
Conference on Practice and Research for Social Service Excellence cum Best Practice Award Sharing 2013
Building on the efforts made in the past few years, we would like to move further ahead this year to widen our sharing platform by integrating our Conference with the Best Practice Award, hoping to provide practitioners and NGOs with a regular sharing platform and network for service development and practice research. In addition to inviting awardees of Best Practice Award to sharing their service projects and evaluation research, we are glad to have invited Prof. Ilse Julkunen from the University of Helsinki to be our keynote speaker at the conference to introduce her experience on practice research and social service development. She will be running a post-conference workshop for us too. Other than exchange, some agencies have made substantial effort and taken actions to build practice research capacity. Individual NGOs and funders have been invited to share their action experiences, hoping that these ideas could help the sector to develop resources and capacity building for practice research.
$150 (Non Agency Member)
Get 1 free if an organization has 3 members enrolled the conference
* Special Offer: for participants who are enrolling conference & workshop
$350 (HKCSS Agency Member)
$500 (Non Agency Member)
(by phone) 28642975 (Ms Agnes Yang) / 28642963 (Ms Karena Tang)
AM | Welcome Speech |
Keynote Speech: |
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by Professor Ilse Julkunen (Download powerpoint) ![]() Department of Social Research University of Helsinki, Finland |
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Break | |||
Best Practice and Research Sharing: Parallel Workshop (3 concurrent sessions) Remark: Best Practice Award Projects ![]() |
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Group 1 | Group 2 | Group 3 | |
1.Hong Chi Life Story Work
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1.District-based Language Learning Support Project – Supporting Preschool Children at-risk of Dyslexia
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1.An Evaluation Study on the Employment Support Services in Hong Kong Y.W.C.A. |
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Ms. Karen FUNG
Services Supervisor Hong Chi Association Ms. Lily TANG
Clinical Psychologist Hong Chi Association Ms. LAU Shuk Mei
Manager of Comprehensive and Dynamic Services Division Hong Chi Fanling Integrative Complex Hong Chi Association |
Ms. Rachel LEUNG Wai Ling
Regional Manager Heep Hong Society Ms. Jane LAM
Project Officer Read & Write: A Jockey Club Learning Support Network Heep Hong Society |
Mr. Foster LAM Yuen Ho
Social Work Supervisor Hong Kong Young Women’s Christian Association |
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2.Project Life Story - From Life Review to Life Integrity
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2.Children Language Development Fundamental Series
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2.Experience Sharing on Importance of Project Evaluation for Service Development – HKRC International Humanitarian Service Leadership Programme Illustrated |
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Ms. LAM Kam Lee
Service Director (Elderly Service) ELCHK Social Service Ms. NG Yuen Yee
Project Officer ELCHK Project Life Story |
Ms. Linda WOO Siu Lai
Occupational Therapist I Hong Kong Christian Service Tuen Mun Early Education and Training Centre Ms. LAM Pui Shan
Principal Hong Kong Christian Service Times Nursery School |
Mr. LEUNG Sai Kit
Senior Staff Officer Hong Kong Red Cross |
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3.“Regain Momentum” Animal-Assisted Therapy Mentorship Program
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3.Community Support Scheme of Interpretation and Translation Service for Ethnic Minorities
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3.Project of Alliance for Recovery and Care (ARC) – System Transformation towards Recovery
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Mr. Henry NG Yan Ho
General Secretary Chinese Evangelical Zion Church Social Service Division Ms. YU Wai Man
PhD Candidate Department of Social Work and Social Administration The University of Hong Kong |
Mr. Jonathan CHAN Ching Wa
Senior Service Coordinator Integrated Family & Community Services HKSKH Lady MacLehose Centre Mr. LO Kai Chung
Unit-in-charge Services for Ethnic Minorities Unit HKSKH Lady MacLehose Centre Ms. Andleeb Zarqa
Interpreter Hong Kong TransLingual Services |
Ms. Candy LING Yuet Man
Registered Clinical Psychologist New Life Psychiatric Rehabilitation Association Mr. Kenneth LAW Ka Ping
Professional Service Manager New Life Psychiatric Rehabilitation Association |
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Lunch | PM |
Symposium 1 Practice Research Resource and Capacity Building: Training, Network and Research Team Building |
Mr. Keith WONG
Officer Policy Research and Advocacy The Hong Kong Council of Social Service (Download powerpoint) ![]() |
Mr. NG Hang Sau
Chief Executive The Hong Kong Society for Rehabilitation Ms. Anchor HUNG Manager Centre for Research and Advocacy The Hong Kong Society for Rehabilitation |
Mr. Terry LAI Research and Development Officer The Society of Rehabilitation and Crime Prevention, Hong Kong |
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Break |
Symposium 2 Practice Research Resource and Capacity Building: Convincing Funders? Educating Funders? |
Ms. Christine KWAN Senior Manager WiseGiving Public Engagement and Partnership The Hong Kong Council of Social Service |
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Ms.Tina CHAN Executive Director The Chen Yet-Sen Family Foundation (Download powerpoint) ![]() |
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Ms. Sindy YEUNG Project Manager Simon KY Lee Foundation (Download powerpoint) ![]() |
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Prof Cecilia CHAN Director ExCEL3, The University of Hong Kong |
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Conclusion |
Topic: Practice Research and Co-creative Knowledge Production in Social Work
Social work is working with ever more ambitious agendas, increasing numbers of actors and stakeholders, and more complex change processes. As we learn by doing, real learning becomes even more important.
Practice research involves curiosity about practice. It involves the generation of knowledge of direct relevance to professional practice and therefore will normally involve knowledge generated directly from practice itself in a grounded way. The point of departure is that real operational change in practices requires the involvement and participation of several different stakeholders and actors. Still, despite emphasis on learning and knowledge creation, many practitioners feel they are trapped in a vicious cycle. Practitioners are not rewarded for reflecting on their work, for systematizing and sharing the experiences. Yet increased complexity increases demands on staff and strains existing infrastructure, meaning there is even less time for reflection and learning. Can practice research serve as an alternative and supporting strategy?
In this keynote the underlying assumptions and critical elements of knowledge development processes in social work in Finland is described and discussed.

