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DBS Social Enterprise Advancement Grant 2015 announces 12 finalists | 繁體

Community pledges cross-sector support to develop innovative solutions for poverty relief

Hong Kong, 20 Aug 2015 - With the commitment to promote the development of social enterprises, DBS Bank allocated HK$2 million for the third year to launch the “DBS Social Enterprise Advancement Grant”. The Grant serves as a catalyst for social entrepreneurs and social innovators to solve social problems with innovative commercial models. Much like the ambitions of the “Social Innovation and Entrepreneurship Development Fund” (SIE Fund) set up under the Commission on Poverty this year, the Grant attempts to achieve greater social and business benefits for Hong Kong.

What makes this year’s campaign special is to elect the final 12* which are able to apply for a one-to-one matching fund from the SIE Fund and  participate in a one-year programme, including access to professional training from The Lean Start-up. Eighty DBS volunteers under training will provide a helping hand along the way, creating an environment where the top 12 social enterprises can learn from business professionals with practical experiences. Their training covers real business proposals, including marketing, finance, audit, and information technology. The Grant and project application are managed by the Hong Kong Council of Social Service (HKCSS).

12 Finalists across Different Professionals
The Grant received an overwhelming response during the application period. Since May, the Secretariat has received 75 applications — revealing that cross-sector professionals such as architects, technologists, designers, social workers and bankers are determined to adopt innovative approaches in tackling poverty problems in Hong Kong. 

The Grant announced its 12 finalists on 20 August 2015 (Thursday)/ today, in the Jockey Club Innovation Tower at Hong Kong Polytechnic University. The event was officiated by Ms Florence Hui, Under Secretary for Home Affairs, HKSAR Government, Professor Stephen Cheung, Chairperson of SIE Fund Task Force, Commission on Poverty, Ms Glendy Chu, Executive Director and Head of Group Strategic Marketing and Communications, DBS Bank (HK) Limited and Mr Chua Hoi-wai, Chief Executive of HKCSS. The Life Fighters from Direction Association for the Handicapped — one of the granted projects in 2014 — shared information on how their social enterprise helps create opportunities for those with disabilities to become corporate trainers. The event also showcased the project achievements of 2013 and 2014. 

Cross-sector Professionals Committed to Poverty Relief
In his speech, Mr. Chua Hoi-wai expressed that the importance of social innovation and how it brought many new opportunities to social development. He was glad about the rise of public awareness on social issues such as poverty in Hong Kong and mentioned that HKCSS would continue to promote cross-sector collaboration.

Professor Stephen Cheung reinforced this position by saying, “Managed by one of our intermediaries, the HKCSS, the programme manifests the important role of intermediaries in helping the Fund establish connections and push social innovation initiatives forward. The commitment to match the value of The Grant reflects our flexibility in providing funding support to social innovation projects in different forms. Above all, it is a good example of collaboration between the Fund and the business sector.”

Ms Glendy Chu said, “DBS, which is dedicated to innovation, is a pioneer in Asia in terms of social innovation and continues to promote the development of social enterprises in Hong Kong. After two years of liquidity injection, the Social Enterprise Advancement Grant has stepped up its services this year. In addition to providing its financial support to social enterprises, there also DBS employees under training who have become voluntary consultants for social enterprises. We truly grow with social enterprises. We are also delighted to see professionals from different sectors who aim to work with DBS, in order to address local social problems with innovative commercial models, creating positive energy and value added to our society.”

The Grant‘s purpose is to groom and validate new ideas by empowering social entrepreneurs to develop sustainable businesses that help tackle social issues. It does this by providing funding and incubation support to said entrepreneurs. DBS volunteers committed to providing consultation support to the granted projects. For more details, please visit https://dbsse.hkcss.org.hk/.

Photo Captions

Photo 1: Ms Florence Hui, Under Secretary for Home Affairs, HKSAR Government, Professor Stephen Cheung, Chairperson of SIE Fund Task Force, Commission on Poverty, Ms Glendy Chu, Executive Director and Head of Group Strategic Marketing and Communications, DBS Bank (HK) Limited and Mr Chua Hoi-wai, Chief Executive of HKCSS.

Photo 2: The 12 finalists took a group photo together with the adjudicators and the officiating guests. This year, applicants from cross-sector professionals, such as architects, technologists, designers, social workers and bankers, are determined to adopt innovative approaches in tackling poverty problems in Hong Kong.

Appendix – Project Summary

 

Project

Beneficiaries

Project summary

1

DOMAT - A Better Life in Adequate Homes

Underprivileged communities: St. Peter’s, Pokfulam, Sub-divided units

A group of architects started an initiative to provide feasible solutions to improve the living standards of underprivileged communities residing in sub-divided houses, village squatter houses and fishermen’s cooperative housing in Hong Kong. Applying sophisticated architectural design and home modification techniques, the initiative strives to provide innovative solutions for ongoing housing problems in Hong Kong.

