XN000022-1986-11-22 — Page 4

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 1986

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YOUTH CENTRE POLICY UNDER REVIEW

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THERE HAS BEEN CONSIDERABLE PROGRESS, BOTH IN QUALITY AND QUANTITY, SINCE THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE YOUTH CENTRE POLICY MORE THAN A DECADE AGO, DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF SOCIAL WELFARE, MR STEPHEN LAW, SAID TODAY (SATURDAY).

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SPEAKING AT THE OPENING OF THE SALVATION ARMY LUNG HANG YOUTH CENTRE IN SHA TIN, HE SAID +WE ARE NOW ACTIVELY REVIEWING THE DISTRIBUTION AND PLANNING STANDARDS OF YOUTH CENTRES IN ORDER TO MEET THE NEEDS OF DISTRICTS AND YOUNG PEOPLE IN A MORE FLEXIBLE MANNER.+

HE SAID THERE WAS MORE TO A YOUTH CENTRE THAN JUST BEING A VENUE FOR SOCIAL AND RECREATIONAL ACTIVITIES.

+ YOUTH CENTRE IS A MINI-COMMUNITY IN WHICH YOUNG PEOPLE COME INTO CONTACT WITH THEIR PEER GROUPS AND THE SOCIETY AND AT THE SAME TIME LEARN HOW TO RELATE TO PEOPLE AND TO SOLVE PROBLEMS THROUGH GROUP EFFORTS,+ HE SAID.

+ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT OBJECTIVES OF YOUTH CENTRE OR YOUTH WORK IS TO ENABLE YOUNG PEOPLE TO GAIN ACTUAL EXPERIENCE AND DEVELOP THEIR POTENTIALS THROUGH ORGANISED GROUP ACTIVITIES,+ HE ADDED.

MR LAW NOTED THAT RATHER THAN ALLOWING YOUNG PEOPLE TO ADOPT A +SPECTATOR'S+ ROLE, GROUP WORK IN YOUTH CENTRES SERVED TO ENCOURAGE THEM TO ORGANISE THEMSELVES TO CARRY OUT PROJECTS.

HOWEVER, HE SAID THAT THE SUCCESS OF YOUTH CENTRES ALSO RELIED ON THE CLOSE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE CENTRE AND MEMBER FAMILIES AS WELL AS ON THE PARTICIPATION OF THE LATTER.

+AS ACTIVITIES ARE DEVELOPED ACCORDING TO THE NEEDS AND THE WISHES OF THE MEMBERS AND HAVE TO MEET WITH CHANGING CIRCUMSTANCES IN THE DISTRICT, THE ACTIVE PARTICIPATION OF THE YOUNG PEOPLE IN THEIR DESIGN AND IMPLEMENTATION IS NECESSARY,+ HE ADDED.

TURNING TO YOUTH FACILITIES IN SHA TIN, HE OBSERVED THERE WERE 11 YOUTH CENTRES IN OPERATION WHILE ANOTHER SEVEN WERE UNDER PLANNING.

HE PAID TRIBUTE TO THE SALVATION ARMY FOR ITS ACTIVE PARTICIPATION IN PROVIDING A WIDE RANGE OF WELFARE SERVICES IN HONG KONG.

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