XN000022-1985-03-14 — Page 17

THURSDAY, MARCH 14, 1985

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SURVEY SHOWS YOUTHS NEED MORE SPORTS FACILITIES

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A RECENT SURVEY ON HOW YOUTHS IN SOUTHERN DISTRICT SPEND THE IR LEISURE TIME HAS FOUND THAT YOUNG PEOPLE FAVOUR OUTDOOR RECREATIONAL ACTIVITIES, BUT THAT THERE ARE NOT ENOUGH FACILITIES TO MEET THE DEMAND.

THE SURVEY, FUNDED BY THE SOUTHERN DISTRICT BOARD, RECOMMENDS THAT MORE RECREATION FACILITIES AND ACTIVITIES SHOULD BE PROVIDED IN THE DISTRICT.

THE FAVOURITE PASTIME OF THE PERSONS INTERVIEWED, WHOSE AGES RANGE FROM 12 TO 24, WERE BALL GAMES, SWIMMING, CYCLING AND WATCHING TELEVISION. ONLY A VERY SMALL PERCENTAGE FAVOURED GAMBLING ACTIVITIES.

WHILE MOST YOUTHS LIKE ACTIVE RECREATION, THEY PREFERRED TO ARRANGE ACTIVITIES NEAR THEIR HOME AMONG THEMSELVES OR WITH FRIENDS. SOME OF THE YOUTHS INDICATED THEY PREFERRED ACTIVITIES ORGANISED BY SCHOOLS, GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS OR COMMUNITY ORGANISATIONS.

ABOUT HALF OF THE YOUTHS INDICATED THAT THEY HAD NOT BEEN ABLE TO TAKE PART IN ACTIVITIES THEY LIKED, BECAUSE THE FACILITIES WERE INADEQUATE OR THEY EITHER HAD NO TIME, OR NO MONEY,

MOST OF THE YOUTHS SUGGESTED THAT MORE SPORTS, ACADEMIC AND CRAFTSMANSHIP CLASSES AND SOCIAL SERVICE ACTIVITIES SHOULD BE ORGANISED IN THE DISTRICT.

SOME OF THEM ALSO FELT THAT MORE LIBRARIES, SPORTS GROUNDS, PARKS, CAMP SITES, SWIMMING POOLS AND VENUES FOR STAGING SHOWS, SHOULD BE BUILT.

THE SURVEY INDICATED THAT THE AUTHORITIES SHOULD ARRANGE MORE SOCIAL SERVICE ACTIVITIES TO INSTILL SOCIAL CONSCIOUSNESS AMONG YOUTHS, AND TO HELP THEM DEVELOP THEIR KNOWLEDGE BY ORGANISING MORE ACADEMIC AND CRAFTSMANSHIP CLASSES.

YOUTH ACTIVITIES SHOULD ALSO BE PUBLICISED IN SCHOOLS THROUGH VARIOUS CHANNELS, SUCH AS THE SOUTHERN DISTRICT SCHOOL LIAISON COMMITTEE AND THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT'S GROUP AND COMMUNITY CO-ORDINATING COMMITTEE.

GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS AND COMMUNITY ORGANISATIONS SHOULD STEP UP EFFORTS IN FAMILY LIFE EDUCATION TO HELP PARENTS LEARN HOW TO ESTABLISH CLOSER LINKS WITH THEIR CHILDREN.

THE SURVEY WAS INITIATED BY THE SOUTHERN DISTRICT BOARD'S SOCIAL SERVICES COMMITTEE AS PART OF THE DISTRICT'S PROGRAMME TO COINCIDE WITH THE 1985 INTERNATIONAL YOUTH YEAR.

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