Consolidating its experience of engaging the Non-ethnic Chinese (NEC), Eastern District (EDIST) has taken a new initiative known as "Diversity Programme" to engage people with different cultural and ethnic backgrounds and help them overcome special challenges.

The programme offers a Chinese tutorial class tailor-made by a Hong Kong University Faculty of Education lecturer, Ms Lau Kwok-ling. The first class was held on January 9 for NEC youths to brush up their proficiency of Chinese language for their career development.

In the class, police officers, who have recently completed foundation training, shared their lives as trainees on Police College campus and helped the NEC with their studies. The NEC youths found the class meeting their needs, and hoped it would be available to more of their peers.

A part of the "Diversity Programme" on January 15, EDIST Police Community Relations Office, in co-operation with Narcotics Bureau and Tung Wah Group of Hospitals CROSS Center, offered a seminar on dangerous drugs at the Chai Wan Mosque in Cape Collinson to over 50 NEC parents. The seminar gave the parents a better picture of the trend of drugs abuse by youths, the ways to deal with the problem and the relevant rehabilitation services available.