Ms. Karen FUNG
Services Supervisor
Hong Chi Association

Ms. Lily TANG
Clinical Psychologist
Hong Chi Association

Ms. LAU Shuk Mei
Manager of Comprehensive and Dynamic Services Division Hong Chi Fanling Integrative Complex
Hong Chi Association
Topic:Hong Chi Life Story Work
Hong Chi Life Story Work is a program specially designed for elderly with intellectual disability. Participants could design their own life story book with important events and memories with their family and friends. While connecting their past with their present and future, the program aims at improving participants’ mood, quality of life and their social relationship.

Ms. LAM Kam Lee
Service Director (Elderly Service)
ELCHK Social Service

Ms. NG Yuen Yee
Project Officer
ELCHK Project Life Story
Topic:Project Life Story - From Life Review to Life Integrity
Project Life Story of ELCHK has made persistent effort to integrate knowledge and practice. It synthesizes developmental theory, strengths-based practice, positive psychology, gerontology, grief work and narrative approach to support the needy persons to have journeys of life review and reconstruct the meanings of life. We believe that life experiences of the seniors and their encounters with unique social backgrounds are invaluable assets to promote intergenerational integration and restore cultural heritage.
With an evidence-based research conducted by University of Hong Kong, Life Story Approach is proven significantly effective to improve depressive symptoms of elders, with sustainable effect. The service team strives to reach wider user groups in recent years, including chronic and terminally-ill patients, carers, young people, teachers, professionals and corporate volunteers. It is a high touch, trans-age, trans-social economic and cross-sector project.
To share knowledge and practice wisdom, a series of seven thematic publications have been released. Besides, over 100 professionals from various service settings were trained in our train-the-trainer scheme. It is to further advocate indigenous use of Life Story Approach.

Mr. Henry NG Yan Ho
General Secretary
Chinese Evangelical Zion Church Social Service Division

Ms. YU Wai Man
PhD Candidate
Department of Social Work and Social Administration
The University of Hong Kong
Topic:“Regain Momentum” Animal-Assisted Therapy Mentorship Program
The program is the first program using Animal-Assisted Therapy to help the withdrawn youth in Hong Kong and the world. As the withdrawn youth are afraid of people, they would not be interested in traditional programs. However, animal’s therapeutic factors, such as positive regard, acceptance, and being a social catalyst, help the withdrawn youth to overcome the fear of making contact with people, and alleviate their withdrawn behavior in the end.

Ms. Rachel LEUNG Wai Ling
Children Language Development Fundamental Series
Regional Manager
Heep Hong Society

Ms. Jane LAM
Project Officer
Read & Write: A Jockey Club Learning Support Network
Heep Hong Society
Topic:District-based Language Learning Support Project – Supporting Preschool Children at-risk of Dyslexia
Dozens of literatures and researches pointed out that early identification and intervention to support preschool children at-risk of Dyslexia could help reducing the incidence of Dyslexia among school-aged population. This project adopted a district-based model to support pre-school children at-risk of Dyslexia by building up the social capital and formulating a community-based support network. Evidence-based language learning support programs developed by multi-disciplinary professional team have been provided to children at-risk to strengthen their essential knowledge and skills in literacy development, thus improving their capacity and motivation in language learning.

