Social_Welfare_Annual_Report_1968-1969 — Page 40

CHAPTER V

TRAINING

91. The development of effective social welfare services depends a great deal on the employment by Government and voluntary welfare agencies of qualified and trained social workers. While professional social work training at the academic level is available in both local and overseas universities, the role of the Training Section of the Department is, firstly, to organize in-service training programmes for persons who are academically untrained but already employed in social welfare work; secondly, to provide opportunities for trained social workers to further their knowledge, skill and interest in their profession, through the provision of carefully planned refresher courses; and, thirdly, to advise on and implement measures which facilitate staff development. The Training Section is headed by a Principal Social Welfare Officer, who is assisted by two Social Welfare Officers and seven Assistant Social Welfare Officers. The various forms of training used include lectures, seminars, practical demonstrations, as well as such audio-visual facilities as the Department's film library, which contains 39 films and other slides and which can be made available on loan to voluntary welfare organizations on request.

RELATIONS WITH THE UNIVERSITIES

92. The two Universities provide full time courses in social studies. The University of Hong Kong has a three year social science degree course and a one-year graduate diploma course in social studies; in 1968, 8 students completed the diploma course while 44 enrolled for both the degree and diploma courses. The Chinese University of Hong Kong provides social work training through the Chung Chi and United Colleges. During the year 30 students graduated with a Bachelor's Degree in Social Science while 21 enrolled for this course.

93. The Department provides field work assignments for students of both Universities: this is to enable them to integrate theoretical knowledge with practice, with the aid and supervision of 4 officers of the Department. In order to enable more students to be trained in this way the Department assisted the University of Hong Kong in setting up a field work unit at the Begonia Road Boys' Home for studies on probation and correctional work, while in the summer of 1968 the

30

Page 40Page 41