XN000022-1991-11-11 — Page 9

THE

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 1991

+

VOLUNTEERISM IN HONG KONG TO BE STRENGTHENED

GOVERNMENT IS

* * *

CONSIDERING WAYS

TO INCREASE

THE

PARTICIPATION OF VOLUNTEER WELFARE WORKERS AND HOPES TO COME UP WITH SOME NEW MEASURES TO ENCOURAGE ENHANCED VOLUNTEERISM IN HONG KONG.

THIS WAS STATED TODAY (MONDAY) BY THE SECRETARY FOR HEALTH AND WELFARE, MRS ELIZABETH WONG, WHEN ADDRESSING THE ANNUAL MEETING OF THE COMMUNITY ADVICE BUREAU.

MRS WONG SAID THE MAIN FEATURE OF VOLUNTEERISM TODAY IS THE PARTICIPATION OF VOLUNTEERS IN BOARDS AND COMMITTEES OF NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANISATIONS.

BUT SHE BELIEVED THAT VOLUNTEERISM IN HONG KONG COULD BE STRENGTHENED BY GIVING MORE PROMINENCE TO ANOTHER TYPE OF PLAYERS, NAMELY, THE PART-TIME VOLUNTEERS WHO PROVIDE SERVICE ΤΟ THOSE WHO NEED HELP.

"THE UTILISATION OF VOLUNTEERS IN THE PROVISION OF SERVICES NOW RELATIVELY LOW, SHE SAID.

IS

"THIS SHOULD BE CHANGED. VOLUNTEERS CAN HELP IN APPROPRIATE AREAS OF SERVICE DELIVERY, SUCH AS INFORMAL CARING SYSTEMS IN THE COMMUNITY AND SELF-HELP GROUPS."

MRS

OUTLINING THE DEVELOPMENT OF VOLUNTEERISM IN HONG KONG, WONG NOTED THAT THE PERIOD FROM THE 19TH CENTURY TO THE END OF THE SECOND WORLD WAR COULD BE DESCRIBED AS THE CHARITABLE PERIOD.

THE INVOLVEMENT OF THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT IN CHARITABLE ACTIVITIES THEN WAS RATHER MARGINAL.

THE VOLUNTARY ORGANISATIONS, INCLUDING TUNG WAH, PO LEUNG

KUK, AND MISSIONARY AND RELIGIOUS SOCIETIES, WERE LARGELY INDEPENDENT AND SELF-SUFFICIENT.

VOLUNTEERISM WAS SIMPLE AND STRAIGHTFORWARD DURING THIS PERIOD, WHEN PUBLIC-SPIRITED PERSONS ORGANISED THEMSELVES TO HELP LESS FORTUNATE MEMBERS IN THE COMMUNITY.

THEN CAME THE EMERGENCY PERIOD WHICH STRADDLED FROM THE SECOND WORLD WAR TO THE END OF THE 1960'S DURING WHICH MANY INTERNATIONAL AND LOCAL ORGANISATIONS RESPONDED TO MEET THE FOOD, SHELTER, CLOTHING AND OTHER BASIC NEEDS OF A POPULATION SUDDENLY SWOLLEN BY MASS INFLUXES FROM CHINA.

THE HONG KONG COUNCIL OF SOCIAL SERVICE WAS ESTABLISHED IN 1947 TO CO-ORDINATE AND REPRESENT THE VOLUNTARY SECTOR WHILE THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT WAS SET UP IN 1958 то PROVIDE NOT ONLY DIRECT SERVICES, BUT ALSO TO SUBSIDISE THE VOLUNTARY AGENCIES.

THE YEARS FROM AROUND 1970 TO THE PRESENT HAVE BEEN CALLED THE SERVICE DEVELOPMENT PERIOD.

/IT IS