ENG-1980 — Page 174

SOCIAL WELFARE

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Emphasis continued also to be placed on social and recreational services for the disabled. Of particular note was the opening of two new centres for the deaf, run by the Hong Kong Recreational Club for the Deaf and the Y's Men's Club of Victoria; two centres for the ex-mentally ill, run by the New Life Psychiatric Rehabilitation Association and the Mental Health Association; and two for the mentally handicapped, run by the Sports Association for the Mentally Handicapped and the Action Group for Aid to the Mentally Handicapped. Also during 1980, the Social Welfare Department began to subvent the Rehabus Scheme operated by the Hong Kong Society for Rehabilitation to provide special transport facilities for severely disabled people who cannot use the regular transport services. There are now 11 of these buses operating throughout Hong Kong Island and Kowloon.

Training Social Workers

Formal social work education is provided by five training institutions - the University of Hong Kong, the Chinese University of Hong Kong, the Baptist College, Shue Yan College and the Hong Kong Polytechnic. In the 1979-80 academic year there were 198 social work graduates from these institutions.

A major function of the Training Section of the Social Welfare Department is to provide in-service training in social work, including refresher courses and staff development pro- grammes, to social welfare workers employed in the government and voluntary agencies. A total of 38 courses, seminars and workshops were organised during the year.

In addition, the section operates a demonstration nursery which serves the dual purpose of providing day-care for 100 children aged two to five years, as well as being a training ground for child-care centre workers undergoing in-service training.

The Training Section also contributes to social work education through field work placement and supervision services to social work students from the academic institutions. Altogether, 191 students were assisted by the department during the year.

To help people wishing to be trained in social work, a number of grants and scholar- ships are available from the Social Work Training Fund, the Hong Kong and Shanghai Banking Corporation, the government and various private donors.