XN000022-1987-02-28 — Page 2

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 1987

COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT MAKES IMPACT ON WELFARE

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SOCIAL WELFARE MUST ULTIMATELY BEEN SEEN AS MATTER IN WHICH THE WHOLE COMMUNITY IS INVOLVED, AND THE GREATER THE IR INVOLVEMENT THE GREATER OVERALL PROVISION OF SERVICES WILL BE, THE CHAIRMAN OF THE SOCIAL WELFARE ADVISORY COMMITTEE, MR LEE JARK-PUI, SAID TODAY (SATURDAY).

SPEAKING AT THE CERTIFICATE PRESENTATION CEREMONY OF THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT'S VOLUNTEER SCHEME FOR PROBATIONERS HE SAID: ULTIMATELY THE INVOLVEMENT OF VOLUNTEERS IN THE PROVISION OF SERVICES WILL NOT ONLY ASSIST THEM TO ACCEPT THEIR SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITIES, BUT WILL ALSO ASSIST THE GOVERNMENT TO WIN GENERAL SUPPORT AS IT IMPLEMENTS ITS POLICIES.+

MR LEE NOTED THAT THE GOVERNMENT'S WELFARE POLICY HAD CHANGED FROM THE MINIMAL INVOLVEMENT IN THE 1950'S TO A MUCH GREATER

INVOLVEMENT IN THE MID-1960'S. NOW THE GOVERNMENT HAD ASSUMED ULTIMATE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE PROVISION OF SATISFACTORY SOCIAL WELFARE SERVICES AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF PUBLIC PARTICIPATION AND VOLUNTEERISM.

TRACING THE DEVELOPMENT OF VOLUNTEERISM, HE POINTED OUT THAT IN THE 1950'S AND EARLY 1960'S VOLUNTEERING WAS PERFORMED BY THE +HAVE'S+ FOR THE +HAVE-NOT'S+.

HOWEVER, STARTING FROM THE MID-1960'S THE COMMUNITY BEGAN TO REALISE THAT IT COULD SUBSTANTIALLY CONTRIBUTE TO THE IMPROVEMENT OF GENERAL WELL-BEING BY INVOLVING PUBLIC-SPIRITED CITIZENS THROUGH DIRECT PARTICIPATION IN GOVERNMENT POLICIES AND SERVICES, HE SAID.

+PEOPLE FROM ALL WALKS OF LIFE, RANGING FROM HOUSEWIVES TO PROFESSIONALS, FROM WORKERS TO STUDENTS, OFFERED THEMSELVES ON A VOLUNTARY BASIS TO A WIDE VARIETY OF COMMUNITY AND WELFARE SERVICES.

+THE GOVERNMENT RESPONDED TO THE CIVIC SPIRIT OF INVOLVEMENT PROMPTLY AND JUDICIOUSLY, RESULTING IN THE CREATION OF A NEW PARTNERSHIP.

+THE USE OF VOLUNTEERS IN THE PROBATION WORK IS BUT ONE EXAMPLE OF COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT, MR LEE SAID,

HE ANTICIPATED THAT VOLUNTEERISM WOULD GROW UNDER THE

PRESENT CLIMATE AND WELFARE POLICY.

*THE FORM OF VOLUNTEERING MAY CHANGE IN RESPONSE TO SOCIAL CHANGES, BUT THE SPIRIT OF VOLUNTEERISM WILL REMAIN.

/+IT IS