2

Oops - A Brand Made in HK & Designed by Up-scale Fashion Capitals

Low-skill workers

A local up-scale designer brand is focused on providing job opportunities to those made jobless because of economic restructuring. Targeting low-skilled industrial workers and labourers, such as handymen, as well as security staff, couriers, and newly arrived immigrants, the project helps increase the size and diversity of the workforce in the community.

3

Alchemist

People with disability, rehabilitators

Formed by a group of young designers and creative talents, Alchemist combineshandcraft production with social innovation. The emerging brand designs and manufactures sustainable and high value products by using various kinds of social resources. The project engages and empowers people with disability and special needs who work at shelter workshops by optimisation of workflow and workplace.

4

E Home-based Escort Service

Elderly

E Home-based Escort Service will develop software to match available instant escort service for elderly. The project will hire and train up early retired community in delivering quality escort service.

5

Eldpathy - Elderly Poverty Simulation Education Programme

Elderly, youth

To heighten the public's understanding of the needs of the elderly and the poor as well as to educate caregivers on providing better services, Eldpathy offers the ''Elderly Poverty Simulation Education Programme'' for participants of all generations to promote the concept of social inclusion and elderly employment.

6

Evangelical Lutheran Church Social Service Hong Kong

Low income elderly,
retired community

Evangelical Lutheran Church Social Service Hong Kong has launched an "Easy Escort Service" that recruits the underprivileged and trains them to provide services for accompanying the elderly and people with disabilities.

7

Green Care

Elderly

The demand for rehabilitation and elderly care related products has been increasing significantly in Hong Kong due to the aging population. Green Care establishes a one-stop second-hand trading platform, to advocate Reduce, Reuse and Recycle of these products. The project hires and trains low-skilled youth and the early retired community.

8

Silence's Sign Language Online Video Platform

Hearing impaired

Silence Limited plans to establish the first sign-language-based online media platform to produce sign language videos. It enhances the equal community participation of the hearing impaired community, as well as the understanding of the deaf culture among health hearing community. The platform will also serve as a vocational training base specialised for the hearing impaired person who wish to devote themselves into the creative industry.

9

Talk-Now

Hearing impaired

Developed by local technologists, Talk-now is a glove-like device that enables the hearing impaired to communicate by converting sign language to sound and text. Talk-Now is now under research and development.

10

Teach4HK

Students from low income families

Founded by a group of committed young leaders in 2013, Teach4HK aims to enlist outstanding university students with diversified talents to serve in schools with underprivileged students through a one-year full time teaching fellowship. Teach4HK also partners with businesses and institutions to provide leadership and career opportunities to nurture our fellows to become leaders with empathy, who will thrive in various fields and continue to advocate for education post fellowship.

11

TwoPresents

Charitable organisations

One for You, One for Charity. TwoPresents establishes an innovative online platform that empowers and facilitates celebrants of children’s birthday party, to share their celebrations with a charity and channel part of the money to local charitable organisations. Twopresents is planning for scale up and reaching out to corporate events for maximising impact.

12

Y Silver Link

YWCA

Elderly

Targeting the robust silver market, Y Silver Link was launched by HKYWCA to provide sale of "daily living products" as well as health care household items and home environment improvement service for the new elders. Elders are employed as Senior Home and Living Consultant to regularly organise talks and exhibitions in different organisations. Elder consultant can share their personal experiences and perspectives on different types of silver products, which in a way to meet the needs of an aging society.

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About DBS Foundation and DBS Social Enterprise Advancement Grant
As a corporate foundation in Asia solely dedicated to championing social entrepreneurship, DBS Foundation contributes towards building a more inclusive society so that those at society’s margins can enjoy productive and rewarding lives. DBS Foundation works with Social Enterprises and Social Entrepreneurs in Singapore, China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, India and Indonesia with programmes ranging from venture challenges, learning forums, intensive incubation, project grant support, financing and skilled volunteer mentoring. The Foundation is an endeavor from DBS Bank to make an even greater impact in addressing Asia’s evolving social needs.  Visit us at: www.dbs.com/dbsfoundation

Launched in Hong Kong in 2013, DBS Social Enterprise Advancement Grant is the first-in-town funding scheme that aims to enhance the commercial viability and social impact of operating social enterprises. In the past two years, 24 social enterprises were benefited by gaining extra resources to implement their advancement solutions, range from up-cycling, food waste management to job creation for the unemployed, the disabled, ex-offenders, ex-mentally ill, etc. The 24 grantees developed over 100 new products/services and provided over 7,000 training hours and 250 job opportunities for those in need. 

About Social Innovation and Entrepreneurship Development Fund (SIE Fund)
The SIE Fund, as a catalyst for social innovation in Hong Kong, connects our community with different sectors, including businesses, NGOs, academics and philanthropies to create social impact through innovative solutions that address poverty and social exclusion. Mostly through intermediaries, the Fund provides visionary individuals and organisations with diverse resources in support of research, capacity building and the entire life cycle of innovative programmes, from idea incubation and seed funding to implementation and eventual scale-up. The ultimate goal is to foster an ecosystem where social entrepreneurs can thrive and innovative ideas, products and services can benefit society by meeting underserved needs, unleashing underutilised talents and more. Visit us at: www.sie.gov.hk.

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