ENG-1985 — Page 183

SOCIAL WELFARE

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for 595 elderly people in good health and able to live independently through the purchase of 103 flats in two separate private housing developments.

Social Work Among Young People

A wide range of services has been designed for young people under the age of 25. The overall objective is to assist and encourage young people to become mature and responsible members of society by fostering the development of their personality, character, sense of civic responsibility, social aptitudes and ability to use their leisure time beneficially.

Children's and youth centres operated mainly by voluntary agencies serve as focal points for a wide variety of indoor and outdoor activities for the development of character, leadership potential and skills at socialising, under the guidance of social work staff. In 1985, six children's centres, two youth centres and five combined children's and youth centres were opened. At the end of the year, there were 144 children's centres and 152 youth centres in operation - with 93 being combined children's and youth centres.

The Opportunity for Youth Scheme, which is administered by the Social Welfare Department, encourages young people to investigate and identify needs in the community and to propose and implement projects to meet these needs. A total of $230,000 was granted to youth groups to carry out about 90 community projects during the year.

In addition, the government provides financial assistance to various uniformed youth groups which manage a number of youth camps and hostels.

Through the establishment of direct contact with young people in the places which they are known to frequent, outreaching social work provides an alternative approach in counselling and guidance to young people who do not normally attend youth centres or participate in organised activities.

School social work service is available to all primary and secondary schools. Student guidance officers of the Education Department are based in all primary schools to give educational guidance to pupils and to help them to solve their personal problems with professional support by social workers in the Social Welfare Department. Social workers of the Social Welfare Department or subvented welfare agencies visit secondary schools on certain days of the week to assist pupils to make maximum use of their educational opportunities and to provide counselling on individual problems.

Rehabilitation

Rehabilitation services in Hong Kong are aimed at integrating the disabled into the community. Services provided by government departments in this area therefore have the objective of enabling handicapped people to develop their physical, mental and social capabilities to the fullest extent. Rehabilitation services provided by the departments and welfare agencies are carefully co-ordinated by the Commissioner for Rehabilitation by means of an annual review of the Rehabilitation Programme Plan. The Social Welfare Department is responsible for the planning and development of a wide range of services for the disabled in order to meet their general welfare and social rehabilitation needs either through direct service provision or subvention to welfare agencies. The Education Department is responsible for all aspects of the education and training of disabled children of school age and for boarding care and transport services in special schools. The Technical Education and Industrial Training Department co-ordinates vocational training for disabled young people and adults. Job placement for the deaf, the blind, the physically disabled, the ex-mentally ill and the mentally handicapped is the responsibility of the Selective Placement Service of the Labour Department.