Ms. Linda WOO Siu Lai
Occupational Therapist I
Hong Kong Christian Service Tuen Mun Early Education and Training Centre

Ms. LAM Pui Shan
Principal
Hong Kong Christian Service Times Nursery School
Topic:Children Language Development Fundamental Series
“Children Language Development Fundamental Series” is a project developed with evidence-based practice. Collaborated with different professionals, we have designed our activities and learning materials according to the ability and interest of two-to-six-year-old children with or without special needs, which also help enhance parents’ and teachers’ knowledge and practical skill of children language development. The result from the programme evaluation has proven the outstanding performance of the project.

Mr. Jonathan CHAN Ching Wa
Senior Service Coordinator Integrated Family & Community Services
HKSKH Lady MacLehose Centre

Mr. LO Kai Chung
Unit-in-charge
Services for Ethnic Minorities Unit
HKSKH Lady MacLehose Centre

Ms. Andleeb Zarqa
Interpreter
Hong Kong TransLingual Services
Topic:Community Support Scheme of Interpretation and Translation Service for Ethnic Minorities
This project provides Ethnic Minorities with translation and interpretation services, such that they can overcome language barriers in their first foray of integration in the mainstream society. By actively collecting feedbacks and views from our users and stakeholders through interviews, feedback forms, and service monitoring system, we are able to optimize the types and qualities of service provided, thus improving our service in a persistent manner.

Mr. Foster LAM Yuen Ho
Social Work Supervisor
Hong Kong Young Women’s Christian Association
Topic:An Evaluation Study on the Employment Support Services in Hong Kong Y.W.C.A.
Hong Kong Y.W.C.A. provides a wide range of employment support services to those unemployed youth and school leavers to help them to engage in labor market through offering a series of job-related enhancement skills training activities, such as promotion of sense of confidence and responsibility, acquisition of work-related knowledge, provision of job attachment/ placement, as well as post-placement support. This project is to evaluate the process and outcome effectiveness of the employment support services in order for continuous improvement and enhancement of services.

Mr. LEUNG Sai Kit
Senior Staff Officer
Hong Kong Red Cross
Topic:Experience Sharing on Importance of Project Evaluation for Service Development – HKRC International Humanitarian Service Leadership Programme Illustrated
International Humanitarian Service Leadership Program (ISLP) is a pilot project in humanitarian education launched by the Hong Kong Red Cross (HKRC). It aims to expand the humanitarian global vision, voluntary service skill and humanitarian leadership qualities of students in tertiary institutions. The project has collaborated with different institutions to develop this project in their institutions.
After 7 years of experiment, HKRC conducted a programme evaluation for the ISLP. The University of Hong Kong was commissioned with this evaluation study, which assessed the effectiveness of ISLP, and recommended possible future direction for its development.
This sharing will focus on the background and implementation of the project, challenges encountered during the study process, together with the project officer’s self-reflection afterwards.

Ms. Candy LING Yuet Man
Registered Clinical Psychologist
New Life Psychiatric Rehabilitation Association

Mr. Kenneth LAW Ka Ping
Professional Service Manager
New Life Psychiatric Rehabilitation Association
Topic:Project of Alliance for Recovery and Care (ARC) – System Transformation towards Recovery
New Life Psychiatric Rehabilitation Association has started her system transformation towards Recovery-oriented services since 2009. Through the strategy of “from knowledge to practice, establishing mindset and ability to promote the system transformation”, we have successfully established cross-sectoral partnership and involved the participation of our stakeholders in the system transformation process. We have also actualized the recovery-oriented practices into our daily work by carrying out diversified pilot schemes and evidence-informed researches, including organization assessment as well as multiple recovery tools and programs so as to examine the endeavor of contextualizing mental health recovery concept in the local culture.
Symposium 1
Practice Research Resource and Capacity Building: Training, Network and Research Team Building
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Mr. Keith WONG |
Ms. Emily LEE Man Shan |
Mr. NG Hang Sau |
Officer |
Social Work Supervisor |
Chief Executive |
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Ms. Anchor HUNG |
Mr. Terry LAI |
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Manager |
Research and Development Officer |
Symposium 2
Practice Research Resource and Capacity Building: Convincing Funders? Educating Funders?
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Ms. Christine KWAN |
Ms.Tina CHAN |
Ms. Sindy YEUNG |
Senior Manager |
Executive Director |
Project Manager |
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Prof Cecilia CHAN |
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Director |