XN000022-1982-02-27 — Page 5

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 1982

4

BIG SUPPORT FOR YOUTH WELFARE SERVICES

****

THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT AND THE VOLUNTARY SECTOR HAVE PLACED TREMENDOUS RESOURCES INTO DEVELOPING SERVICES FOR YOUNG PEOPLE TO HELP THEM GROW INTO RESPONSIBLE ADULTS.

THIS WAS STATED BY THE ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF SOCIAL WELFARE (SUBVENTION), MISS J.A. WILLIS, WHEN SHE OFFICIATED AT THE OPENING CEREMONY OF THE SALVATION ARMY TAI YUEN CHILDREN AND YOUTH CENTRE IN TAI PO TODAY (SATURDAY).

+THE POLICY IS TO PROVIDE A CHILDREN AND YOUTH CENTRE FOR A POPULATION OF 20 000 AND TO EXPAND THIS SERVICE AT THE RATE OF 11 NEW CHILDREN AND YOUTH CENTRES PER ANNUM, SHE SAID.

THERE ARE NOW MORE THAN 200 SUBVENTED CHILDREN AND YOUTH CENTRES.

+SUBJECT TO THE VOTING OF THE NECESSARY FUNDS BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, OVER $41 MILLION WILL BE ALLOCATED IN 1982-83 AS SUBVENTIONS TO VOLUNTARY AGENCIES OPERATING CHILDREN AND YOUTH CENTRES, SHE ADDED.

THE SUBVENTION REPRESENTED A SIGNIFICANT PORTION OF THE FUNDS AVAILABLE FOR SOCIAL WELFARE SERVICES AND THIS REFLECTED THE IMPORTANCE OF SERVICES RENDERED BY CHILDREN AND YOUTH CENTRES.

IN A COMPLEX AND MODERN SOCIETY WHERE LIFE MOVED AT SUCH A RAPID PACE, MISS WILLIS SAID, YOUNG PEOPLE TODAY HAD MORE PROBLEMS AND PRESSURES TO FACE. TRADITIONAL VALUES AND BELIEFS WHICH WE HELD DEAR WERE BEING QUESTIONED, AND THE YOUNG GENERATION WOULD FACE THESE CHALLENGES AND TEST MANY TIMES AS THEY GREW INTO ADULTHOOD, SHE SAID.

MISS WILLIS REMINDED YOUTH WORKERS TO PAY SPECIAL ATTENTION TO TWO ASPECTS OF THEIR WORK.

IT WAS ESSENTIAL FOR THEM TO PAY PERSONAL ATTENTION TO THE IR MEMBERS AND THE SOCIAL ELEMENT OF CHILDREN AND YOUTH SERVICES, AND TO MAKE THE PROGRAMMES ATTRACTIVE TO THE CHILDREN AND TEENAGERS, SHE SAID.

THE NEW CENTRE WILL SERVE AS A FOCAL POINT FOR YOUNG PEOPLE LIVING IN TAI YUEN ESTATE AND ITS VICINITY TO COME TOGETHER AND TO MAKE NEW FRIENDS.

シ