More than 90% of the District Support Scheme for Children & Youth Development's beneficiaries feel the programme meets their needs and helps their development.

Secretary for Labour & Welfare Matthew Cheung told lawmakers today, in 2008-09 the scheme's utilisation rate was 94%. Since its inception in the 2005-06 financial year, more than 900 citywide projects involving $27 million have been approved.

The projects include organising small group activities to address the developmental needs of children and youths with strong interest and talent in sport and the arts; implementing mentorship and job-training programmes to enhance unemployed youths' self-reliance; and, arranging volunteer services, leadership training and youth exchange programmes to enrich young people's social experience.

More than 27,000 children and youths have also been granted one-off direct cash assistance, mainly for buying academic items, reference books or to participate in extra-curricular activities. The average amount granted was $1,390 per person.

Service output evaluation showed more than 95% of the beneficiaries said the direct cash assistance could meet their individual needs, while more than 90% of the scheme participants reported the projects could facilitate their personal development.

"All these reflected the satisfactory results of the scheme. The Social Welfare Department will continue to regularly review the scheme to examine the utilisation of resources and its effectiveness," Mr Cheung said.