XN000022-1983-05-02 — Page 7

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MONDAY, MAY 2, 1983

+OUTWARD BOUND COURSES CAN MAKE A SIGNIFICANT CONTRIBUTION TOWARDS THE GOVERNMENT'S POLICY OBJECTIVE OF COMMUNITY BUILDING BECAUSE THEY PROVIDE STRUCTURED AND INTENSIVE TRAINING AT A HIGH LEVEL WHICH COMPLEMENT THE COURSES AND PROGRAMMES ORGANISED BY MY DEPARTMENT, MR WIGGHAM SAID.

THESE COURSES HELP TO DEVELOP THE CHARACTER, SELF-RELIANCE AND LEADERSHIP QUALITIES OF THE PARTICIPANTS, AS WELL AS HELPING TO FOSTER A STRONG SENSE OF COMMUNITY SPIRIT.

BECAUSE OF THE BENEFITS YOUNG PEOPLE CAN GAIN FROM OUTWARD BOUND COURSES AND THE CONTRIBUTION THAT THEY CAN MAKE AFTERWARDS TO THE COMMUNITY AT LARGE, IT HAS BEEN DECIDED TO GIVE SELECTED YOUNG PERSONS THE OPPORTUNITY OF ATTENDING OUTWARD BOUND COURSES AT REDUCED COST, IN THIS WAY IT IS HOPED THAT A WIDER SECTION OF HONG KONG'S YOUTH CAN BENEFIT FROM OUTWARD BOUND TRAINING.

THE GOVERNMENT SUBVENTED COURSES ARE STANDARD COURSE JUNIOR AND SENIOR ADVENTURE COURSES, MOUNTAIN LEADERSHIP COURSES AND SKILLS COURSES.

THE STANDARD COURSE IS FOR PERSONS BETWEEN 16 AND 26 YEARS OF AGE AND LASTS FOR THREE WEEKS. PRACTICAL AND THEORY LESSONS ARE GIVEN ABOARD THE SCHOOL'S BRIGANTINE JI-FUNG.

ADVENTURE COURSES CONSIST OF ORGANISED ACTIVITIES IN SAILING, CANOEING, MOUNTAINEERING AND ROCK-CLIMBING.

MOUNTAIN LEADERSHIP COURSES ARE SEVEN-DAY HIGH INTENSITY SKILLS COURSES DESIGNED FOR THOSE AGED 18 YEARS AND OVER.

SKILLS COURSES INVOLVE A HIGH LEVEL OF TRAINING IN A SPECIFIC OUTDOOR ACTIVITY SUCH AS ROCK-CLIMBING, MOUNTAINCRAFT, ORIENTEERING, CANOEING AND SAILING.

SINCE THE OPENING OF THE OUTWARD BOUND SCHOOL IN 1970, MORE THAN 13 400 PEOPLE HAVE TAKEN PART IN VARIOUS COURSES.

OF THE TOTAL, 3 500 CHILDREN TOOK PART IN LAND ADVENTURE COURSES, AND 1 200 PHYSICALLY HANDICAPPED IN SPECIAL COURSES.

NEW DISTRICT COMMISSIONER TO CHAIR FIRST DB MEETING

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MR ADOLF HSU, WHO ASSUMED THE DUTY OF DISTRICT COMMISSIONER (TSUEN WAN) JUST OVER A MONTH AGO, WILL CHAIR HIS FIRST DISTRICT BOARD MEETING TOMORROW (TUESDAY).

DURING THE MEETING, A PAPER ON RECLAMATION OF THE KWAI CHUNG CREEK AND REAL IGNMENT OF CONTAINER PORT ROAD WILL BE DISCUSSED.

ALSO FOR DISCUSSION WILL BE A PAPER PREPARED BY AN UNOFFICIAL DB MEMBER ON THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A HOSTEL FOR MENTALLY RETARDED MALE ADULTS IN KWAI CHUNG.

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