REPORT ON ACHIEVEMENTS OF CORPORATE PRIORITIES 2004-05

Priority I : Advocacy of Social Development and Welfare Policy Agenda through strengthened participation and social partnership.

Key Initiatives
Achievements
  1. Forums to engage members and service users to formulate proposals to enhance social and economic participation of vulnerable groups. Consolidate the proposals into key social development agenda to lobby political parties and LegCo election candidates.
    2.
  • A social development agenda was formulated after organizing a series of platforms to engage and listen to the views of members and service users. The agenda was supported by 70% of LegCo election candidates.
  • Direct dialogue between candidates and service users and NGOs was also made possible through events including poverty visits and consultative forums.
  • The Council successfully raised public awareness about the poverty problem in Hong Kong and obtained cross-sectoral attention and support to poverty alleviation through organising poverty seminar and other activities. After months' efforts of the Council and concerned organizations, the LegCo and the Government established a subcommittee and a Commission on Poverty respectively bringing the subject up to the social agenda and the Government's list of policy objectives.
  • The Council built working relationship with concerned authorities of Guangdong Province through organizing a joint seminar and signing a memorandum of understanding with Guangdong Bureau of Civil Affairs. Such efforts would facilitate discussions on needs arising from increased cross-border activities and promote interchange and collaborations between NGOs and Governments of the Mainland and Hong Kong.
  1. Community events to express the needs and aspirations of special needs groups including Senior Citizens' Day, International Day of Disabled Persons (IDDP), Youth Summit.
    2.
  • The Senior Citizens Day activities were successfully held. In the process, the elders shared their concerns and views on elderly policies with policy makers and LegCo members.
  • The IDDP with the theme of 'A Society for All' was successfully held with the participation of 18 districts. 4,000 people attended the 18-districts Integrative Arts Gala and Opening Ceremony on December 5, 2004.
  • The Council supported the Commission on Youth in the organization of the Youth Summit 2004. Support was also given to NGOs in the organization of 12 district youth forums. The Council would continue to facilitate the formation of standing district youth forums to provide a regular platform for young people to meet and discuss on policy issues. The district youth forums will be linked up with the Commission on Youth.
  1. To organize tri-partite partnership forums to engage business leaders and professional social groups in the discussion of social issues, with the aim to enhance their understanding, engagement and concerted efforts to resolve social problems.
  • A forum on tripartite partnership was held on 21 Feb 2005 in the Caring Company Recognition Ceremony. There were over 1,000 participants from the business and social service sectors.
  • Two business leaders luncheons were held in Sept 2004. Fourteen business leaders from various industries participated in the discussion of social issues.
  1. To strengthen partnership with the media to convey the key messages of the Council.
    2.
  • Tea gathering with the media had been held to exchange views and understanding on social issues. A total of 32 press conferences / meetings were held and 37 press releases / feature articles were issued to convey our key messages to the press and the public.
  • Five newspaper supplements, 4 issues of Council's quarterly magazine "Scenario", more than 40 e-newsletters had also been published and sent to the media to enhance their understanding on the work of the Council, NGOs and the Sector.
  1. To enhance understanding with HWFB on the clear articulation of the goals of social welfare provision, the underlying welfare philosophies, the delineation of roles of Government, the Non-Government Sector, the individuals, families and community at large; facilitate a community consultation process to solicit views from key forces in the community; consolidate the views and promulgate the position in the welfare policy agenda for 2005.
  • A forum on Social Welfare Blueprint was organized with the participation of the SHWF, government officials and NGO colleagues. The Forum was followed by 4 regional meetings and 4 subject workshops. The sector's views were consolidated and the paper on NGOs' Views on Social Welfare Blueprint was formulated. The Government had published a Strategic Framework on Social Welfare for consultation. Discussion was held and the NGOs’ views were shared with the Government. In the 2005 Policy Initiatives, the Government plans to embark on a new consultation mechanism and work with the sector on welfare agenda setting.
  1. To engage the Government to rebuild partnership mechanism with NGOs, to work together in identifying changing social needs and solutions for resolving social problems at the central and the district levels.
    2.
  • Partnership platforms were formed with the Government on various issues, such as the formulation of the Rehabilitation Programme Plan, Conversion of Elderly Hostels and Homes for the Aged, formation and implementation of IFSC, future direction of Community Development Service, residential services for young people, harmonization of pre-school services etc., with the aim of addressing the current needs and concerns, and seeking for new solutions and improvement in service delivery.

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Priority II : Welfare Budget Cut and Resources Development for the Sector.

Key Initiatives
Achievements
  1. To work out with NGOs and SWD on tackling welfare budget cut and LSG related issues.
    2.
  • The Council had intensively worked with Agency Members on the budget cut (2005-09) and TOG issues. There was proactive negotiation with HWFB and SWD.
  • The welfare budget cut for 05-06 was reduced from the originally announced 2% to 1% and the cut for Community Development Service from 4% to 1%.
  1. To strengthen cooperation between business and social service sectors to enhance resources and shared responsibility to help those in need.
    2.
  • Match NGOs with caring companies for resources development and support.
  • Provide advisory service to businesses on corporate social responsibility.
  • 42 projects among NGOs and Companies were successfully matched.
  • A toolbook on Corporate Community Involvement was published to help companies, in particular SMEs, to enter partnership relations with NGOs.
  • A networking corner with the purpose of matching NGOs and companies was organized.
  • Advisory service was provided to 20 companies on CSR.
  1. To enhance NGOs' fund-raising and income generation capacities.
    2.
  • Organize training and mutual learning/support groups amongst NGOs.
  • Network with and facilitate mutual understanding between foundations and NGOs.
  • Promote self-regulation and standards on fundraising accountability.
  • Pledge on Donor's Rights was promoted & adopted by 117 Agency Members. This nurtured a donor-centered environment among our Agency Members.
  • A training session on fund raising had been organized. Good practices on donor-centred fundraising had been identified and shared among NGOs. This also helped improve NGO capacity for grant seeking.
  • A sharing forum among foundations had been organised. This promoted better understanding of social welfare needs among funding bodies. A network had also developed with foundations and funding bodies.
  1. To explore other funding alternatives such as legacies, payroll giving and matching grants.
    2.
  • The Employee Matched Giving Scheme had been launched. This promoted new source of fund raising for the Sector.

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Priority III : Internal Process Improvements

Key Initiatives
Achievements
  1. To launch a new staff performance management system.
    2.
  • The new staff performance management system was launched in April 2004. A major progress review will be conducted in April and May 2005 to advise appropriate revisions to the implementation plan.
  1. To develop an organization performance review system.
    2.
  • Alongside the business planning process for 2005-06, the draft organizational performance review system is under preparation and expected to be implemented in April 2005 for the business year 2005-06, pending final consultation with senior staff.
  1. To review the governance and staff structure.
    2.
  • The Special Project on Review of the Performance of the Restructured Organization was completed in October 2004. The Project's major findings and its series of recommendations, including those related to the governance and staff structure, were endorsed by the Executive Committee in October 2004, and will be implemented in the new business year.
  1. To experiment and develop income generating business models of service.
    2.
  • The Special Project on Business Development for Income Generation of the Council was completed in December 2004. The BD-Designate, Corporate Management (a new position created through staff restructuring to oversee the core area on corporate management, including business development support) has taken up the responsibility to propose action plan to follow up major recommendations of the Project.

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