ENG-1974 — Page 150

SOCIAL WELFARE

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During the year a number of activities were organised aiming at acquainting the public with the needs of the disabled and the assistance necessary to enable them to become contributing members of the community. A 'rehabilitation week' took place during the last week of March under the auspices of the Hong Kong Council of Social Service. An exhibition on blind welfare services was organised in September by the Jaycees. In the course of the year the Hong Kong Society for the Blind considerably improved its rehabilitation and training facilities.

Group and Community Work

Group and community work embraces both community development and services for children and youth. Community development is a process by which individuals are encouraged to form groups and by which these groups are encouraged towards a sense of fellowship and collective responsibility, the aim being to create a more cohesive and stable society.

The role of the Social Welfare Department in community development is twofold. First to provide a network of bases for community work in the form of community centres, estate welfare buildings and community halls which provide social and rec- reational facilities such as libraries, communal hall, day nurseries, clubs for all age groups, as well as casework services. These buildings conveniently bring neighbour- hood welfare services together under one roof. The department's second function is to establish Community and Youth Officers (CYOS) in each of the administrative districts to work closely with the City District Officers in the urban area and the District Officers in the New Territories. Their function is to stimulate and co-ordinate the development of community and youth services within their districts. By the end of the year 12 CYOs had been appointed in the urban area and two in the New Territories.

Children and youth services aim to encourage young people to be involved in worthwhile activities and interests and to organise their own groups, thereby assisting them to become mature, responsible and contributing members of the community. The wide variety of activities provided includes interest groups, informal classes, holiday and work camps, uniformed youth groups, award schemes, youth councils, libraries and vocational training classes. These services can best be provided by voluntary agencies such as Caritas, YMCA, YWCA, the Lutheran World Service, the Hong Kong Federation of Youth Groups, the Boys' and Girls' Clubs Association and many others, which are making major contributions. The voluntary sector is particularly active in experimental youth work like play leadership programmes in public parks and playgrounds, detached youth work for street-corner boys and counselling services for young people. A significant part of youth work is the encour- agement of active participation by young people in voluntary service projects within the community.

Probation and Correction

The Social Welfare Department is responsible for the supervision of offenders placed on probation and the operation of correctional institutions. Some 50 social

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