Press Releases

Seedlings of social capital taking effect: CIIF report

        The initial achievements reaped from approved projects of the Community Investment and Inclusion Fund (CIIF) indicated that the seedlings cultivated were starting to take effect, the Chairman of the Community Investment and Inclusion Fund (CIIF), Dr Raymond Wu, said today (August 17).

        Speaking on the release of the first performance report of the fund, Dr Wu said the number of approved projects had increased to 59 involving $46.5 million since the fund was launched in August, 2002 and some of the projects from the first few batches were starting to bear fruits at the individual and community levels.

        "At the individual level, people such as non-engaged youth, unemployed middle-aged women without formal education or work experience, new arrivals and the homeless, and who are previously labelled as marginalised or vulnerable, are building up capacity and confidence, and participating more actively in economic and social life," Dr Wu said.

        "At the community level, there are increasing signs of cross-sectoral collaboration, evolving partnerships, with greater participation of and contribution from the business sectors and professional bodies.

        "Little by little, the support networks are coming into shape, gluing all the different parts of the community together," he said.

        Dr Wu said the initial results came in various forms. Some were tangible like the increasing number of volunteers involved, or jobs created; others were more intangible, such as increased confidence, self-esteem, increased ability to help oneself and others, and increased joint efforts to solve local problems.

        "The report captures very vividly the real experiences, changes and achievements of people who have participated in projects funded by the CIIF," he said. "This is not the usual type of official work report."

        The $300 million CIIF seeks to promote the development of social capital which, according to the World Bank, means making changes to the institutions, relationships and norms that shape the quality and quantity of a society's interactions. Social capital is more than the sum of individual efforts and social institutions. It is the glue that holds the people and the institutions together to work for the common good. Put simply, social capital is being built if and when we can turn our disconnected communities into big "families" with mutual care and concern.

        The strategies adopted by the CIIF are social investment and tripartite partnerships. The CIIF seed funding is invested in community-initiated projects with the aim of building individual, family and community capacities for self-help and mutual help, enhancing their social connectedness, and enabling their participation in social and economic life with outcomes. Under a bottom-up approach, local solutions are jointly developed to address their shared concerns, through tripartite partnerships, which may take the form of joined-up efforts and cross-sectoral collaboration.

        Commenting on the report, the Secretary for Health, Welfare and Food, Dr Yeoh Eng-kiong, said: "As acknowledged in the 2004 Policy Address, these CIIF initiatives have sown the seeds for a tripartite partnership and we should consolidate and promote the successful experience of the fund."

        Dr Yeoh commended the efforts of the CIIF Committee in undertaking a challenging mission to promote the new concept behind the CIIF, such as building and enhancing social capital in Hong Kong.

        "The performance report is a fitting tribute to the outstanding achievements of the committee, attributable to their tireless efforts and valuable contribution, and the investment of time, knowledge, expertise and resources on this meaningful endeavour is bearing fruits," he said.

        Dr Yeoh also said he was impressed by the many stories of change: in mindset, attitude, relationship and achievements amongst so many individuals, families and communities. He was optimistic that the early impact would extend into the mainstream of social services.

        The CIIF's first performance report provides vital information on the fund, such as the number and duration of projects, the amount of funding and the number of participants. It also captures the rich array of experience of organisers, collaborators, participants and communities, and the treasured feedback from stakeholders.

        The report was released today at a workshop on tripartite partnerships between public, private and welfare sectors co-organised by the CIIF and the Central, Western and Islands District Social Welfare Offices.

        The workshop had brought together 100 representatives from different local groups and business sector who shared interests in the local communities to consider possible joint project initiatives. This is one of the initial district-based briefings aimed at enhancing local communities' understanding of the objective and scope of the fund, and encouraging district-based projects at the strategic level. The CIIF is inviting the fifth batch of application with a closing date of October 18, 2004.

        The report has been uploaded on the homepage of the Health, Welfare and Food Bureau at http://www.hwfb.gov.hk/ciif/en/perfreport/index_e.html. For enquiries on the report and the district-based briefings, please contact the Assistant Project Management Officers of the CIIF Secretariat, Miss Elsie Tsang (Tel: 2973 8239) or Miss Connie Li (Tel: 2973 8234).

Ends/Tuesday, August 17, 2004

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