APPENDIX 7—Contd
"Tai Hang Tung is one of three older estates in this area; a new one, Pak Tin, will soon rise nearby and in five years' time there will be another 80,000 people in this new estate alone, making a total of a quarter of a million people within easy reach of this one Centre.
'Clearly the problem of helping all these people to live together under crowded conditions is a serious one.
"The solution to such problems is not simply a question of passing laws to control anti- social conduct; it is primarily a question of individual citizens recognizing their mutual responsibility and promoting better community organization.
"This involves not merely achieving a better co-ordination of existing community facilities and creating new ones, whether governmental or private, but it requires also a strengthening of the social attitudes and values of ordinary people.
"If Hong Kong is to develop harmoniously, then the smaller communities within it must be helped to broaden their horizons and to assume constructive and creative social attitudes.
"This naturally involves, amongst other things, knowing more about what people really desire and truly need. It means turning to account what is of value in traditional ways of life, as well as taking advantage of the benefits of the newer way of life that is developing.
*Professional social workers are sometimes criticized for seeking too readily to impose western ways, and, although I do not believe this is generally true, nevertheless if we are to overcome the ill-effects of city life on human personality, we must use all the approaches available to us, whether new or old, which prove effective in restoring to individuals a sense of their own significance, a sense of belonging to a neighbourhood and community, a sense of their responsibilities and their ability to lead personally satisfying and socially useful lives.
"This is the aim of this and other community and social centres.
'But as well as the centres, we need the skilled staff to man them. For it is the social worker who can provide for people who are uprooted and thrust into a strange community that guidance and leadership which inspire confidence in those whom they seek to serve.
"The social work profession has, therefore, in this field of work as in several others, a challenging and promising future; but this does not mean that there is no room for the volunteer.
"Volunteers are wanted from all walks of life-people who will give up time, regularly and reliably, to sharing their skills or knowledge with groups or individuals in a community centre or elsewhere.
"There is tremendous scope in Hong Kong for such voluntary leadership in many fields, and I hope more and more will be forthcoming to supplement the efforts of the professional social workers.
"This Community Centre is one place where such people can work effectively, sure in the knowledge that they are undertaking a most worthwhile task.
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