Project underway to enhance employment opportunities for people with disabilities in Hong Kong

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The programme aims to facilitate corporates to understand how people with disabilities can bring value to business operations.

After its launch in November 2023, the Jockey Club Collaborative Project for Inclusive Employment is underway, with the aim to build a platform that gathers resources, knowledge, and skills for representatives from the business sector and mainstream schools to facilitate network building and cross-sector collaboration.

A brainchild of The Centre for Civil Society and Governance (CCSG) of The University of Hong Kong (HKU) under the Jockey Club Collaborative Project for Inclusive Employment (the Project), the programme is funded by The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust.

The programme entails knowledge exchange sessions, organisation visits, and interactive experiential workshops, to facilitate corporates to understand how people with disabilities can bring value to business operations. It also hopes to encourage collaborations between business sector and mainstream schools to implement integrated education, and develop more tailored career planning services for special educational needs (SEN) students.

At the launch, an award ceremony and idea exchange session were held in the presence of Chris Sun, JP, Secretary for Labour and Welfare, Labour and Welfare Bureau, HKSARG; Imelda Chan, Head of Charities (Healthy Community), The Hong Kong Jockey Club; and Professor Wai-fung Lam, Director of CCSG-HKU.

Chris Sun, JP, Secretary for Labour and Welfare, Labour and Welfare Bureau, HKSARG, who officiated and presented the awards noted: "I hope that all sectors of society can work together to promote equal and inclusive employment, and together, build a caring society that embraces disability inclusion culture."

Representatives of the Scheme's supporting organisations, including Ivan Ip, School Development Officer, Business-School Partnership Programme, Education Bureau, HKSARG; Siu-kan Chan, Senior Education Officer of Student Guidance & Counselling Section, Tung Wah Group of Hospitals; Dr. Kevin Lau, MH, JP, President, Hong Kong Small and Medium Enterprises Development Institute; and the Project's NGO partners were also invited.

Professor Wai-fung Lam, Director of CCSG-HKU, added: "Contemporary societal challenges necessitate collective efforts, where stakeholders synergise and complement each other. Such collaboration not only generates shared benefits and mutual success but also collectively contributes to maximising societal value and strengthening social bonds."

Imelda Chan, Head of Charities (Healthy Community) at The Hong Kong Jockey Club, shared: "We hope to leverage concerted efforts across different sectors to strengthen support for people with disabilities and their caregivers, and explore future opportunities for them, laying the foundation for sustainable development."

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Photo / Press release (featuring the guests at the launch ceremony)