Press Releases

Community Partnership Scheme invites funding applications

The following is issued on behalf of the Elderly Commission:

The Community Partnership Scheme invites a fresh round of funding applications for programmes disseminating the concept of healthy ageing.

The invitation was made by a member of the Elderly Commission (EC), Dr Raymond Wu, during a seminar on Community Care Services For Older Persons organised by the Hong Kong Association of Gerontology today (August 30).

Dr Wu encouraged interested organisations to put up innovative programmes to help drive home the message of healthy ageing. He said programmes should be widespread and sustainable, and be cost-effective.

Dr Wu noted that as the first round applications were mainly from non-governmental organisations of the health and welfare sector, while the second round had successfully involved the participation of professional organisations and interest groups, the Commission hoped the new round would further involve other sectors of the community in promoting healthy ageing, especially the business sector.

"Consumer products and services available in the market have considerable impact on the behaviour of the public. We consider support for the Healthy Ageing Campaign by the business sector as very important. For example, the catering industry can assist in promoting healthy eating habits. In fact, the ageing population creates a potentially huge market and offers many business opportunities," Dr Wu said.

Under the new round of funding applications, business associations and organisations can submit proposals to the EC if they have innovative proposals to adapt their products and services to fit in the concept of healthy ageing. Interested organisations are advised to submit their applications not later than November 30, 2002.

The Community Partnership Scheme, set up under the Healthy Ageing Campaign with a $21 million grant from the Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust, provides funding support to various sectors of the community to organise innovative programmes according to the four strategic directions set out by the Elderly Commission to promote healthy ageing. They are: promoting personal responsibility, strengthening community support, creating supportive environment and improving the image of ageing.

In the first round of funding allocation made in late 2001, the scheme has approved $6 million for 42 programmes serving about 185,000 participants, most of them being elders.

Funded programmes can be grouped into two categories. The first category is district based health promotional activities for elders such as health talks, educational classes, senior volunteer programmes and health ambassadors. The other category is thematic programmes such as bird watching programmes for elders, sex education for elders, smoking cessation programmes, horticultural programmes and promotion of internet application.

All programmes have been carried out smoothly, with some smaller scale programmes having been completed already.

The vetting of the second round of funding applications is in progress and will be completed shortly. In addition to dental care education programmes for elders, the second round will include programmes devoted to cultivating elders' interest in leisure activities such as organic farming and stargazing. These programmes will be organized by professional bodies and interest groups which have hitherto little involvement with elderly affairs.

Members of the public can obtain details of the Community Partnership Scheme by visiting the website of the Elderly Commission at http://www.hwfb.gov.hk/ch/committees/ec.htm and the Healthy Ageing Resource Centre at http://www.healthyageing.gov.hk; or by calling the Community Partnership Scheme Officer at 2136 3381.

Friday, August 30, 2002