XN000022-1986-11-06 — Page 11

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 1986

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CALL FOR MORE PERSONAL YOUTH SERVICES

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MORE PERSONAL SERVICES SHOULD BE PROVIDED FOR YOUNG PEOPLE TO CATER TO THEIR NEEDS, THE HON ROSANNA TAM SAID TODAY (THURSDAY).

SPEAKING DURING THE DEBATE ON THE GOVERNOR'S ADDRESS IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, MRS TAM SAID THE NEEDS OF YOUNG PEOPLE HAD BECOME MORE DIVERSIFIED FOLLOWING RAPID DEVELOPMENTS OF SOCIETY.

SHE IDENTIFIED IN DETAIL SOME OF THESE DEVELOPMENTS IN THE LAST TEN YEARS AND OUTLINED THE DIFFERENT PROBLEMS AND NEEDS FACING YOUNG PEOPLE TODAY.

SHE SAID SHE AGREED THAT CULTURAL, RECREATIONAL AND SPORTS ACTIVITIES HAD THEIR PARTS TO PLAY IN HELPING YOUNG PEOPLE TO DEVELOP THEMSELVES BUT CONSIDERED THAT THEY SHOULD ALSO DEVELOP A SENSE OF INDIVIDUALITY AND SELF-RIGHTEOUSNESS TO TACKLE THE MORE COMPLEX PROBLEMS IN LIFE.

SHE NOTED THAT IN THE PAST PERSONAL YOUTH SERVICE HAD BEEN CRITICISED AS COSTLY BUT ARGUED THAT IT WAS AN EFFECTIVE WAY OF MEETING THE NEED OF YOUNG PEOPLE AND PROVIDED CONSTRUCTIVE ASSISTANCE TO THEM.

MRS TAM CALLED ON GOVERNMENT TO REVIEW THE DEMAND OF SERVICES FOR YOUNG PEOPLE AND TO SEE WHETHER THERE WAS AN EXCESSIVE SUPPLY OF CULTURAL, RECREATIONAL AND SPORTS ACTIVITIES FOR THEM.

SHE SAID THIS WAS DONE IN THE HOPE THAT MORE RESOURCES COULD THEN BE ALLOCATED TO THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT FOR IT TO PRACTICALLY DEVELOP PERSONAL SOCIAL WORK AMONG YOUNG PEOPLE THROUGH VOLUNTARY AGENCIES.

SHE NOTED THAT THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT HAD IN FACT RECOGNISED THE IMPORTANCE OF PERSONAL SOCIAL WORK IN ITS PROGRAMME PLAN RELEASED IN 1979 BUT HAD NEVER BEEN ABLE TO IMPLEMENT THE RECOMMENDATIONS FULLY DUE TO A LACK OF RESOURCES.

SHE POINT OUT THAT THERE WAS AN URGENT NEED TO IMPROVE SUCH SERVICES AND CALLED ON GOVERNMENT TO ALLOCATE MORE RESOURCES TO THIS AREA.

MRS TAM SUGGESTED THAT GOVERNMENT SHOULD ATTACH MORE IMPORTANCE TO THE OVERALL PLANNING AND CO-ORDINATION IN THE PROVISION OF PERSONAL SOCIAL SERVICES.

SHE SAID SHE BELIEVED THAT BEFORE ANY COMPREHENSIVE PLAN WAS FORMULATED, EFFORTS SHOULD BE MADE TO REDUCE THE RATIO OF SCHOOL SOCIAL WORKERS TO STUDENTS, TO CO-ORDINATE THE WORK BETWEEN THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT AND EDUCATION DEPARTMENT, AND TO STRENGTHEN CO-OPERATION BETWEEN SCHOOL SOCIAL WORKERS AND GUIDANCE TEACHERS.

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