Social service team to help Kwun Tong residents

The Urban Renewal Authority (URA) announced today (Sunday) the appointment of the Christian Family Service Centre (CFSC) for the setting up of an urban renewal social service team to provide professional social work services for residents affected by the Kwun Tong Town Centre redevelopment project.

This is the fifth one inaugurated following the recent establishment of a social service team for Hai Tan Street and other projects in Sham Shui Po.

Staffed by professional social workers of the CFSC, the Kwun Tong social service team will provide tailor-made service to residents and business operators in the redevelopment area, including those from the ethnic minority groups, who are in need of help. Their appointment is for a period of two years.

A spokesperson for the URA said: "All the buildings within the redevelopment site are 40 years old or above where some 4,500 people make their home.  We hope to help improve their dilapidated living environment through income generated by redevelopment. However, redeveloping an old residential area would also cause interruption to the everyday life of the residents affected. There is a need to pay special attention to those in need, particularly the elderly, single parent families and new arrivals from the mainland."   

"Social service teams play a very important part in our people-oriented approach to urban renewal.  They are trained to offer help to meet the specific needs of individual residents. Whilst their formation is funded by the URA, they will operate independently and take the well-being of the affected residents as their first mandate."

In the past five years, the URA has already commenced 22 redevelopment projects and appointed five social service teams to assist the residents. Over 1,400 cases have been taken care of by the teams.

The CFSC has a long and proven record of assisting residents affected by redevelopment projects. Apart from serving residents of Fuk Wing Street/Fuk Wa Street and Po On Road/Shun Ning Road projects in Sham Shui Po in 2002, they have all along been providing services to residents living in Kwun Tong Town Centre area.

Earlier, the URA has invited submissions from 25 non-government organisations which expressed an interest in operating an urban renewal social service team.  The appointment of the CFSC was approved by the Community Affairs and Public Relations Committee of the URA Board after careful deliberation.

The Kwun Tong social service team would commence its service tomorrow (Monday) at a temporary office located at Ground floor shop No. 6 of Ping On House, Wo Lok Estate, Kwun Tong.  The team can also be contacted by calling 3580 8841. Later this year, they will move to a permanent office at G/F 71 Hip Wo Street, Kwun Tong.


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