XN000022-1989-03-18 — Page 13

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SATURDAY, MARCH 18, 1989

TO

AND

THE HOME

OF

THE SPOKESMAN SAID THE SERVICES PROVIDED BY THE BOY SCOUTS GIRL GUIDES FROM THE CENTRE INCLUDED REGULAR VISITS LOVE AND THE HOME OF ELDERLY AT LAI KOK ESTATE.

SERVICES, THEY ALSO

APART FROM PROVIDING CLEANING ORGANISE PICNICS AND ACTIVITIES FOR THE ELDERLY AT THE HOMES.

P

HELPED

"THE VR CHILDREN HAVE ALSO BEEN INVITED TO PERFORM IN COMMUNITY EVENTS SUCH AS THE SHAM SHUI PO DISTRICT FESTIVAL, THE SPOKESMAN ADDED.

MORE CHILDREN AND YOUTH CENTRES PLANNED

THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT IS PLANNING TO SET UP 60 CHILDREN AND YOUTH CENTRES OF WHICH 18 WILL BE LOCATED IN PRIVATE DEVELOPMENT COMPLEXES IN THE NEXT FIVE YEARS, THE DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF SOCIAL WELFARE, MR STEPHEN LAW, SAID TODAY (SATURDAY).

AT PRESENT, THERE ARE 228 CHILDREN AND YOUTH CENTRES IN THE TERRITORY, 14 OF WHICH ARE LOCATED IN PRIVATE DEVELOPED PREMISES.

SPEAKING AT THE OPENING CEREMONY OF A YOUTH CENTRE IN LUK YEUNG SUN CHUEN IN TSUEN WAN OPERATED BY THE YMCA, MR LAW INDICATED THAT CENTRES IN PRIVATE DEVELOPED PREMISES COULD SUPPLEMENT THOSE SET UP IN PUBLIC HOUSING ESTATES.

IT

IS

THE

"IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE PRESENT PACE OF PROVISION, ANTICIPATED THAT THE DEMAND FOR CHILDREN AND YOUTH CENTRES IN TERRITORY WOULD BE MET WITHIN THE NEXT FOUR TO FIVE YEARS," HE SAID.

MR LAW POINTED OUT THAT CHILDREN AND YOUTH CENTRES, CATERING FOR RECREATIONAL AND SOCIAL NEEDS, WERE AN INTEGRATED PART OF THE COMMUNITY AND PROVIDED AN ENVIRONMENT FOR LEARNING AND PERSONALITY DEVELOPMENT FOR YOUTH OUTSIDE SCHOOLS AND THEIR HOMES.

HE SAID THAT THESE CENTRES, SPREAD TERRITORY-WIDE AND IN PUBLIC HOUSING ESTATES OR PRIVATE DEVELOPED COMPLEXES, WERE EASILY ACCESSIBLE TO BOTH THE YOUTHS AND THEIR PARENTS.

"THIS WOULD ENABLE PARENTS ΤΟ GET ΤΟ KNOW THE NATURE OF THE ACTIVITIES THEIR CHILDREN ARE TAKING PART IN, AND TO REFLECT THEIR OPINIONS TO THE MANAGEMENT OR SOCIAL WORKERS CONCERNED.

"SOCIAL WORKERS IN THESE CENTRES ARE TAKING AN ACTIVE

PART IN ORGANISING AND ARRANGING SUITABLE ACTIVITIES TO MEET THE NEEDS OF THE YOUTHS AND DEMAND FROM VARIOUS TARGETTED GROUPS IN THE DISTRICT.

"THESE ACTIVITIES