Annual District Highlights

District Highlights 2023-24

Recongnising the Contributions and Needs of Carers, and Caring for Singleton/doubleton Elderly Households and Persons with Disabilities

A Tram Parade, as part of the “Care the Carers Campaign”, was organised in October 2023. Simultaneously, information booths were set up in the district to introduce support services for carers. The programme reached over 30 000 citizens. To provide support and education for carers of elderly persons with dementia, the District Social Welfare Office, the Hong Kong East Cluster of Hospital Authority and six District Elderly Community Centres in the Eastern and Wan Chai districts jointly organised the Hong Kong East Cluster Dementia Carers Symposium in October 2023, which recorded over 280 attendees.

Three sessions of “Carer Café” were co-organised with four elderly and rehabilitative service units between November 2023 and January 2024. A total of 182 participants, including elderly persons, people with disabilities and their carers, enjoyed relaxing afternoons tasting coffee and snacks, participated in handicraft workshops, and enjoyed music performances.

Strenthening Family Relationships and Functioning, and Preventing Domestic Violence

The “Caring Neighbourhood Sponsorship Scheme 2023”, organised by the District Social Welfare Office, supported 41 projects that provided opportunities for various welfare service units and district stakeholders to organise programmes fostering social integration, building support networks and promoting physical and mental wellness. The projects benefited more than 5 000 persons and engaged over 530 volunteers.

About 560 groups and programmes, workshops and volunteer training sessions involving over 14 900 participants were organised in 2023-24 to enhance family functioning and promote social inclusion. For example, the District Social Welfare Office, together with seven Integrated Family Service Centres, and the Family and Child Protective Services Unit, organised a “Happy Family Day 2023” at Quarryside. About 100 participants from underprivileged families in the district enjoyed a day filled with parent-child games, story-telling sessions, live band performances, and family photo sessions. The event encouraged families to spend more quality time together, thereby strengthening family bonds for the prevention of domestic violence.

Promoting Positive Psychology and Mental Wellness for Young People

In partnership with over 10 service units addressing youth mental health and drug abuse issues, a series of school programmes was organised with a view to promoting positive psychology and holistic well-being development among students. Thematic workshops were also conducted to enhance school teachers’ understanding of mental wellness, increase their sensitivity in identifying students with emotional needs for early intervention, and share intervention tips and techniques. A total of about 2 580 students and 40 school personnel from six primary schools, four secondary schools and three tertiary institutions participated in these programmes