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The Secretary for Home Affairs, Mr Lau Kong-wah, today (September 17) presented commendation certificates to 41 volunteer leaders and 21 youth volunteer leaders of youth uniformed groups in recognition of their contributions in promoting youth training and development.
Mr Lau congratulated the volunteer leaders of uniformed groups commended at the Secretary for Home Affairs' Commendation Scheme Presentation Ceremony 2015. He said, "Over the years, you have been plugging away at nurturing countless youths in the community. With your encouragement, they are all ready to contribute to society and become future pillars, which can yield positive outcomes. Your selfless dedication is indeed worth learning from and complimenting."
He added that the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government attaches great importance to the development of uniformed groups and has also doubled the recurrent subvention for uniformed groups in 2014-15. In addition, it has also increased the funding for the Assistance Scheme for Needy Student Members to encourage more youths to participate in healthy and enriching extra-curricular activities.
He expressed the hope that the uniformed groups would make a concerted and united effort to become a more extensive and effective platform for young people to equip themselves and broaden their horizons for serving the community in the future.
He also said he hoped that the uniformed group leaders could pass on their enthusiastic spirit in providing services in order to encourage more people to join the ranks to train youths, and to enable more young people to benefit as a result.
Set up in 2002, the Secretary for Home Affairs' Commendation Scheme aims at recognising the efforts and contributions of uniformed group volunteer leaders in youth development. All the volunteer leaders commended in the ceremony have provided services in their respective uniformed groups for at least 10 years. A category for youth volunteer leaders was added under the commendation scheme in 2014. The youth volunteer leaders commended are aged 30 or below and have served their respective uniformed groups for at least five years.
Ends/Thursday, September 17, 2015
Issued at HKT 19:24
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