17th Batch Application - Briefing Highlights:
Social Capital – Cross-sectoral Support Networks for the Carers

1.

Outlines of CIIF Concept and Theme for the 17th Batch Application:Social Capital – Cross-sectoral Support Networks for the Carers

Ms Winnie Ying, Project Management Officer of the CIIF Secretariat outlined the theme for the current round of application focusing on "Care for the Carers". It is hoped that the projects can empower carers and those being cared under the social capital strategy so as to relieve their pressure and release their potential energy. Meanwhile, it serves to build up a "cross-sectoral support" networks for carers and families with a view to enhancing community and neighbourhood support.

2.

Sharing by Academics – New Perspective on Rehabilitation

Prof. Alice Chong, Deputy Chairperson of Assessment and Evaluation Sub-committee, CIIF pointed out that the existing rehabilitation services are confined mainly in two areas:

• Support service is mainly unidirectional. Community support is inadequate. The needs of carers are not fully addressed; and
• Mutual help organizations or services focus on disease-based bonding social capital, mainly in the forms of information exchange as well as psychological and emotional pressure relief, but neglect the development of cross-sectoral and district-based support networks.

Therefore she suggested present representatives of interested applicants to focus on the development of "bridging social capital" and "linking social capital" when contemplating their proposals. They should build up neighbourhood support networks around the families of those being cared so as to provide them with opportunities of reintegration into the community, enhance their contact and exchange with neighbours, or even enable them to serve others, with a view to widening their social circles and community support.

She further briefed on the approaches and outcomes of seven CIIF rehabilitation projects for reference by applicants when conceptualizing the integration of rehabilitation service and social capital as well as formulating the strategy concerned.

3.

Sharing on Practical Experience:
New Model of Rehabilitation Care in Support of the Community

Mr Chow Yick-hay, Director of South Kwai Chung Service Centre and Ms Sharon Wong, Project Officer briefed on how the Project leveraged on the synergy of complementarity and interaction to effectively support local elderly patients and their families through the medical-welfare-community collaboration with professional organizations and schools, including Prince Margaret Hospital Community Nursing Service (CNS), Hong Kong Polytechnic University Henry G. Leong Mobile Integrative Health Centre and Chan Nam Chong Memorial College with health and care as an entry point. In parallel, the Project established neighbourhood support networks and promoted the effectiveness of social capital through regular visits paid by voluntary students and residents as well as diversified and interactive caring activities.

Ms Chick Yuk-ling, Advanced Practice Nurse of Prince Margaret Hospital CNS shared that the Project applied a new community support approach of "One Estate, One Nurse" to enhance the caring knowledge, self-care ability and confidence of local residents, elders and carers respectively, and also further encouraged hidden or sick elders to participate in the community. As a result, it successfully reduced the accident and emergency attendances as well as hospitalization rates of the elderly contacted and alleviated pressure in many aspects.

4.

Seminar – Opportunities and Foreseeable Outcomes of Cross-sectoral Collaboration

4.2 Sharing by Guests:
Ms Leung

Ms Leung shared her experience in existing service. She encouraged chronic patients to be volunteers to serve their counterparts since they had a better understanding of their fellow patients' needs. Their contribution to the community would make them and other people recognize that they were not a burden to the society, which had a substantive modeling effect.

4.3 Sharing by Guests:
Mr Poon

Mr Poon shared that The Link hoped to be a collaborative member geared towards the development of the community. He further pointed out that The Link was very willing to co-operate with local or welfare organizations , and hoped that respective advantages and expertise could be utilized for the purpose of community building through jointly developing community projects. For co-operation, The Link could offer geographical or environmental convenience, as well as the co-operation and connection with commercial tenants.

4.4 Sharing by Guests:
Mr Lim and Ms Wong

Mr Lim shared that the St. John Ambulance Brigade had developed from an organization providing voluntary ambulance and nursing services to the present one that further encouraged its members to integrate into the community and establish a persistent relationship with the community. They had co-operated with different organizations in 18 districts to launch primary health programmes on a pilot basis in order to enhance the interaction between its members and the community. In regard to the theme for the current round of application, he considered that the Brigade could leverage on its expertise for further collaboration with community organizations. Ms Wong also pointed out that the Ambulance's teams which had received professional medical and nursing training could provide relevant professional support for collaboration.

5.

Briefing on CIIF Concept, Notes on Application, Assessment Criteria and Application Procedure

At last, Ms Winnie Ying, Project Management Officer of the CIIF Secretariat outlined all 11 assessment criteria in four aspects, and reminded interested applicants that the application form was designed to elicit information pertinent to the 11 assessment criteria. Applicants should note the key information required in each section when completing the form. (Please refer to the powerpoint for details.)

Powerpoint

Sharing on Practical Experience