Social_Welfare_Annual_Report_1961-1962 — Page 35

A PLACE OFF THE STREETS

When living space is cramped and playing space is at a premium, the streets naturally have a great lure for children. But the streets are at the best of times a poor training ground for citizenship; in Hong Kong, where the dangers from triads or 'protection' racketeers, drug pedlars and motor traffic are especially great, street life is that much more undesirable, To provide those children who cannot yet get into primary school with a constructive and wholesome alternative to street life, more than 200 clubs for some 13,000 children between the ages of 8 and 15 have been organized. A few of these clubs are run by the Social Welfare Department but most of them are run by the Boys' and Girls' Clubs Association and affiliated groups, with financial support from Government.

2. The clubs provide healthy outlets for youthful energy in the way of recreation, sport and other organized activities, together with some informal education.

3. The pictures on this and the following pages show members of a club operated by the Social Welfare Department at Yau Ma Tei engrossed in its various activities. Checkers is always popular and teams of club members compete keenly in knock-out championships (Picture 1). Chinese billiards is another favourite (Picture 2). But the rapt young faces show equal interest in studies (Picture 3). Building with toy sets is enjoyed by boys and girls alike (Pictures 4 and 5) while more vigorous activities like ping-pong (Picture 6) and tug-of-war (Picture 7) provide outlets for youthful energy.

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