District Highlights 2019-20

Inheriting and Innovating, Home @ Yuen Long

In 2019-20, the Yuen Long District Social Welfare Office (District Social Welfare Office) adopted “Inheriting and Innovating, Home @ Yuen Long” as the main theme. Through enhancing residents’ sense of “ownership of the community”, the spirit of “Inheritance, Innovation and Sharing” was developed in the community.

“Escort with Love”

Yuen Long District has an extensive area with growing ageing population. The District Social Welfare Office has always been concerned about the needs of elderly persons and endeavoured to enable them to remain living in the community as far as possible through provision of support services. Since 2019, the District Social Welfare Office has lined up with 4 NGOs providing community care and support services for the elderly and a local charity “the Hong Kong Love & Care Charity Foundation Limited” to jointly launch the “Love and Care Escort Service Scheme”, with a view to providing subsidies for frail persons with mobility disability and financial hardship to take taxis or rehabilitation transport to hospitals or clinics for regular follow-up medical appointments so as to alleviate their traffic problem and economic pressure arising from travelling between homes and hospitals or clinics. In 2019-20, the Scheme served 267 cases and benefitted 1 336 persons. The Scheme greatly relieved the fare burden of service users for regular follow-up medical appointments, especially those who were wheelchair-bound and lived in remote rural areas. The Scheme received favourable response and appreciation from the participating organisations and service users. In view of the effectiveness of the Scheme, the Hong Kong Love & Care Charity Foundation Limited will continue to support and sponsor the Scheme, and further extend the coverage of beneficiary groups.

Inheritance with Love Project

The 24 NGO rehabilitation service units under the Community Education Working Group of the Yuen Long District Co-ordinating Committee on Rehabilitation Services continued to receive funding support from the Yuen Long District Council for organising the “Inheritance with Love Project”, which included a series of care actions and a photo exhibition. Regarding care actions, the working group members, service users and volunteers visited 4 private residential care homes for persons with disabilities (RCHDs) in the district. They drew and painted the natural landscape and landmarks of Yuen Long on the walls of private RCHDs, made traditional snack and enjoyed a poon choi feast with residents so as to link them up with various stakeholders. The Project also produced a set of postcards and files featuring the landmarks of Yuen Long for promotion of “Inheriting and Innovating, Home @ Yuen Long”. Besides, a three-day photo exhibition cum ceremony was held at Yuen Long Theatre to display the essence of love, care and action. The exhibition cum ceremony not only concluded the Project’s experience, but also enabled residents of Yuen Long to feel the love and care in the community and inherit the local value. In addition to the display of photos of the activities, an inclusive mini-show and games stalls were organised at the exhibition cum ceremony. Through the exchange and sharing, the public’s understanding and acceptance of persons with disabilities (PwDs) were enhanced. A total of 1 557 persons participated in the Project to promote an inclusive society for PwDs through cross-sector and cross-service collaboration.