News

The SIE Task Force has been visiting organisations and operators of social innovation projects in order to gain a better understanding of the various types of service and operation models.  Recently, a visit was paid to the “Gingko House” at the Jao Tsung-I Academy.

Gingko House provides catering service and runs businesses including restaurants, catering, organic farm and food manufacturing.  It is also a forerunner in providing jobs opportunities to the elderly and is employing more than 450 seniors.

The Social Innovation Video Competition Award Presentation Ceremony came to an end with more than two hundred guests joining the event. Local pop band C AllStar were invited to perform and present the awards. The Champion went to “Social Animation” from Sir Ellis Kadoorie Secondary School (West Kowloon).

Funded by the SIE Fund and organised by one of its Intermediaries PolyU Technology and Consultancy Company Limited, the "Good Seed" programme is now inviting applications from students and alumnus of higher education institutions in Hong Kong. The objective of the programme is to equip potential social innovation implementers with the necessary skills and knowledge including use of design and technology. Participants have the chance to receive funding from the SIE Fund for implementation of innovative poverty-alleviating ideas.

The programme is set out in three stages: interactive and action-oriented learning, idea competition, and project implementation.  Each winner in the competition will be granted HK$100,000 for project implementation and support of PolyU, NGOs, and mentorship of design, technology and business professionals will be arranged.  Application form and other details are available at the programme website www.goodseed.hk.

The Chief Executive presented the 2015 Policy Address on 14 January.  SIE Fund is being mentioned among various poverty alleviation measures.  Highlighted in Chapter 3 - Poverty Alleviation and Support for the Disadvantaged of the Policy Agenda are the tasks of the SIE Fund which include engaging intermediaries for capacity building and innovative programmes, preparation for the flagship project on food assistance, considering how best to strengthen social innovation ecosystem and encouraging the use of innovative commercial practices to address social needs.

These initiatives are being undertaken by the second term Task Force at full strength.  As engagement arrangements with the intermediaries are to be finalised, a series of programmes including funding schemes will be launched soon. It is expected that more people will contribute their innovative ideas, and that a vibrant social innovation ecosystem will help pull together cross-sector efforts for alleviation of poverty problem.

The 2015 first quarter newsletter of the SIE Fund was newly published. To mark a new milestone in the development of the Fund, the newsletter was given a facelift.  Besides having a new layout design, the newsletter will be distributed to our major stakeholders and partners via email directly to further enhance communication. Stories in this issue include a brief summary of our progress, announcement of intermediaries-to-be, and updates of the Social Innovation Video Competition.  Please click here or visit the ‘Newsletter’ section for the full content.