| The
Birth of New Concept
The Chief Executive announced the establishment of a $300
million Community Investment and Inclusion Fund (CIIF) in
2001 Policy Address. This CIIF provides seed money to support
collaborative projects between community organizations and
the private sector to create social capital by fostering
mutual support and assistance among people, promoting community
participation and cross-sectoral collaboration.
Blazing
a Trail
The CIIF formally commenced operation with the formation
of CIIF Committee on 1 April 2002. A series of briefings
were then held to expound the concept of social capital
to various sectors in the community. An open invitation
for project applications was issued in August 2002
and about 50 Partners, who come from a variety of
backgrounds, were recruited to provide advice and
guidance to applicants. |
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Confident
Strides Forward in Times of Adversity
The outbreak of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS)
epidemic in 2003 brought severe challenges to Hong Kong.
Indeed, the first batch of projects funded by CIIF was launched
during the peak of SARS epidemic. They exemplified the essence
of social capital in promoting community spirit and neighbourhood
solidarity.
Initiating Changes
and Developing Social Capital
The primary objective of CIIF is to promote collaboration
across generations, social strata and social sectors and
to pioneer innovative initiatives to help people maintain
sanguinity in times of adversity. In his 2004 Policy Address,
the Chief Executive noted that “the Community Investment
and Inclusion Fund…… ha[s] sown the seeds for
a tri-partite partnership between government, the business
community and the third sector”.
An Evaluation
Consortium, formed by research teams led by scholars from
five tertiary institutions conducted a comprehensive assessment
of more than 50 CIIF funded projects. The findings affirmed
the strategies and effectiveness of the Fund in developing
social capital in the following respects:
- The CIIF was effective in developing and enhancing
the capabilities of project participants and encouraging
them to become self-reliant;
- The CIIF promoted mutual trust and support among
people from different generations, background, ethnicity
through effective use of community networks and resources;
- The CIIF helped entrench cross-sectoral collaboration
models and encourage private sector to engage in community
activities;
- The CIIF helped advocate strategies to create social
capital, such as mentoring, matching partners, networking
and complementarity; and
- The CIIF was effective in promoting best practice
models for developing social capital.
New Concepts?New
Strategies?New Achievements
In 2005, under the direction of the new committee, the CIIF
focused on rebuilding family values and strengthening the
role of families with new concepts and strategies. It also
stepped up exchanges with Mainland government departments,
universities and welfare sector to share the experience
in building social capital.
In his 2005 Policy Address, the Chief Executive
specifically pledged that “we [would] also draw on
the successful experience of the Community Investment and
Inclusion Fund to continue to promote community involvement
in assisting young people from poor families.”
Sustainability
and Development
CIIF has always laid great weight on the sustainability
of social capital and expects the changes wrought by funded
projects to continue and expand beyond the funding period.
To this end, our culture must be changed to ensure sustainability.
Only when the concept of social capital becomes ingrained
in our minds and integrated into our daily life can the
achievements of social capital be sustained in the long
term.
In the 2006 Policy Address, the Chief Executive
commended the CIIF strategies in “mobilizing community
resources and building mutual support networks at district
level……[which] has brought about new models
of collaboration”. The Asian Development Bank also
invited CIIF to share its experience in social capital development
in Hong Kong with its members.
Witnessing
the Differences Made
After five years of operation and development, the CIIF
has “created ever more differences” with the
dedicated efforts made by its project teams and collaboration
partners. From funding just 17 projects in the initial round
of applications, it has proceeded to fund a total of 147
projects and forged links with over 3 000 collaboration
partners by 2007. Moreover, many of the funded projects
have become flagship models.
Establishment of
SC.Net
With CIIF entering into a new epoch, the Committee
also stepped up its efforts to disseminate the concept
of social capital; explore new strategies and best
practices for creating social capital; and mobilize
people from various sectors, such as business and
academics, to help expand the impact of social capital
across different sectors and social strata.
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To magnify the impact of the
fund, SC.NET was formally launched in November 2008.
Apart from harnessing the power of the community,
business and government, it also provides an interactive
platform to engage people from different sectors to
discuss, exchange their views and share their experience
in building social capital. |
Fostering
Hope, Trust and Resilience
The financial tsunami has brought in its wake many challenges
to various sectors. During this turbulent time, the CIIF
has led its project teams to collaborate with partners in
pioneering innovate strategies and practices to foster hope
and trust in the community. These projects help draw people
together to ride out the difficulties and prepare themselves
to grasp opportunities for recovery.
