The Correctional Services Department (CSD) and City University of Hong Kong (CityU) held the NGO Forum 2017 cum Outstanding NGO Volunteer Award Presentation Ceremony today (December 20). The forum this year aimed to widen collaboration between the CSD and NGOs and explore new directions for development.

     Officiating at the forum, the Chairman of Sik Sik Yuen, Dr Chan Tung, said that he hoped there would be in-depth discussion and reflection through the forum to collate ideas, assist related stakeholders in the community to work together in helping rehabilitated persons, maintain a safe society and build a more harmonious and inclusive society.

     The Commissioner of Correctional Services, Mr Lam Kwok-leung, said that the CSD has long been working closely with non-governmental organisations (NGOs) to provide a wide range of professional rehabilitation programmes for persons in custody and rehabilitated persons. Research conducted by CityU showed that the rehabilitation and community education work of the Department had saved social costs arising from crime amounting to $74.3 billion in the past five years, which is the shared achievement of various stakeholders. In addition, the forum this year is expected to explore a new working model and enhance collaboration between the CSD and NGOs in order to build up positive attitudes, strengthen mental health, enhance the determination of rehabilitated persons to reintegrate and reduce crime.

     The Provost of CityU, Professor Alex Jen, said that CityU and the CSD had organised the NGO Forum together for many years and will continue to promote rehabilitation work. Besides organising the Forum, CityU also strengthened its partnership with the CSD in areas such as co-organising "Conference 2017 – Evolution of Corrections", conducting various research projects, providing voluntary services at correctional institutions and arranging for students to visit correctional institutions. He said that the Forum had brought talents together including NGO representatives and volunteers, which would strengthen communication and the optimisation of community resources to build up positive attitudes among rehabilitated persons.

     Around 250 NGO representatives, academics, volunteers and CSD staff attended the Forum, and NGO representatives participated in discussion sessions on how to work together to discuss improvement of rehabilitated persons' family relationships and mental health. A total of 72 NGO volunteers were also awarded commendations in recognition of their voluntary work for persons in custody during the previous year.

Ends/Wednesday, December 20, 2017
Issued at HKT 20:25

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