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The Government would continue to strengthen support services for new arrivals from the Mainland to facilitate their early integration into the local community, the Permanent Secretary for Home Affairs (PSHA), Mrs Carrie Yau, said today (November 15).
Speaking after a meeting of the Steering Committee on New Arrival Services, Mrs Yau noted that, in addition to the existing services, the Government had introduced new initiatives to support the new arrivals.
Chaired by PSHA, the Steering Committee comprises representatives from Government departments providing services for new arrivals from the Mainland.
At today's meeting, members took stock of the latest initiatives to assist the new arrivals provided by the Government and non-governmental organisations (NGOs).
Existing support services include an Induction Programme, a School-Based Support Scheme Grant and a School-based After-school Learning and Support Programmes Grant for school-age students; the Partnership Fund for the Disadvantaged and the Community Inclusion and Investment Fund for the needy, and the Employment Retraining Scheme for job seekers as well as health and public housing services.
To encourage unemployed persons and low-income employees living in four remote districts (Yuen Long, Tuen Mun, North and Islands Districts) to find jobs and work across districts, the Government has recently launched a Transport Support Scheme which provides time-limited Job Search Allowance and Cross-district Transport Allowance to these job seekers and low-income employees.
New arrivals from the Mainland living in Tin Shui Wai and Tung Chung may also make use of the Transport Support Scheme to ease their financial burden.
In the 2007-08 financial year, the Home Affairs Department (HAD) has earmarked additional resources and commissioned the International Social Service (Hong Kong Branch) to provide a range of district-based services to promote social cohesion and harmony in the community. Such services include family camps and emotional support and counselling services for new arrivals from the Mainland, in particular those living in Tin Shui Wai.
ˇ§We hope that, with a concerted effort of the Government and NGOs, new arrivals from the Mainland will be able to develop their potential, and adapt more easily to life in Hong Kong.
ˇ§We also hope that new arrivals from the Mainland, especially the newly arrived women, will be able to develop among themselves a mutual support network and seek help and guidance whenever necessary. The relevant Government departments will work closely with various organisations to provide more support for new arrivals from the Mainland,ˇ¨ Mrs Yau said.
Over the past two years, eight additional social workers have been provided to the three Integrated Family Service Centres (IFSCs) jointly operated by the Social Welfare Department and NGOs. The IFSCs, together with 52 local voluntary organizations and 82 Mutual Aid Committees, help promote the spirit of mutual support, and build a caring and harmonious community.
Meanwhile, the Housing Authority has also launched a new ˇ§Housing Scheme for Fostering Harmonious Familiesˇ¨ to assist needy families through arrangements such as addition, amalgamation and transfer, so as to encourage younger family members to take care of their elderly parents or family members, and help foster harmony in families living in public housing estates.
To meet the needs of different districts, HAD has asked the relevant district officers to allocate additional resources to local NGOs to provide tailor-made services for new arrivals from the Mainland in their respective districts.
The Steering Committee meets regularly to review and coordinate support services for new arrivals from the Mainland.
Ends/Thursday, November 15, 2007
Issued at HKT 19:23
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