ENG-1968 — Page 211

SOCIAL WELFARE

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associations in the urban areas and the 27 Rural Committees in the New Territories represent some of the channels through which the gap between individuals and between various sectors of the com- munity and the Government can be bridged.

The Social Welfare Department plays a leading part in this sphere of activity and is responsible for the operation of four community and two social centres; two more, to be provided for Yuen Long and Chai Wan, have reached the final stages of plan- ning. These centres provide facilities such as day nurseries, libraries, clubs for all ages, a communal hall as well as a casework service and various forms of vocational training. Their purpose is two-fold: first, to provide the population of developing townships with a centrally located building constructed specifically for group and communal activities; and, second, to encourage the predominantly youthful population of Hong Kong to take part in healthy and rewarding pursuits, which will give them a sense of mutual co- operation and civic responsibility and encourage their capacity for leadership. In other words, community centres are a means of bringing people together into more integrated communities.

Community development and group work is not confined, how- ever, to either community centres or the efforts of the Social Welfare Department. Voluntary agencies such as the Hong Kong Federation of Youth Groups, the Scouts Association, the Girl Guides, the Boys' and Girls' Clubs Association, the YMCA, the Duke of Edinburgh's Award and many others play an important part, through the organization of regular programmes of activities which provide opportunities for their youthful participants to test their capabilities and their character. These are supplemented by other special activities, organized jointly by various government depart- ments and voluntary organizations, which mobilize volunteers for both Colony-wide and localized projects. A local public cleanliness campaign was organized in Kwun Tong in April; over 60 schools and unofficial organizations in Wong Tai Sin sponsored the for- mation of a 'multipartite committee' to co-ordinate cultural and recreation activities in the area; many students volunteered their services during their holiday period to form task forces and work camps and these were assigned to help in the construction of local public works projects in various parts of the New Territories.