Chinese YMCA of Hong Kong

What does your dream home look like? Does it have a sea view? Is it close to shopping? Hong Kong's land shortage has driven up property prices and made homes hard to reach, especially for those in a lower income bracket. According to the Housing Authority, the average waiting time for public rental housing has climbed to 5.6 years. While they wait, many people are forced to live in poorly maintained subdivided units, or SDUs. The government’s 2016 Population By-census Thematic Report reveals that a large number of SDUs are located in Tsuen Wan District, with more than 6,600 spread across Yi Pei Square, Sha Tsui Road, Ho Pui Street, and Chung On Street. Despite a typical size of only between 100 and 200 sq ft, the monthly rent for a SDU is comparatively high, ranging from about $5,000 to $7,000.

To improve the living environment for people living in SDUs in Tsuen Wan, Chinese YMCA of Hong Kong and the Bank of China (Hong Kong) have teamed up to launched a new project called “Care and Love to Tsuen Wan Subdivided Unit Families.” Using a combination of careful planning, design and renovation, the project sends teams of professionals and volunteers out to improve the living environment of SDU households – a service which is offered free of charge.

Combining professional wisdom with volunteer enthusiasm
The project brings together the expertise and experience of people from the design, building, social work, and other sectors in pursuit of a single aim: to create a comfortable environment for households living in SDUs. First, home visits are made by social workers to better understand the living situations and individual needs of the target households. Based on the personal needs and living habits of each household, the teams then provide simple and sustainable organisation tips to help these households properly organise every corner of their units. Next, after receiving professional advice on renovations given by interior designers, volunteers put this advice into action and carry out home improvement projects, including anti-lice operations, painting, simple maintenance, and building unique pieces of furniture for the homes.

Connecting with the community
To raise public awareness of the difficulties experienced by families living in SDUs, the new project is also carrying out communications work, which includes roving exhibitions in schools and around the district, as well as a series of seminars with sharing sessions attended by professionals and members of subdivided households. The project will also organise barter markets for SDU households, helping them to connect further with the community and establish a sense of belonging.

This two-year project has just begun. The ultimate goal is to optimise 100 households living in SDUs in Tsuen Wan District. Families living in SDUs in the district with a median monthly domestic household income at or below HK$ $28,500* are welcome to apply for the project. Priority will give to families with three or more members.

If you are interested in becoming a volunteer for the project and are willing and able to lend a helping hand when needed, please contact the Chinese YMCA of Hong Kong Tsuen Wan Centre for enquiries:
Address: Block G, Annex Building, Luk Yeung Sun Chuen, Tsuen Wan Phone: 2413 3111.

“Care and Love to Tsuen Wan Subdivided Unit Families” project website

*The monthly household income limit (HK$28,500/month) is based on the median monthly domestic household income reported by the 2020 Q1 General Household Income Survey.

The ongoing coronavirus pandemic is affecting people from all walks of life, with many of us stuck at home for extended periods of time. With people under lockdown, online games and e-sports are growing in popularity but are also increasingly under the spotlight. The 2020 version of the annual “Digital Entertainment Leaders Forum”, which explores the latest developments and insights from the gaming and e-sports industries, will be held online this year. This year’s virtual forum will look at the latest and greatest advancements and host a series of virtual competitions and exhibitions, performances, start-up showcases and a pitching contest. The forum sessions will be online until 11 January 2021, and they are free to join, so don’t miss out if you are a gamer or e-sports lover!

Click here to register for your free admission pass.

There has been a lot of excitement and activity over the last few months around the 7th Hong Kong Secondary School Mini-Movie Competition, which is being jointly hosted by the Association, Magna Education Centre and the Hong Kong Micro Movie Institute, with several mini-movie workshops held featuring famous tutors including Neo Hawk Sau Yau, Hatou Sze Man Yeung, Eric Tat Ming Cheung, and Joey Wing Chung Leung. These workshops shared tips about directing, screenwriting, acting, production, radio, mixing and other film-related fields with students, allowing them to learn about the business of mini-movie making and deepen their understanding of film production. For highlights of some of the workshops, please visit the competition’s Facebook page.

The deadline for submissions to the competition has been extended to 31 December 2020, and the award ceremony is tentatively scheduled for 24 January 2021. All members are welcome to join. Click here to visit the official website of the competition for more details.