Social_Welfare_Annual_Report_1959-1960 — Page 33

inter alia, to the functions of the Department, the co-ordination of all welfare activities and financial aid to voluntary bodies from public funds. All its members, except for the Director of Social Welfare who is Chairman, are unofficials with experience of welfare work and many are leading figures in voluntary welfare organizations. The Advisory Committee appoints Sub-Committees periodically to study and report on particular problems; during the year under review a Sub-Committee on Vocational Training was considering the closer co-ordination of voluntary effort with the needs and expertise of industry in this field, while the Sub-Committee on Welfare of the Deaf, which had reported in the previous year, remained in being for certain purposes (cf. para- graph 58). The Committee also discharged its annual task of advising Government on the financial subventions to be granted to voluntary organizations and institutions during the following year, and on which organizations should be allowed to appeal for public support by means of a flag day. The terms of reference and membership of the Committee are shown in Appendix 21.

75. The major aim of the Hong Kong Council of Social Service is to co-ordinate as far as possible the work of voluntary welfare organiza- tions in the Colony; eighty eight such organizations were members of the Council at the end of the year; individuals also qualify for associate membership and 226 were on the roll in March 1960. Co-ordination of the work of the voluntary agencies with that of Government is furthered by the attendance at all meetings of the Council and its Executive Committee of observers or advisers from the Social Welfare and other Government Departments concerned, and also by the direct contact which is maintained by the staff of the Department with volun- tary agencies and institutions. The Central Relief Records Office, which is operated by the Council, continued to keep up-to-date records of the help given to families who were assisted both by the voluntary welfare organizations and by the Department, and thereby to improve co- ordination and minimize overlapping. There were 135,306 cases on record at the end of the year.

76. The Council has in the past taken the initiative in launching a number of new projects, some of which have later ‘hived off as distinct affiliated associations. In the course of an active year of work, two new ventures were embarked upon. In May 1959, the Employment Assistance Scheme was inaugurated in an endeavour to find work for skilled and semi-skilled workers recommended by voluntary organizations: the Scheme has already made a useful, if limited, contribution. During

27