Contributor: Rachel Chan
The I·CARE Social Service Projects Scheme encourages students to organise and implement self-initiated social services to enhance personal growth and people’s well-being. The scheme opens two rounds for application in this academic year; the first round was completed in November 2022. After vetting by a judging panel, four projects (local: 1; mainland: 1; overseas: 2) were selected to receive subsidies. The service recipients cover primary school students, elderly, and people with thalassaemia, etc.
Prior to the closing date of each round’s application, the I·CARE Centre for Whole-person Development organises training and sharing activities to equip applicants with relevant knowledge and skills in actualising their social service ideas. The “Workshop of Practice cum Sharing Session” was organised online on 11 October 2022 and 1 March 2023 respectively to introduce the scheme and provide guidance to applicants. In addition, two outstanding teams funded by this scheme were invited to share their experience, namely “Young at Heart Ambassador Scheme” on reducing children’s stress through outreach service and “Connecting Our Hearts” on services for low-income families.
Besides, two sharing sessions were conducted in this academic year. The first one titled “Open Your Heart - Understanding Mental Health” was conducted online on 20 October 2022. Ms. Ella Tsang, Member of StoryTaler and Clinical Psychologist as well as Ms. Chloe Chan, Mental Health Education Officer of New Life Psychiatric Rehabilitation Association, were invited to share with participants the problems of mental health stigma and the essence in promoting mental wellness and devising mental health programmes. The second one titled “Starting from Board Game - Sharing Session on Understanding Service for SEN Children” was conducted on 13 March 2023. Mr. James Wong, co-founder of SENMILY HK and Speech Therapist, was invited to share his experience in serving SEN children with self-designed board games; participants were given the chance to play various board games and note the salient points in devising SEN children service. The aforementioned activities benefited participants a lot through rigorous exchange of views and ideas.