The 5th Edition of “Social Innovation • Community 4.0”
Competition Concludes Successfully
Youth program encourages secondary school students to explore social innovation to meet community needs
【Press release on July 18, 2023】Supported by Citi Foundation and organized by the Hong Kong Council of Social Service (HKCSS), the fifth and final edition of “Social Innovation · Community 4.0” – Hong Kong’s first community-focused social innovation competition – successfully concluded on July 14, 2023. This year, a team of four Form 5 students from St. Paul’s Secondary School was crowned champion. Their winning solution “We Share We Spare” adopts the concept of community sharing. By setting up smart lockers in buildings, subdivided flat residents can share commonly-used household items with others through a mobile application. The solution not only brings the community closer through sharing and promotes mutual support among neighbors, but also alleviates challenges arising from limited living and storage space, thereby improving their living quality. The team will join an exploratory tour to Taipei in late August to gain a better understanding of the latest developments and trends in the social innovation field.
The award ceremony was attended by Ms. Eureka Cheung Yi, JP, Deputy Director of Home Affairs, Home Affairs Department; Ms. Aveline San, CEO, Citi Hong Kong and Macau; Mr. Chua Hoi Wai, JP, Chief Executive, HKCSS; and Ms. Joey CHU, Acting Yau Tsim Mong District Officer, Home Affairs Department. Representatives from the program’s partnering and supporting organizations, as well as teachers and students from the finalist teams also attended the ceremony.
Ms. Eureka Cheung Yi, JP said, “Young people are the masters of our future. The “Social Innovation．Community 4.0” Competition opens the door to innovation and technology for students, and encourages them to take the first step to help build the community with their knowledge and creativity. We hope that all of you will continue to care for the community, better equip yourselves and work out more innovative solutions that will benefit our society, unleashing your potential to contribute to Hong Kong.”
Ms. Aveline San said, “Citi Foundation is proud to be supporting another impactful program co-created with our longstanding community partner HKCSS to promote social innovation among youth in Hong Kong. Tackling societal challenges requires the knowledge and understanding of the issues — and innovative solutions. This competition provides an excellent platform for students to immerse themselves in the community, gain insight into the most pressing problems confronting the residents, and apply their innovative problem-solving abilities to address social needs. We are greatly encouraged by the students’ talent and creativity and we hope these bright young minds will continue to cultivate a social innovation mindset and lead the way in driving positive changes in society.”
Mr. Chua Hoi Wai, JP said, “We would like to express our sincere gratitude to Citi and Citi Foundation for their genuine support, as well as to the government departments, social welfare organizations, and social enterprises and social innovation units for their assistance, which enabled the participating students to go through a complete eight-month social innovation journey. Through community visits and interactions with stakeholders, the teams were able to create “down-to-earth” solutions in response to the identified social problems. HKCSS has always hoped that this Competition is not just a mere competition, but a platform that allows young people to develop empathy and innovative thinking, and contribute to community building. We look forward to seeing more innovative ideas put into practice in various districts, and hope that the students can maintain their enthusiasm for contributing to the society.”
Each year, a district in Hong Kong is selected as the program’s focal area. The Central and Western District, Kowloon City District, North District, and Sham Shui Po District were the districts of focus of the past four editions while the Yau Tsim Mong District is this year’s focus.
Through collaboration with the Yau Tsim Mong District Office, local social welfare organizations, and training partners, the competition utilized a “design thinking” framework to create a series of training programs. Students were encouraged to ideate and actualize their innovative ideas turning them into viable solutions to tackle the identified community issues.
This year, 45 teams from 36 secondary schools across Hong Kong entered the competition, of which 15 were shortlisted for the second round and required to produce prototypes based on their submitted ideas. All the prototypes and concept boards will be showcased at 618 Shanghai Street in Yau Tsim Mong from July 18 to July 21.
As the “Social Innovation · Community 4.0” Competition comes to an end this year, HKCSS will explore other possible initiatives to encourage young people to engage in the community and collaborate with different stakeholders with the ultimate goal of co-creating impactful and viable social solutions.
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About Citi Foundation
Citi Foundation works to promote economic progress and improve the lives of people in low-income communities around the world. We invest in efforts that increase financial inclusion, catalyze job opportunities for youth, and reimagine approaches to building economically vibrant cities. The Citi Foundation’s “More than Philanthropy” approach leverages the enormous expertise of Citi and its people to fulfil our mission and drive thought leadership and innovation. For more information, visit www.citifoundation.com
About HKCSS
The HKCSS is a statutory body established in 1947. Together with our Agency Members, we uphold social justice and equality in our mission to advance the well-being of the Hong Kong community. The HKCSS is committed to building an impact-oriented, collaborative and innovative social service sector, and co-creating a better society with stakeholders across different sectors. The HKCSS has over 510 Agency Members, with service units throughout Hong Kong, providing high-quality social services to those in need.
For more information, visit www.hkcss.org.hk | Facebook: www.facebook.com/HKCSS1947
For further information, please contact:
Solutions Hub, Co-Creation, HKCSS
Mr. Woody YUEN Tel: 2864 2436 [email protected]
Corporate Affairs, Citi Hong Kong
Ms. Belinda CHUNG Tel: 2962 3218 [email protected]