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Social enterprise combined market-driven business organisations with social services for the needy from which the whole community would stand to benefit, the Secretary for Labour and Welfare, Matthew Cheung Kin-chung, said today (September 21).
Addressing the New Life Psychiatric Rehabilitation Association annual general meeting, Mr Cheung said that social enterprises generated business opportunities for business organisations and raised their corporate image as role models in the area.
"On the other hand, members of the community can show their recognition and support of the disadvantaged by patronising social enterprises.
"With a stable job, the disadvantaged can regain self-confidence and thus reduce the pressure of their carers which helps foster harmonious family relations," he said.
No doubt, one of the advantages of social enterprises is to benefit both the disadvantaged and the community as a whole - a breakthrough in existing welfare services which benefit only a handful of people.
The Government had always pledged support to the development of social enterprises.
"The Chief Executive committed to continue promoting social enterprises in the 2006-07 Policy Address and the Financial Secretary has, in the 2007-08 Budget, pledged to provide financial support and actively promote co-operation with the commercial, social welfare and education sectors to further develop social enterprises and the training of management personnel," he said.
Mr Cheung commended New Life Psychiatric Rehabilitation Association for its invaluable contribution in developing social enterprises over the years.
"Ex-mental patients are members of our society. To help them re-integrate into society, concerted support and encouragement from all sectors of the community are crucial. The mission of the social enterprise projects of New Life Psychiatric Rehabilitation Association is to employ the disabled and to assist them to become self-reliant through long-term employment."
New Life Psychiatric Rehabilitation Association pioneered in running the first social enterprise 'Kin Sang Vegetables' in 1994 and continued to establish 19 multi-purpose social enterprises in the next 10 years. Starting from 2002, under the support of the Social Welfare Department's 'Enhancing Employment of People with Disabilities through Small Enterprise' project, the association has created many more successful social enterprises, providing on-the-job training and job opportunities for more than 500 ex-mental patients.
Ends/Friday, September 21, 2007
Issued at HKT 20:02
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