XN000022-1984-02-25 — Page 3

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 1984

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MORE VOLUNTEER HELP SOUGHT FOR PROBATIONERS

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MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC HAVE AN IMPORTANT ROLE TO PLAY IN HELPING TO REHABILITATE OFFENDERS, THE DIRECTOR OF SOCIAL WELFARE, MR JOHN CHAMBERS, SAID TODAY (SATURDAY).

SPEAKING AT A PRESENTATION CEREMONY OF THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT'S VOLUNTEER SCHEME FOR PROBATIONERS, HE SAID THE SOCIAL WORKERS COULD NOT OPERATE IN A VACUUM AND CALLED ON MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY TO ASSIST PROBATION OFFICERS BY BEFRIENDING, HELPING AND ADVISING PROBATIONERS ON A PERSONAL BASIS.

BUT HE STRESSED THAT THE MATCHING OF A VOLUNTEER AND A PROBATIONER +SHOULD BE DONE WITH CARE TO ENSURE SUCCESS.+

THE DEPARTMENT PROVIDED A PROGRAMME OF SERVICES FOR THE OFFENDERS CONSISTING OF PROBATION, RESIDENTIAL TRAINING AND AFTER-CARE SERVICES.

HE SAID THE PROBATION ARRANGEMENT SEEMED TO WORK WELL, LAST YEAR ABOUT 86 PER CENT OF THE PROBATIONERS COMPLETED THE IR PERIODS OF SUPERVISION WITHOUT COMMITTING ANY BREACH OF THE CONDITIONS OR COMMITTING FRESH OFFENCES.

+OVER THE YEARS SINCE THE SCHEME STARTED, SOME 140 VOLUNTEERS HAVE TAKEN PART IN IT.+

RECORDS SHOW THAT A NUMBER OF THEM HAVE SERVED MORE THAN ONE TIME, WITH A FEW MORE THAN TWO TIMES.

MR CHAMBERS SAID HIS DEPARTMENT PROVIDED TWO MAIN TYPES OF SERVICES FOR YOUNG PEOPLE – PREVENTIVE AND REMEDIAL.

THE FIRST TYPE IS TO ENABLE YOUNG PEOPLE TO DEVELOP INTO MATURE AND RESPONSIBLE MEMBERS OF SOCIETY BY FOSTERING THE DEVELOPMENT OF THEIR PERSONALITY, CHARACTER AND SENSE OF CIVIC RESPONSIBILITY.

THE SECOND TYPE WHICH IS AIMED AT THE OFFENDERS, IS INTENDED TO RE-INTEGRATE THEM INTO THE COMMUNITY.

MR CHAMBERS THANKED THE 30 VOLUNTEERS WHO RECEIVED CERTIFICATES OF APPRECIATION TODAY FOR THEIR WORK, WHICH HE DESCRIBED AS +AN IMPORTANT JOB+.

HE EXPRESSED THE HOPE THAT THEY DERIVED SATISFACTION FROM BEING ABLE TO HELP SOME OF THE LESS FORTUNATE FELLOW-CITIZENS.

+YOUR CONTRIBUTION DOES HELP US TO MAKE THE BEST USE OF OUR LIMITED RESOURCES OF TRAINED SOCIAL WORKERS,+ HE SAID.

TO THOSE ATTENDING THE CEREMONY, INCLUDING JUDGES AND MAGISTRATES, HE SAID WE ARE VERY CONSCIOUS OF THE NEED FOR OUR PROBATION SERVICE TO PLAY A SMALL PART IN THE ADMINISTRATION OF JUSTICE IN HONG KONG, AND WE MAINTAIN A CLOSE WORKING RELATIONSHIP WITH THE JUDICIARY IN CONNECTION WITH OUR STATUTORY AND OTHER RESPONSIBILITIES IN THIS AREA.+

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