1286 HK outreach to 'runaways and throwaways', especially under 18
austraLasia #1286
HK outreach to 'runaways and throwaways', especially
under 18
16 stories to talk about!
HONG KONG: 14th October 2005 -- The 16th floor (yes, 16!)
of the Youth Outreach Centre in Hong Kong, conducted
under the aegis of the Salesians through the direction of Fr
Peter Newbery, is due to be officially opened next February when the
Rector Major comes to Hong Kong. But the entire venture is well
worth a preliminary comment, by way of information for those who may
not know what a stupendous work has developed since 1991.
Since we began with the 16th floor, what, then, do
we find in the rest of them? In the basement a range of shops all
run by youngsters from the Outreach program: restaurant, barber,
Seven-Eleven, Infinity (a visual art shop and education centre run by
the Past Pupils of Don Bosco). 1st-4th floors, a 'hang out' area,
or in good old Salesian terms an Oratory, open 24 hours, with various
facilities - swimming pool, gym, games room (computer), study hall,
fitness, adventure, counselling facilities. The 5th and 7th floor are
given over to administration, offices, the Outreach 'base' operation,
fundraising. The 6th-11th (minus the 7th, obviously) is a
residential area: 40 youngsters on probation, each sent by the HK
Social Welfare Department, and a crisis centre for boys and girls, each
group with about 20 in residence. On the 12th floor is Savio
House, the Salesian aspirantate, and the Youth Ministry Office of the
Province. The 13th floor is Don Bosco Centre, boarding centre for youth
ministry activities. The 14th floor is the HK Institute of Youth
Studies training youth workers, providing outreach for social workers
and for teacher education including from mainland China (delinquent
youth, marginalised youth, preventive approaches). The 15th floor
is the Youth Outreach garden with facilities for groups, BBQ etc.
And the 16th floor is an Adventure floor!
There is a staff of 150 salaried people. The
annual budget runs to something like 8.5 million HKD and every cent is
raised through fundraising. The HK Jockey Club have been major
supporters. There are at least 21,000 youth registered as
members. At the beginning of this year, Youth Outreach was
awarded the 'Leader of the Year 2004' community and public affairs
category award by the Sing Tao newspaper group.
Youth Outreach is the only all-Territory service
amongst some 17 outreach programs around the city. Every night it
has several teams out and about through the Territory - from 10 at
night till 6 in the morning, meeting youth wherever they are to be
found, and rescuing those most in need as well as providing simple,
friendly and by now very experienced support to others. It is
truly a remarkable Salesian presence in one of the world's great cities.
VOCABULARY
under the aegis: means sponsored by,
looked after by
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