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The Kwai Tsing District Office, Kwai Tsing District Council and Hong Kong Federation of Youth Groups have joined forces with various sectors in the district to launch a youth anti-drug campaign under the Community Programme against Youth Drug Abuse in Kwai Tsing today (August 28) to help youngsters resist drugs through a series of training programmes, counselling services and preventive education.
A band performance, lion dance and dance performance were staged at the ceremony to encourage youngsters in the district to participate in healthy activities, say "no" to drugs and inspire them to live full and rewarding lives.
District Officer (Kwai Tsing), Mr Allan Chow, Chairman of Kwai Tsing District Council, Mr Tang Kwok-kong, Deputy Executive Director of Hong Kong Federation Youth Groups, Ms Yolanda Chiu, and Chairman of Action Committee Against Narcotics Sub-committee on Preventive Education and Publicity, Ms Scarlett Pong Oi-lan, officiated at the opening ceremony.
Mr Chow said, "The campaign aims to pull together the health, social service, and education sectors, as well as local community groups, to offer counselling, medical treatment and peer support to youths at risk and to those who had abused drugs. Healthy recreational activities which appeal to the youngsters will be organised to help them develop positive values of life and attitudes, lead them away from drugs and go back on the right track."
Mr Tang said, "We hope to show the community's concern to the youngsters through the campaign and help them resist drugs, lead a healthy lifestyle and work with us towards a drug-free community."
The year-long campaign will provide fitness tests, in-depth counselling and medical referral for high-risk youths or those who had abused drugs. Various youth activities, including adventure training, BMX cycling, lion dance, air gun shooting, boxing, dancing, music band, diving, nautical adventure, water skiing and war games will be organised to help youngsters make the best use of their leisure time, enhance self-confidence, develop potentials and raise their ability to resist drugs.
To further strengthen the effectiveness of preventive education, the organiser will hold health and anti-drug talks, sharing sessions and a school-based anti-drug programme. Apart from helping youngsters know more about the harmful effects of drug abuse through the talks, students in the district will be appointed to disseminate anti-drug messages within campuses. District councillors and representatives from the commercial sector and community groups, as well as industry professionals, will also be recruited to join a programme as mentors to counsel and give encouragement to young participants.
The campaign is co-organised by Kwai Tsing District Fight Crime Committee, Kwai Tsing Safe Community and Healthy City Association Ltd, Kwai Chung Hospital, Princess Margaret Hospital, Kwai Tsing District Community Development Fund Ltd, the Association of Heads of Secondary Schools of Tsuen Wan, Kai Chung & Tsing Yi District, Federation of Parent-Teacher Association (Kwai Tsing District), Cheung Keung Martial Arts Association, Hong Kong Cycling Association and Hong Kong Shooting Association.
Ends/Friday, August 28, 2009
Issued at HKT 18:03
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