ENG-1973 — Page 233

RECREATION

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pools managed by the Urban Council. In July a special young people's programme was introduced for the first time in that month. Entitled the 'Urban Council Youth Week 1973' it comprised more than 100 items, including sporting competitions in volleyball, basketball, miniature-football and cycling. These were organised jointly with the Hong Kong and Kowloon Volleyball Association, the Hong Kong Amateur Basketball Association, the Hong Kong Miniature Football Association, and the Hong Kong Cycling Association. The Urban Council also sponsored a Summer Youth Soccer League in conjunction with the Chinese Football Association in which 30 teams took part. Four swimming galas and two demonstrations of synchronised swimming to music were also held to entertain about 6,000 young people.

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Objectives of these programmes continued to be the involvement and entertain- ment of as many young people as possible, particularly those living in densely populated areas, and to bring popular entertainment to the public wherever possible, whatever the age group. The number of events and public attendance continue to increase. About 800 functions were organised during the year with a total attendance of more than 750,000.

Summer Youth Activities Programme

Now in its fifth year, the Summer Youth Activities Programme has established itself as a permanent feature in the life of Hong Kong's young people. The programme is a large-scale community effort involving many youth and welfare voluntary agencies, schools, district groups, the Armed Forces and government departments. The main purpose of providing a wide range of interesting activities throughout the summer months is to give young people a good time and enable them to develop potential qualities of leadership. The programme also aims at educating youth in civic responsibilities and community service, at a time when half the population is under 22 years of age. Increasing affluence and better education have produced grow- ing numbers of young people with the time and inclination to take part in leisure activities.

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It is estimated that this year nearly 1.5 million young people took part in activities, with more than 30,000 volunteers involved in the organisation of the events and programmes. Although activities are held during the summer months to benefit school children, special efforts are made to attract young workers and other young people who are not members of any organised group. In this respect, local committees working closely with city and New Territories district offices and the Social Welfare Department, play a significant role in deepening the penetration of the Summer Youth Activities Programme. It promotes a better understanding of rural life in urban youth, and of urban life in young people from country areas.

To provide the co-ordination needed by a programme of this scale-involving people from all walks of life and widely dispersed sources of finance and manpower— the Central Co-ordinating Committee for Youth Recreation was set up in 1969 with the active support of the government. The committee comprises representatives from