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Wah was released from prison after serving a 20-years sentence. He successfully rehabilitated and started his own cleaning company in his mid-forties, and he insisted on employing ex-offenders to help them break the cycle and restore a healthy life. Now, he enters his sixtieth year and still continues to support rehabilitees.   The 70-year-old service user, Uncle Wing, has recently worked as an intern in Wah's company, showing rehabilitated silver-haired groups could give full play to their abilities.   Mr Ronald Szeto, Assistant Manager of Employment Development Services of the Society, Wah and Uncle Wing were interviewed by TVB programme "無耆不有". They shared views on the challenges on returning to the workplace for older rehabilitated persons and our employment training support services to eliminate stigma against rehabilitated persons.  

The Society of Rehabilitation and Crime Prevention, Hong Kong (SRACP) and JCI Tsuen Wan jointly conducted a questionnaire survey in July this year and managed to get 536 children aged 4-12 and their parent's responses. The result found that children's average daily learning time under the epidemic was 3.9 hours, and the average daily free play time was 2.6 hours. However, 38% of children still spent less than one hour of free play time per day, which was less than the recommendation of UNICEF.   Play has a positive impact on children's academic, emotional and social development. Our research team suggests that instructional and structured play can help children establish social norms, improve communication skills and emotional expression. Parents are encouraged to spend an average of at least 30 minutes a day playing with their children, aiming to foster quality parent-child time and promote parent-child relationships.

Providing appropriate support services, especially an appropriate living environment for the ex-offenders could help them to achieve successful rehabilitation. Earlier on, TVB “Pearl Magazine” arranged a media interview with Mr Tam Ka Kin, the Supervisor of SRACP, and Uncle Kung, a service user. They shared that SRACP has been actively developing a transitional social housing project "SoUk", with an aim to provide a more dignified living environment for the needy rehabilitating ex-offenders. It could help ex-offenders to refrain from bad habits and start a new life. Since 2017, SRACP established 3 “So Uks”, and over 30 ex-offenders have been benefited from the project.

It’s quite usual for ex-offenders to encounter discrimination when reintegrating into society after prison, especially when they seek jobs. “Sobakery” is a social enterprise under SRACP, with an aim to provide on-the-job training and job opportunities to ex-offenders and underprivileged people, helping them rebuild their confidence.   Ah Shing is an ex-offender who has been working in the “Sobakery” for almost five years. Although, in the beginning, he was not interested in baking, his colleagues helped and encouraged him adapting the new environment. Now, he has become passionate and responsible, and never be late for work or leave early. Earlier on, TVB Pearl “Pear Magazine” arranged an interview with Mr. Ken Ngan (“Sobakery” Operations Manager) and Ah Shing, sharing the difficulties faced by rehabilitated persons in job hunting, and how they work together to operate “Sobakery” better.

Every year, about 7,000 rehabilitated offenders reintegrated into society. Apart from employment difficulties, it is not easy for them to find a comfortable shelter / home in Hong Kong. According to SRACP service users’ profile, 30% of them are renting bed space, suites or sleeping on the street, etc.   Our Chief Executive, Ms Anthea Lee, was being interviewed by TVB earlier. During the interview, she gave an account of how SRACP facilitated social resources to solve rehabilitated offenders’ housing issue. Apart from operating government-subsidised hostels, SRACP has recently connected with different community stakeholders to develop transitional social housing for rehabilitated offenders, which helps them to live independently in the community and build a meaningful and hopeful life. She hopes to acquire more resources in future to address the housing needs of rehabilitated offenders.

Having a parent in prison may have dramatic impact on how the children grow. Funded by the Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust, SRACP partnered with BGCA to launch a project “Blue Bus Jockey Club Together We Grow Project” (BBJC), aiming to provide all-rounded supporting service towards the children and youth, whose parents are arrested, incarcerated or ex-offenders, as well as their caregivers in Hong Kong to facilitate a positive parent-child attachment.   Ruby, Social worker and caregiver were being interviewed by "East Weekly", to share the challenges faced by caregivers and children. BBJC provides various services to support caregivers and children, such as case counseling, mutual aid groups, experiential learning and activities, etc., in the hope that they can relax and alleviate the pressure, and to face the sudden changes with a positive attitude and supports.

    In order to encourage disadvantaged youths to connect with the community and expand their horizons, SRACP launched a free mobile app “YouChallenge” which is a brand-new service model in social welfare sector, supported by The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust. Through the mobile app, disadvantaged youths gradually accomplish different tasks in real life that excel themselves and develop positive attitude gradually.   i-CABLE interviewed one of the challengers and Ms. Gigi Chan, the project supervisor. During the interview, the challenger shared the feature of the project about how to develop her own advantages from the challenges, as well as regain the confidence and clear life direction.

    Having a parent in prison may have a dramatic impact on how the children grow. SRACP partnered with BGCA to launch a project “Blue Bus Jockey Club Together We Grow Project” (BBJC), which is supported by the Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust, to provide all-rounded supporting service towards the children and youth, whose parents are arrested, incarcerated or ex-offenders, as well as their caregivers in Hong Kong to facilitate a positive parent-child attachment.   Ms. Kimmy Chiu, Project-in-charge of BBJC, Ms. Phoebe Lo, Social worker and Ms. Cheung, the caregiver, were being interviewed by Commercial Radio Hong Kong, sharing the feature of the project, and how to alleviate the financial burden and stress of the families. Also, this year BBJC newly introduced a programme “Distance-learning Course for Incarcerated Parents”, which is the first of its kind in Hong Kong that designs to provide parenting knowledge and skills to incarcerated parents, so that they can better understand the developmental needs of their children.

Most social enterprises in Hong Kong are facing operating difficulties amid epidemic outbreaks. TI Farm is a social enterprise under SRACP, which aims to help persons in recovery develop different skills by taking up indoor farming works, and to provide job opportunities and gradually assisting them reintegrate into the community. TI Farm was being interviewed by RTHK lately to share how social enterprises help each other to survive during the difficult time.