XN000022-1986-06-06 — Page 8

FRIDAY, JUNE 6, 1986

CENTRAL COMMITTEE ON YOUTH ESTABLISHED

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AS DEMANDS FOR YOUTH SERVICES HAVE CHANGED WITH THE DEVELOPMENT OF SOCIETY, A CENTRAL COMMITTEE ON YOUTH HAS BEEN SET UP RECENTLY TO FOSTER CLOSER CO-OPERATION AND BETTER CO-ORDINATION AMONG ORGANISATIONS PROVIDING SUCH SERVICES, THE CHIEF SECRETARY, SIR DAVID AKERS-JONES, SAID TODAY (FRIDAY).

SIR DAVID WAS SPEAKING AT A COCKTAIL RECEPTION MARKING THE GOLDEN JUBILEE OF THE BOYS AND GIRLS' CLUBS ASSOCIATION OF HONG KONG.

REVIEWING THE DEVELOPMENT OF YOUTH SERVICES IN HONG KONG, HE NOTED THAT SOME 50 YEARS AGO WHEN HONG KONG WAS SPARSELY POPULATED, THERE WAS A SHORTFALL IN THE PROVISION OF SOCIAL SERVICES.

+LIMITED SERVICES FOR CHILDREN WERE ONLY PROVIDED BY VOLUNTARY AGENCIES. AFTER THE WAR, THE INFLUX OF PEOPLE INTO HONG KONG BROUGHT WITH IT THE PROBLEMS ON HOUSING, EDUCATION AND MEDICAL SERVICES WHICH CALLED FOR URGENT SOLUTIONS.

+WHAT THE GOVERNMENT DID WAS TO PROVIDE FUNDAMENTAL FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE, TO PROMOTE EDUCATION AND TO ORGANISE RECREATIONAL ACTIVITIES FOR YOUNGSTERS THUS KEEPING THEM AWAY FROM THE INFLUENCE OF BAD ELEMENTS, HE ADDED.

IN THE

HONG KONG HAD BEEN MAKING PROGRESS ON THE RIGHT TRACK. 1960'S SEVERAL ORGANISATIONS THAT PROMOTED YOUTH ACTIVITIES WERE ESTABLISHED,

HOWEVER, SOCIAL DISTURBANCES AT THAT TIME REVEALED THAT THE NEEDS OF THE YOUNGER GENERATION HAD GRADUALLY CHANGED AND THIS HELPED BRING GOVERNMENT AND VOLUNTARY ORGANISATIONS CLOSER TO PROVIDE VARIOUS ACTIVITIES FOR YOUNG PEOPLE, HE SAID.

SIR DAVID POINTED OUT THAT IN 1973 GOVERNMENT IMPLEMENTED A FIVE-YEAR PLAN FOR SOCIAL WELFARE DEVELOPMENT WHICH INCLUDED YOUTH SERVICES. IN SO DOING, A MORE SYSTEMATIC APPROACH WAS ADOPTED IN PROMOTING ACTIVITIES FOR YOUNG CHILDREN AND ALSO TEENAGERS.

+THE PURPOSE OF THIS WAS TO CULTIVATE A SENSE OF MORALS IN YOUNG PEOPLE AND TO DEVELOP THE IR POTENTIAL, INSTILLING IN THEM A SENSE OF CIVIC RESPONSIBILITY AND A CORRECT ATTITUDE TOWARDS SOCIETY.

+TODAY, YOUNG PEOPLE CAN RECEIVE COUNSELLING SERVICES FROM SOCIAL WORKERS IN SCHOOLS AND ALSO HAVE FAMILY EDUCATION AT HOME. THERE ARE ALSO OUTREACHING SOCIAL WORKERS TO HELP THOSE IN NEED,+ HE SAID.

SIR DAVID ALSO PAID TRIBUTE TO THE ASSOCIATION FOR THE VARIOUS YOUTH SERVICES IT HAD PROVIDED AND PROMOTED OVER THE YEARS.

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