOPE THAT THE NEW SOCIAL CENTRE +CAN BE AN ENJOYABLE PLACE FOR THE ELDERLY RESIDENTS TO MEET OTHER PEOPLE AND TO MAKE GOOD USE OF THEIR LEISURE TIME+.

MR ALLEYNE DESCRIBED THE YWCA WESTERN OUTREACHING TEAM AND THE MOUNT DAVIS COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT TEAM AS +TWO ATTEMPTS TO INTEGRATE OUR YOUNGER CITIZENS INTO A BETTER, HEALTHIER COMMUNITY+.

+1 UNDERSTAND THAT THE YWCA WESTERN OUTREACHING TEAM HAS BEEN DOING GOOD WORK HERE SINCE THE TEAM WAS ESTABLISHED IN 1979, AND I SINCERELY HOPE THAT ITS STAFF WOULD BE ABLE TO ENJOY MORE SPACIOUS OFFICE, HE SAID.

REFERRING TO THE MOUNT DAVIS COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT TEAM, THE DIRECTOR SAID THAT OWING TO DIFFICULTIES IN SECURING A PROPER OFFICE IN THE DISTRICT, THE TEAM HAD BEEN FORCED TO USE THE YWCA KENNEDY TOWN SOCIAL SERVICE CENTRE IN THE PAST FOUR YEARS.

/HOWEVER, DESPITE .......