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The Secretary for Home Affairs, Mr Tsang Tak-sing, today (November 18) continued his stay in Meizhou City, Guangdong Province, to visit delegates of the Service Corps Programme providing teaching support there. He encouraged the volunteers to make the best use of their talents to help people in need in the Mainland.
Mr Tsang said, "Since its launch in 2011, the Service Corps Programme has recruited some 60 young people to serve in the Mainland. The programme aims to develop Hong Kong young people's tenacity and potential, encourage them to serve others, and promote the spirit of volunteerism. Following the success of the first three phases in Shaoguan, the service area was extended to Meizhou for the first time in Phase IV."
Mr Tsang visited Songkou Middle School, Yanyang Town Centre Primary School and Bingcun Town Centre Primary School in his two-day trip to meet with the young Hong Kong delegates serving in the schools. He learnt about their voluntary work, visited their quarters and was briefed by local teachers and students.
Mr Tsang said he was pleased to learn that the delegates have adapted to life in Meizhou in the past two months and are actively engaging in their voluntary teaching duties. To broaden their horizons, the delegates have participated in local activities in their spare time. They have also gone to Guangzhou and conducted exchanges with students from Jinan University.
He said, "The success of the programme owes much to the members' active participation. I understand that not only are the delegates dedicated in their teaching support work, they also organise extra-curricular activities for their students. I believe that the ups and downs in these experiences and challenges will provide invaluable training to the young people and will become a driving force in their growth in the future."
He thanked the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council, the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the Guangdong Provincial People's Government, the Meizhou and Shaoguan Municipal People's Governments and relevant units for rendering support in job placement, accommodation and management, thus enabling young people from Hong Kong to take part in voluntary work in Meizhou and Shaoguan.
A total of 18 Hong Kong young people from different backgrounds were recruited to the Service Corps Programme (Phase IV) to serve in the Mainland in the first semester (September 2013 to mid-January 2014). The participants include working youths and secondary school and university graduates, as well as tertiary students.
Young people aged between 18 and 29 are welcome to join the programme. Those interested in taking part in the second semester of the programme (from February to July 2014) are urged to apply by December 13, 2013. For further information, please visit www.servicecorps.hk.
Ends/Monday, November 18, 2013
Issued at HKT 15:07
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