XN000022-1983-07-19 — Page 6

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TUESDAY, JULY 19, 1983

GREAT IMPORTANCE ATTACHED TO LEADERSHIP TRAINING

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YOUNG PEOPLE IN HONG KONG NOW HAVE MORE OPPORTUNITIES TO DEVELOP THE IR LEADERSHIP POTENTIALS THROUGH A WIDE RANGE OF PROGRAMMES BEING OFFERED BY DIFFERENT GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS.

SOME OF THESE PROGRAMMES ARE HELD REGULARLY THROUGHOUT THE YEAR WHILE OTHERS ARE TIMED FOR HOLIDAY PERIODS.

THE SUMMER YOUTH PROGRAMME, AN ANNUAL EVENT JOINTLY ORGANISED BY SEVEN GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS AND THE HONG KONG COUNCIL OF SOCIAL SERVICE, IS HELD DURING THE SUMMER HOLIDAYS.

THIS TWO-MONTH PROGRAMME IS AIMED AT PROVIDING RECREATIONAL OUTLETS FOR YOUNG PEOPLE AND INSTILLING IN THEM A SENSE OF RESPONSIBILITY TO THE COMMUNITY.

THE PROGRAMME COVERS RECREATIONAL, CULTURAL, ATHLETIC AND ENTERTAINMENT ACTIVITIES.

LEADERSHIP TRAINING IS ALSO OFFERED IN THESE FJELDS, COMBINING CAMPING, FIELD STUDIES, AS WELL AS THEORETICAL AND PRACTICAL EXPOSURÉ.

A NUMBER OF BASIC LEADERSHIP TRAINING COURSES AND CAMPS LASTING FROM TWO DAYS TO THREE WEEKS IN SUMMER ARE ALSO BEING ORGANISED IN VARIOUS DISTRICTS AND CAMP SITES IN THE NEW TERRITORIES.

*THE GOVERNMENT ATTACHES GREAT IMPORTANCE TO LEADERSHIP TRAINING FOR YOUNG PEOPLE WHO, AFTER ALL, ACCOUNT FOR HALF OF OUR POPULATION, THE ASSISTANT COMMISSIONER FOR RECREATION AND CULTURE (RECREATION AND SPORT), MR DICKEN YUNG, SAID.

APART FROM SUMMER AND OTHER HOLIDAY ACTIVITIES, REGULAR TRAINING COURSES ARE BEING PROVIDED THROUGHOUT THE YEAR TO DEVELOP THE POTENTIALS OF YOUTHS.

MANY OF THESE COURSES ARE OFFERED BY THE RECREATION AND SPORT SERVICE OF THE RECREATION AND CULTURE DEPARTMENT, MR YUNG POINTED OUT.

THEY RANGE FROM PRELIMINARY TO ADVANCED COURSES TO DEVELOP DIFFERENT SKILLS, MAINLY IN THE FIELDS OF RECREATION AND SPORT.

MANY PARTICIPANTS IN THESE COURSES HAVE BECOME INSTRUCTORS OF THE RECREATION AND SPORT SERVICE.

OTHERS PROVIDE VOLUNTARY SERVICES AS SPORTS ORGANISERS, CAMP COUNSELLORS AND EXCURSION OR EXPEDITION LEADERS.

AT PRESENT THERE ARE ABOUT 10 000 VOLUNTEERS, ABOUT 74 PER CENT OF THEM UNDER THE AGE OF 30.

+THERE ARE ALSO MANY EXAMPLES OF INTROVERTS WHO BECAME ACTIVE LEADERS AFTER COMPLETING THEIR TRAINING,+ MR YUNG SAID.

THERE ARE