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The CIIF has also broken new
ground in launching a project with Labour
Department to promote youth development. The
project, Applying Social Capital Strategies to Enhance
Youth Employability, seeks to enhance the motivation
and capability of youths in securing employment and
help them become engaged with the society. CIIF is
also concerned about the middle class and professionals
who have been affected by the financial tsunami. We
have strived to encourage them to participate in the
community and forge support networks to strengthen
their resilience in the face of adversity. |
Key Statistics:
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No. of approved projects by 15th
round of applications:around 200
Amount allocated by 15th round of
applications: approximate $200 million |
Achievements of funded projects:
-
engaged over 530 000 participants
in the projects transformed
-
20 000 people from recipients to
providers of assistance
-
helped over 5 000 people re-enter
the labour market with enhanced confidence and capabilities
-
supported over 14 000 families
-
formed over 440 mutual support networks
-
founded 20 cooperatives
-
mobilized over 4 700 collaboration
partners, with business partners accounting for about
a third of them.
New Practice Models
developed
Enhance
Mutual Trust and Support to
Create Caring and Inclusive Community
Effective
Life Navigation Model - Modern Apprenticeship
While growing up, young people often experience difficulties
and misgivings about family, school and future career. They
need positive guidance to help them set the right direction
in life. By actively forging cross-sectoral collaboration,
the CIIF has recruited volunteer mentors from different
businesses and professions who may transfer their knowledge
to and share their life experience with their protégés
through mentoring and coaching.
Community
as Buttress for Families - Caring Neighbours in Caring Estates
As the old saying goes, a close neighbour at hand is better
than a distant kin. Caring neighbours can help to resolve
many family crises. Thus, CIIF has endeavored to strengthen
neighbourhood networks to buttress community defenses and
foster inclusive communities. These neighbourhood networks
also provide the foundation for developing caring estates
in which residents care for and help their neighbours.
Our experience in Volunteer House Captain
Networks and Caring Estate projects show that fostering
mutual trust amongst neighbours is the key to success. Caring
neighbours can form support networks for families and help
resolve problems of individuals and families of general
and non-emergency nature. They can also readily detect signs
of family crisis early on and alert professionals and departments
concerned to step in with appropriate assistance.
Cross-sectoral
Collaboration to
Create Benefits and Opportunities for All
Alternative
Interpretation of Corporate Social Responsibility for Businesses
Businesses are members of the community and, as such, share
corporate social responsibility to contribute towards social
stability. Their contribution should extend beyond donation
of money and materials to include the following commitments,
such as knowledge transfer, provision of new opportunities,
and forging long term community-oriented collaboration partnerships.
Corporate social engagement not only makes immense contribution
to social capital development but also helps to burnish
their corporate images.
Medical and
Welfare Professionals Team Up to Provide Community Care
Services
The medical-welfare-community collaboration model promoted
by CIIF encourages medical professionals to apply their
professional knowledge to help bring about a safe and healthy
community by fostering the physical, psychological and spiritual
health of residents. It also aims to strengthen neighbourhood
support network. Afterall, prevention is not only better
than cure; it helps reduce the demand for regular medical
services too.
From Estate Management to
Community Integration
The new estate management model advocated by CIIF is all
inclusive. It covers hardware management in terms of maintenance
for facilities and buildings as well as software development
that encourages residents to participate in community affairs
to foster integrated community. Many of these CIIF funded
projects have drawn enthusiastic support and active participation
from Housing Department, Housing Authority, welfare agencies
and local organizations. The success of these projects in
fostering a sense of community amongst the residents has
inspired other communities to emulate their examples.
Coalition
of Family-School-Community – An Alliance of Mighty
Trio
Under the CIIF projects, families, schools and communities
have allied together to strengthen the role of community
as buttress for families. The project has successfully recruited
parents, students, teachers and other community activists
to form an extensive caring family that helps strengthen
the ties between school and families and build a caring
community.
Enthusiastic
Response from Government Departments Fosters Tripartite
Collaboration Amongst Government, Businesses and Community
A society comprises different sectors that are interdependent
and subject to changes wrought by their interplay. Whilst
the CIIF has always been a staunch champion for sustainable
community development through cross-sectoral collaboration,
government departments also share our commitment and support
CIIF projects with appropriate policies and training. Indeed,
many volunteer teams of government departments have participated
in CIIF projects, for instance, to serve as life navigators
for young people. They are committed to performing their
civic responsibility as members of the community.
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