Social_Welfare_Annual_Report_1959-1960 — Page 11

forty separate voluntary agencies accounted for over $3 millions, direct welfare work for some $2 millions and salaries and wages for nearly $2 millions. Appendix 3 gives more details, including particulars of subventions and a comparison with last year's expenditure.

CHAPTER III

COURSES AND TRAINING

11. With the tremendous expansion in population and growth in welfare services, the demand for qualified professional officers continues greatly to exceed the supply. Plans are in hand for the development of training facilities in the near future; in the meantime graduates can rest assured that employment in the welfare field is readily available. Training falls into the three broad categories referred to below.

12. Regular Courses in Hong Kong. The University of Hong Kong conducts a two year full-time course for matriculates leading to a Certificate in Social Studies and a one year post-graduate course leading to a Diploma. A total of 53 students have successfully completed one or other of these Courses since their inception in 1950, and many of them have been appointed to the Social Welfare Department. Some of the remainder have become Almoners in the Medical and Health Department and others Housing Assistants in the Housing Authority; a few have obtained employment with voluntary organizations, notably the Housing Society and the Family Welfare Society. In March 1960, there were 16 students taking the Certificate Course and 9 the Diploma Course. Bursaries provided by Government to a total annual value of $17,400 were shared between 9 of these 25 students.

13. Local Training. In May 1959, the Department inaugurated its first comprehensive six month in-service training course on the basic principles of social work. Thirteen members of the Department partici- pated whilst over sixty persons from other Government departments and from various voluntary agencies were enrolled for either the whole or certain sections of the Course. An Elementary Child Care Course, organized by the Child Welfare Section of the Department, began in March 1959, and concluded in September. Thirty six out of the forty students who took part successfully completed the Course and were awarded certificates. At the end of the year arrangements were being made, in conjunction with the Hong Kong Council of Social Service, to run a six-month introductory training course in welfare work for some 20 secondary school students. On many occasions the staff of the

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