XN000022-1983-11-19 — Page 3

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SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 1983

YOUNG PEOPLE NEED HELP AND SUPPORT

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CHAMBERS

YOUNG PEOPLE IN HONG KONG NEED HELP AND SUPPORT IN VARIOUS FORMS IF THEY ARE TO DEVELOP INTO WELL-INTEGRATED AND RESPONSIBLE CITIZENS OF THE FUTURE.

J

THE DIRECTOR OF SOCIAL WELFARE, MR JOHN CHAMBERS, SAID THIS TODAY (SATURDAY) WHEN HE OPENED THE CHINESE YMCA TUEN MUN CHILDREN AND YOUTH CENTRE.

HE SAID THE YOUNG PEOPLE HERE, GROWING UP IN THE VERY DENSELY POPULATED ENVIRONMENT, WERE CONSTANTLY UNDER GREAT PRESSURE AND STRESS.

ACADEMIC EDUCATION AND VOCATIONAL TRAINING, HE SAID, WERE NOT IN THEMSELVES SUFFICIENT TO SATISFY THEIR NEEDS.

+THEY ALSO NEED RECREATIONAL ACTIVITIES AND HELP TOWARDS THEIR SOCIAL AND MORAL DEVELOPMENT, SO THAT THEY CAN GROW UP TO BE BALANCED AND FULLY INTEGRATED MEMBERS OF SOCIETY.+

+PROVIDING A VARIETY OF PROGRAMMES AND ACTIVITIES FOR YOUNG PEOPLE IS CLEARLY A VERY IMPORTANT TASK TO WHICH THE GOVERNMENT HAS DEVOTED A GREAT DEAL OF EFFORT IN RECENT YEARS + AND VOLUNTARY ORGANISATIONS HAVE MADE A MOST VALUABLE CONTRIBUTION TO THIS WORK, + HE SAID.

MR CHAMBERS PRAISED THE CHINESE YMCA FOR ITS LONG HISTORY OF SERVICE WHICH BENEFITED TENS OF THOUSANDS OF YOUNG PEOPLE OF HONG KONG.

THE NEW CENTRE, LOCATED AT ON TING ESTATE, IS FULLY SUBVENTED BY THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT AND HAS ALSO RECEIVED A LOTTERIES FUND GRANT OF $98 000 FOR FURNITURE AND EQUIPMENT.

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