Our Community Outreach Team recently interviewed Mr Kenny Fung, Service Supervisor of Yang Memorial Methodist Social Service, to understand how CSP has helped one of its family service divisions in times of adversity.
- What types of services does Mongkok Integrated Family Service Centre (MIFSC) provide to the public?
Under the family service division of Yang Memorial Methodist Social Service, our Centre has been providing counselling and community support to families living in Tai Kok Tsui, Mongkok, and Prince Edward districts since June 2004. We adopt various methods and make good use of community resources to help families maximize their potential, strengthen their family bond, assist individuals and families to prevent problems and cope with different challenges.
- How were your clients affected by the Covid-19 pandemic, especially during the outbreak of the 5th wave crisis?
Many families living in subdivided flats were living in extremely difficult conditions, with high levels of stress, unemployment, lack of social support, to name a few. Social distancing restrictions and “school-from-home” also intensified parent-child conflicts due to the very limited living spaces.
- How did the ACS Community Support Platform (CSP) help your staff/ NGO respond to the high demand for service from your beneficiaries/ service users?
Through the Platform, our Centre was matched with a benefactor who donated $100,000 to subsidize 50 disadvantaged children for educational services or tutorial classes from May to August 2022.
- What impact did the donation received through the connection from CSP have on your service users?
From 1 May to 13 July, we received 34 applications for assistance.
Study vouchers for tutorial classes were given to successful applicants with special educational needs (SEN) from low-income families or children living in sub-divided units. According to our survey of successful recipients, the vouchers achieved 3 goals:
- subsidised/free tutorial classes helped SEN children catch up with their school work after 5th wave of Covid-19
- parents could have some ‘me’ time to relax while their children were having lessons
- the time apart also improved parents’ stress level, emotional stability and family wellbeing
- What is the message you would like to convey to the public?
I am most proud that our agency continued to develop services for unmet needs of our service users throughout these years. We focus on promoting family wellbeing, especially for family members who take care of patients with disabilities or SEN children. We have to be thankful to these caregivers who have built a family as well as a society with love and responsibility.
