Social_Welfare_Annual_Report_1960-1961 — Page 29

of the Department and of voluntary welfare agencies that the closest co- operation is essential, if the limited trained personnel, funds, premises and so on are to be used so as to produce the greatest benefit and to alleviate effectively the most pressing needs.

86. World Refugee Year, which closed officially at the end of June 1960, made very large sums available from overseas for social service projects in Hong Kong; over $12,000,000 has reached the Government, for use both by voluntary agencies and on Government projects, while large additional sums have been contributed to voluntary agencies direct. This magnificent gesture of international generosity and concern for what is a truly international problem-and one beyond the scope of the Colony's resources to resolve-has had the effect of accelerating, by several years in some cases, the pace of social welfare provision. Many voluntary agencies have received large contributions which have enabled them to inaugurate fresh ventures and the Department has in particular been able to embark on the programme of community development in resettlement estates and elsewhere, described in the pre- ceding chapter, with capital funds sufficient for four large community centres, to be built at the rate of one a year. These centres provide tangible evidence of the close co-ordination which exists with voluntary bodies, several of which will take a prominent place in each centre in providing the services needed. These developments have strained, and challenged, the experienced staff and recurrent financial resources of social work agencies.

87. Voluntary effort in the social work field has for long been on an impressive scale in Hong Kong, as will be apparent at many points in this Report. A number of traditional Chinese charitable organiza- tions such as the Tung Wah Group of Hospitals, the Kaifong (or 'neighbourhood') Welfare Advancement Associations, covering 28 urban districts, and the Po Leung Kuk (already referred to in Chapters IV and VII) have been at work for many years; in addition, a large number of local voluntary societies have grown up over the years to meet particular needs and now carry a predominant, or at least a very im- portant, share of the burden in infant and family welfare work, club and youth work and both day and institutional care of children, those in moral danger, the handicapped and the aged. In more recent years several important international relief and welfare agencies have been moved by the plight of the huge immigrant population (which has inevitably diverted and diluted the social services which the older

23