BRIEF HISTORY OF HKCSS

In the 1940s, Hong Kong recovering from World War II had experienced drastic social and economic changes. There was massive influx of refugees from the Mainland which generated the need to carry out large-scale relief work. Charitable organizations and welfare agencies provided services and assistance to those in need. The Committee on Voluntary Emergency Relief Council was then set up to co-ordinate and plan various welfare services. As the number of welfare agencies increased and services provided became diversified, the coordination effort became more and more important. By 1947, the Committee developed into the Hong Kong Council of Social Service (hereinafter called "the Council"), and became a body corporate in 1951.

The Council has grown since then to become an umbrella organization of over 370 Agency Member, that provide over 90% of the social welfare services for those in need through their 3,000 service units all over Hong Kong.

Our Position

The Council represents, with clear vision and professional expertise, non-governmental welfare agencies committed to sustain and develop social welfare in Hong Kong.

Our Values

The Council and its member agencies believe in social justice and equality, and the intrinsic rights of every individual. While society is obliged to provide individuals with the basic social and economic resources to develop their potentials, individuals in turn should carry out their responsibilities towards their families and society, to be self-reliant and to achieve self-actualization.

Our Vision

To build a welfare sector that is highly accountable, efficient, effective and responsive to social needs, upholding the long-term sustainable development of society and the well-being of our citizens.

Our Mission

To promote the development of social welfare together with its member agencies, through:

• Enhancing accountability of social welfare service agencies;
• Promoting improvement of social welfare services;
• Facilitating agencies to better serve the community;
• Advocating equality, justice, social integration and a caring society;
• Setting the local welfare sector as a model of excellence in the international community.
  

 

FIVE CORE BUSINESSES OF HKCSS

Sector Development and Partnership

• Facilitate the development of the social service sector and the partnership among different sectors, strengthen cooperation between business and social service sectors in particular to enhance resources and shared responsibility to help those in need
• Enhance charities' resources development and fundraising capacity
• Promote charity accountability and effective giving
• Promote public understanding on the work of NGOs and facilitate other sectors keep abreast of the current issues
• Provide a call transferring system that connects to over 280 hotline services in Hong Kong to help those in need

Service Development

• Promote and participate in Long-term Welfare Planning to meet future challenges
• Promote service development and service quality to better serve the public
• Provide common platform for cross-sectoral partnership in service review and new initiatives
• Facilitate the welfare sector keep abreast of and respond to the overall needs and changes of society
• Promote and encourage agencies to share and adopt good practices

Quality Management and Efficiency Enhancement

• Promote good NGO management practices and accountability through various management programs, tools and training
• Enhance the information and communications technology (ICT) capability of NGOs
• Explore, experiment and promote ways of deploying ICT in the sector to enhance service response and delivery
• Promote evidence-based practices and learning to enhance professional service

Policy Research and Advocacy

• Conduct policy analysis, research and advocacy on welfare and social policies; and analyze social development statistics and trends
• Maintain regular dialogue with policy makers to influence policy making
• Promote social development and civic society
• Promote and support Social Enterprise in Hong Kong welfare and social development agenda
• Promote Digital Inclusion and equitable ICT policies in information society

International and Regional Networking

• Foster network and exchanges with international and regional counterparts for experience sharing and practice advancement
• Represent the NGO sector to participate in the international and regional social welfare and social development agenda
• Facilitate the local welfare sector to keep abreast of international agenda on welfare issues
• Benchmark overseas experiences and augment local knowledge
• Monitor the compliance of the international conventions related to welfare and social development in Hong Kong

Go Top

HKCSS MEMBERSHIP

There are two kinds of membership: Agency Members and Life Members. As Council's core businesses focus on the work of social service organizations, no new application for Life Membership would be accepted since our organizational review in 2001. Social service organizations whose aims and objects are in harmony with those of the Council and who have an active interest in the social service field or those who provide as their primary function a bona fide direct social service which helps to meet the existing needs of the community are eligible to apply for the Council's membership.

Agency Members

According to Clause 13 of the Council's Constitution, organizations wishing to apply for the Council's membership must fulfill the following criteria in order to be eligible:

1. They must be recognized by the Council as being a non-profit-making body;
2. They must have been in operation for a period of at least one year;
3. They must possess a Constitution or similar document in incorporation;
4. They must publish their annual report and audited accounts or certified accounts with regards to annual income and expenditure;
5. They must comply with such other conditions as may be prescribed by the Executive Committee from time to time.

As of March 2010, the Council has 371 Agency Members. Among them, 137 are organizations receiving subvention from Social Welfare Department and 130 are members of the Community Chest. Among the membership, there are 41 mutual help groups, 7 organizations formed by professionals, 6 tertiary institutions providing social work training and 4 foundations.

According to the information provided by Agency Members, their annual recurrent expenditures are as follows:

• > HK$50,000,000 - 62 agencies (around 17%)
• HK$5,000,000 to HK$50,000,000 - 104 agencies (around 28%)
• HK$1,000,000 to HK$5,000,000 - 113 agencies (around 30%)
• < HK$1,000,000 - 92 agencies (around 25%)

Go Top

HKCSS ORGANIZATION CHART

Key Staff of HKCSS

(June 2009)