XN000022-1991-02-07 — Page 12

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 1991

11

GOOD CAREER PROSPECT FOR SOCIAL WORKERS

THE DEMAND OF TRAINED SOCIAL WORKERS WILL NATURALLY INCREASE BECAUSE THERE WILL BE SIGNIFICANT EXPANSION OF SOCIAL WELFARE SERVICE, ESPECIALLY IN THE FAMILY SERVICES AND ELDERLY FIELDS.

AT

THE

SHA

WELFARE,

SPEAKING TO MEDIA REPRESENTATIVES AFTER OFFICIATING OPENING CEREMONY OF A HOSTEL FOR THE ELDERLY IN POK HONG ESTATE, TIN THIS (THURSDAY) AFTERNOON, THE ACTING DIRECTOR OF SOCIAL MRS ROSE GOODSTADT, SAID ABOUT 700 TRAINED DEGREE STAFF AND ABOUT TRAINED DIPLOMA HOLDERS WOULD BE NEEDED IN THE NEXT FIVE YEARS.

550

"WE BELIEVE THE SUPPLY OF DEGREE HOLDERS IN THE NEXT FEW YEARS WILL BE ADEQUATE TO MEET THE DEMAND.

IN 1989 "THIS IS PARTLY DUE TO A BLISTER PROGRAMME INTRODUCED

SUPPLY WHICH HAS INCREASED

BY AROUND 1,000 STUDENTS," SHE SAID, ADDING THAT THE SHORTAGE OF DIPLOMA HOLDERS, HOWEVER, WOULD CONTINUE.

MRS GOODSTADT SAID MANY SERVICES FOR THE ELDERLY AND YOUTH DEPENDED ON FRONT-LINE STAFF IN THE SOCIAL WORK ASSISTANT (SNA) LEVEL.

PROJECTS IF THE

OUTLINED IN THE DRAFT WHITE

WERE PAPER

TO BE BY 1995/96 IMPLEMENTED, THE TOTAL NUMBER OF DIPLOMA HOLDERS REQUIRED WOULD BE AROUND 2,000.

ON THE CAREER PROSPECT OF

PROMOTED

SWA'S, MRS

GOODSTADT

THAT SWA'S COULD BE

TO THE RANK OF SENIOR ASSISTANTS (8SWA'9) AFTER SEVERAL YEARS OF SERVICE.

POINTED OUT SOCIAL

WORK

LEADING TO A POLYTECHNIC, THE TOTAL NUMBER

PART-TIME COURSES "MANY SWA'S ARE ALSO TAKING DEGREE. THESE COURSES ARE PROVIDED BY THE HONG KONG CITY POLYTECHNIC AND THE HONG KONG BAPTIST COLLEGE. THE OF SWA'S ATTENDING SUCH COURSES ARE ABOUT 450.

SUCH AS CONVERSION OF SHE SWA'S,

"ON COMPLETION OF THE COURSES THEY CAN APPLY FOR JOBS ASSISTANT SOCIAL WORK OFFICERS (ASWO). THIS CONTINUOUS

INTO ASWO'S CONTRIBUTES PARTLY TO THE SHORTAGE SWA'S CONTINUED.

OF

M

COMMISSION,

MRS GOODSTADT EXPLAINED THAT RECENTLY THE STANDING IN ITS NO. 25 REPORT, ALSO RECOMMENDED THE CREATION OF CHIEF SOCIAL WORK ASSISTANT POSTS.

"BOTH

GOVERNMENT THE

AND THE VOLUNTARY AGENCIES ARE NOW SAID. "SO

EXAMINING WHICH POSTS REQUIRE THIS NEW RANK OF DIPLOMA HOLDERS HAVE GOOD CAREER PROSPECTS.

SHE STAFF,"

MRS GOODSTADT SAID THE CASELOAD SITUATION IN THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT'S FAMILY SERVICES CENTRES HAD BEEN GREATLY IMPROVED.

(RANGING FROM 56

TO 99). LAST

"OUR AVERAGE CASELOAD IS 72 YEAR'S AVERAGE WAS 93 (RANGING FROM 62 TO 117)," SHE SAID.

/TURNING TO