XN000022-1986-12-13 — Page 3

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SATURDAY, DECEMBER 13, 1986

NFED FOR YOUTH POLICY BEING EXAMINED

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THE TASK OF EXAMINING THE NEED FOR A COMPREHENSIVE YOUTH POLICY FOR HONG KONG WOULD NOT BE AN EASY ONE BECAUSE THE PROCESS WOULD INVOLVE THE PROBLEM OF FITTING THE NEW POLICY INTO THE EXISTING STRUCTURE, THE SECRETARY FOR DISTRICT ADMINISTRATION, MR DONALD LIAO, SAID AT A SEMINAR TO STUDY YOUTH POLICIES TODAY (SATURDAY).

HE SAID THE SEMINAR OFFERED A GOOD OPPORTUNITY FOR PEOPLE FROM ALL WALKS OF LIFE TO EXPRESS THEIR VIEWS ON THIS ISSUE AND IT WAS HOPED THAT THROUGH DISCUSSIONS, A DIRECTION FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF YOUTH POLICY COULD BE FOUND.

MR LIAO EMPHASISED THAT THE DIRECTION MUST BE ACCEPTABLE TO GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS AND LOCAL ORGANISATIONS RESPONSIBLE FOR YOUTH AFFAIRS.

TODAY'S SEMINAR WAS ORGANISED BY THE CENTRAL COMMITTEE ON YOUTH (CCY) AND WAS ATTENDED BY MORE THAN 300 PEOPLE FROM DIFFERENT SECTORS OF THE COMMUNITY INCLUDING DISTRICT BOARD MEMBERS, URBAN AND REGIONAL COUNCILLORS, REPRESENTATIVES FROM VOLUNTARY AGENCIES, JOURNALISTS, BUSINESSMEN, SCHOOL PRINCIPALS WORKERS AND STUDENTS.

CHAIRMAN OF THE CCY, MRS ROSANNA TAM, SAID THAT AS FAR AS YOUTH POLICY WAS CONCERNED, THERE WERE TWO MAIN SCHOOLS OF THOUGHT.

ONE MAINTAINED THAT THE ULTIMATE GOAL OF A YOUTH POLICY WAS THE DEVELOPMENT AND WELFARE OF YOUTH ITSELF AND ALL SOCIAL POLICIES SHOULD FALL IN LINE WITH THE DEVELOPMENT OF YOUTH.

THE OTHER SCHOOL MAINTAINED THAT THE WELFARE AND DEVELOPMENT OF YOUTH SHOULD BE CONSIDERED IN THE CONTEXT OF THE INTERESTS OF THE COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE, AND THE FUNCTION OF A YOUTH POLICY WAS TO ACHIEVE A CERTAIN POLITICAL OR SOCIAL OBJECTIVE.

+ THE WORKING DEFINITION OF YOUTH POLICY ADOPTED BY THE CCY REFERS TO A SERIES OF GOALS AND OBJECTIVES FOR THE EXISTING AND FUTURE DEVELOPMENT OF YOUTH AND THE MEANS OF ACHIEVING THEM,+ SHE SAID.

+SUCH A POLICY IS DEVELOPED BY KEEPING TWO PERSPECTIVES IN MIND: NEEDS, ASPIRATIONS AND DEVELOPMENT OF YOUTH AND THOSE OF THE COMMUNITY, SHE ADDED.

MRS TAM POINTED OUT THAT AT PRESENT THERE WAS APPARENTLY NO COMPREHENSIVE YOUTH POLICY IN HONG KONG. YOUTH SERVICES WERE PROVIDED BY DIFFERENT GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS AND THE EXISTING POLICIES WERE BASED ON THE NEEDS OF THE COMMUNITY AT LARGE AND NOT ON THE NEEDS OF THE DIFFERENT AGE GROUPS, SHE ADDED.

/+FACH GOVERNMENT