XN000022-1997-03-11 — Page 13

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The survey was carried out twice in May and November 1996 respectively before and after the implementation of the programme. The surveys were set to analyse the significance of six factors: at-risk indicators, student support services, school support services, students' coping skills, extra-curricular activities, and lack of coping skills on the part of staff members.

Similar questionnaires were used for staff and students. Follow-up interviews with school staff and students were held concurrently with the second survey.

Return rates of the surveys were high. For Phase 1, the return rates for staff and students were respectively 82.1 per cent (of 1,162) and 95.6 per cent (of 15,662), while those for Phase 2 were respectively 92.8 per cent (of 1,011) and 99.8 per cent (of 17,052).

There were 82 participants in the workshop: five school heads, 54 teachers, seven school social workers and 16 students.

At the workshop, participants were taught on the six basic functions of the Student Assistance Programme: early identification of students in need of services, assessment of the nature and severity of the problem, intervention, treatment, provision of support, and case management.

The programme was found successful. Altogether 489 peer helpers had been trained and 71 of the 82 participants (86.6 per cent) in the workshop rated the training programme as either effective or very effective.

The Assistant Director of Education (Services), Mr C K Tam, said that based on the recommendation of the report, schools will be encouraged to adopt the Student Assistance Programme.

"The department will prepare a resource package on the Student Assistance Programme for use in all schools in the territory," he said.

Mr Tam added that briefing sessions will be held to introduce the programme to schools and that relevant sections of the department will help to monitor the development of this programme in schools on a regular basis.

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