Operated by SideBySide, with funding support from The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust, today held the Housewarming Ceremony for Jockey Club Key House—Asia’s first youth housing project to adopt the “Youth Foyer” model.
Jockey Club Key House integrates smart technology management systems and cross-sector collaboration to provide accommodation for young people, while also delivering education and career development support. The project helps young people in transition develop independent living skills. It pioneers a new integrated model that enables “home-outside youths” and mental health recovery individuals to live together.
The ceremony was officiated by Mr. Chris SUN, JP, Secretary for Labour and Welfare; Mr. Jackson WOO Ka-biu, Steward of The Hong Kong Jockey Club; and Mr. Justice Tony POON Siu-tung, Chairperson of the Executive Committee of SideBySide. LegCo Member Ms. Grace CHAN Man-yee, and Professor Annie TAM Kam-lan, GBS, JP, the Vice-Chairperson of Connecting Hearts and President of Connecting Hearts Academy - also witnessed this significant milestone as residents began a new chapter in their lives.
Formerly SideBySide’s halfway hostel, Jockey Club Key House has been transformed into a 22-storey intelligent building following eight years of redevelopment. The project provides a total of 144 residential places, comprising 102 youth hostel places designed for out-of-home youths aged 16 to 26, and 42 places at Lunar House for male mental health recovery individuals aged 15 and above. This model breaks traditional service boundaries. By encouraging out-of-home youths and mental health recovery residents to pair up and support one another, it builds mutual-help neighbourhood relationships.
To provide residents with more comprehensive support, the Jockey Club “Craft Your Life Together” Co-living Community Project was also launched in December 2025. Through collaboration among four sectors—government institutions, district partners, the business sector, and the social welfare sector—the programme offers five core services, covering career planning, physical and mental health, life skills, mutual symbiosis, and social capital. By integrating one-stop accommodation, vocational development, and community connection elements, the programme supports residents in building independent living abilities, accumulating social capital, and achieving a smooth transition at critical turning points in life—moving towards a sustainable and meaningful future.
Mr. Chris Sun, JP, Secretary for Labour and Welfare, said: “The Hong Kong Government has been proactively aligning with the nation’s ‘15th Five-Year Plan’, with a strong focus on youth housing and mental health. The completion of ‘Jockey Club Key House’ demonstrates how the HKSAR Government addresses housing issues to enhance holistic health and smart governance, assisting vulnerable youths in upward mobility and independent living. This cross-sector inclusive model promotes social inclusion and establishes a micro-community of mutual help and reciprocity.”
Mr. Jackson Woo, Steward of The Hong Kong Jockey Club, said: “Jockey Club Key House marks an innovation in Hong Kong’s youth and rehabilitation support services. It not only helps promote social inclusion but also sets a benchmark for the industry. Looking ahead, the Jockey Club will continue to advance its charitable strategy in the area of ‘Equal Opportunities’, expanding support networks through cross-sector collaboration, so that grassroots communities have equal opportunities to realise their potential and improve their quality of life.”
Mr. Justice Tony POON, Chairperson of the Executive Committee of SideBySide, remarked: “SideBySide has long promoted the concept of ‘Comfortable Inclusion’. True inclusion means enabling everyone to freely express their value and build connections through interaction. At Key House, young people and recovery individuals eliminate stereotypes through daily interactions. With the support of the ‘Smart System’ and ‘Mega System’ technology platforms, services are precisely matched to residents’ needs, creating a development ladder towards independent living.”
Cross-sector Collaboration • Building a Smart Neighbourhood
After the ceremony, the officiating guests, led by SideBySide representatives, toured Jockey Club Key House. Highlights of the guided tour included the residential floors, fitness area, community farm, and personal sharing by youth ambassadors about their living environment and the self-reliance model of “Youth Foyer”.
With the official opening of Jockey Club Key House, Hong Kong has reached a new milestone in the field of social services. This is not merely the provision of accommodation, but the creation of a warm community where young people and mental health recovery individuals can support each other’s growth and realise their aspirations through smart technology and cross-sector inclusion.
