To tackle youth problems in Tuen Mun, particularly youth drug abuse that has given rise to a wide discussion recently, the "Tuen Mun Multi-discipline Working Group" was set up in May this year. Establishment of the working group was a joint effort by the Tuen Mun District Social Welfare Office, Tuen Mun District, Tuen Mun District Fight Crime Committee, non-government organisations (NGOs) in Tuen Mun, and Lingnan University, with support by the Wofoo Social Enterprises.

With the Social Welfare Department and NGOs as core members, the working group mainly coordinates resources in the district to deal with youth problems, and maps out an action blueprint with crime trend information provided by the Police. Following a number of discussions, the group decided to give priority to tackling youth drug abuse, and its first task was to make parents, teachers and youngsters more aware of the problem and work in line with Government's overall strategy.

On August 15, an appointment ceremony-cum-training day for "Anti-drug Ambassadors" was held in Lingnan University. Officiating at the ceremony were Tuen Mun District Officer of Home Affairs Department, Mr Cheung Kwok-choi; Tuen Mun District Officer of Social Welfare Department, Mr Leung Kwai-ling; Convenor of the Tuen Mun District Fight Crime Committee's "Caring for Youth" Working Group, Mrs Law Ma Lai-wah, and Tuen Mun District Commander Choy Kin-cheung.

Mr Choy also presided over oath taking by 210 "Anti-drug Ambassadors" who comprise youngsters, parents and the elderly. They will be trained by social workers and nurses, and will, sometime this month, visit 2,000 families at seven housing estates in Tuen Mun to drive home messages of combatting drug abuse.

The following month, the working group will run seminars for teachers and parents in Tuen Mun to help them learn the perils of drugs and the ways to help drug-taking youth seek support services.

The group will also invite students among the "Anti-drug Ambassadors" to participate in a "Healthy School Promotion Campaign". The students will be given financial assistance to design their own campaign programmes in their schools between October this year and January next year.

Tuen Mun District Commander Choy Kin-cheung presents certificates of appointment to the Anti-drug Ambassadors