Latest news with #socialservice
CNA
15-07-2025
- Health
- CNA
CNA938 Rewind - #TalkBack: More caregivers leaning on public aid, but does it address their real needs?
More caregivers are turning to social service agencies for help, with some organisations seeing a three-fold increase in sign-ups for support group programmes and financial aid. Lance Alexander and Daniel Martin discuss with Sharlene Ferry, Marketing and Donor Management Executive, Caregiving Welfare Association and Daniel Lim, Co-Founder, Enable Asia.
Malay Mail
11-07-2025
- Health
- Malay Mail
HKCSS Fosters Cross-Sector Collaboration and Adoption of Gerontechnology to Formulate Hong Kong Dementia Care Action Plan
HKCSS organised an international symposium titled 'Charting the Future: A Strategic Action Plan for Dementia Care', facilitating close exchanges and discussions on various aspects related to dementia in March this year. HONG KONG SAR - Media OutReach Newswire - 11 July 2025 -The Hong Kong Council of Social Service (HKCSS) is actively promoting support services for dementia and is leveraging gerontechnology to provide comprehensive support for patients and their caregivers. Through cross-sector collaboration, continuous innovation and extensive consultation, HKCSS is taking forwards the formulation of the "Hong Kong Dementia Care Action Plan" (Action Plan) and launches a series of exchange and consultation programmes in the field of social service, health and innovative technologies to encourage society to rethink the direction of dementia service development in response to the challenges posed by an ageing population. The Action Plan is expected to be officially published in rolls out the formulation of the Action Plan in two phases. The formulation of the Action Plan by HKCSS comprises two stages. In the first stage, the focus is on developing a framework and gathering stakeholder opinion through various channels. In July, a "Dementia and Care Planning Seminar" is held to discuss the current care plan arrangements and limitations for people with dementia, as well as the future development of carer support services. Between September and November in 2025, several events focusing on agenda discussion will take place in conjunction with "World Alzheimer's Day" in September and the "Gerontech and Innovation Expo cum Summit" in November. Public consultation will be conducted in the second stage to finalise the Action to the World Health Organization, there were 57 million people worldwide living with dementia in 2021. To address the challenges dementia poses to public health and society, countries worldwide are formulating or updating dementia that "There are approximately over 100,000 dementia patients in Hong Kong. HKCSS hopes to connect international and local stakeholders through various programmes to share experiences and strengthen cross-regional and cross-sector collaboration in promoting the development of dementia care and social services, effectively supporting patients and their caregivers in an ageing society."This year, in March, HKCSS organised an international symposium titled "Charting the Future: A Strategic Action Plan for Dementia Care", facilitating close exchanges and discussions with local and overseas stakeholders on various aspects related to dementia. A number of international and local experts shared insights covering research, prevention, living support, policy and social service practices. Mr Greg Shaw, Former Director of International and Corporate Relations at the International Federation on Ageing (IFA), highlighted the importance of "people-oriented" integrated care model through technology, to develop a dementia-inclusive society in the long run. Promoting the idea that "prevention is better than cure" is equally important. Research from the Chinese University of Hong Kong's Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery found a positive relationship between maintaining hearing and preventing dementia, advising the elderly to wear appropriate hearing aids to timely improve and slow cognitive decline. Additionally, local organisations, in collaboration with the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, are implementing the "Caring Communities for Dementia Campaign", using IoT technology to quickly locate missing persons. This initiative allows individuals with dementia to participate actively and safely in the community, alleviating caregivers' concerns about the risk of focus of the symposium was the discussion of the Action Plan. Ms Katie Wong, Chief Officer (Elderly Service) of HKCSS, and Ms Karrie Chan, Deputy Director (Elderly, Rehabilitation & Community) of Hong Kong Christian Service, along with the members of Specialized Committee on Elderly Service, shared the current status of dementia development in Hong Kong. They proposed that prevention, early diagnosis, and early intervention are key strategies for the future development of dementia services, and engaged with participants from social services, academia and institutions to discuss local conditions and suggested directions. Several technology companies demonstrated gerontechnology solutions applicable to dementia care addition, during the "S+ Summit cum Expo" in May, a thematic discussion on "Co-Creating Dementia-Friendly Communities: A Journey of Inclusion and Collaboration" explored multi-faceted cooperation through social service, business, and urban planning to enhance facilities and services for the elderly in preventing dementia and making life more convenient for dementia patients and their aims to harness the social power through cross-sector collaboration and innovation to promote the formulation of dementia care strategies, jointly building a dementia-friendly environment and sustainable latest news, please visit HKCSS official website at Hashtag: #HKCSS #Gerontechnology #SocialService #Elderly The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement. About The Hong Kong Council of Social Service (HKCSS) The HKCSS is a statutory body established in 1947. Together with our Agency Members, we uphold social justice and equality in our mission to advance the well-being of the Hong Kong community. The HKCSS is committed to building an impact-oriented, collaborative and innovative social service sector, and co-creating a better society with stakeholders across different sectors. The HKCSS has over 520 Agency Members, with service units throughout Hong Kong, providing high-quality social services to those in need.
Malay Mail
06-07-2025
- Business
- Malay Mail
Is public transport meant to turn a profit? Five countries show it's not that simple
KUALA LUMPUR, July 7 — Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim's administration said at the launch of the Kuala Lumpur Local Plan 2040 that public transport will be the backbone of all future development plans, amid growing calls to curb Malaysia's overreliance on private cars. The assertion again sparked a debate about who will fund these projects. Public transportation systems in Malaysia have long depended on government subsidies. But over the years, the discourse around public transit has included support for privatisation, the thinking being profitability — or at least break even — would make operators innovate and become more financially independent. Experiences of other countries, however, show that the issue around public transport funding is usually more complicated. Some countries have tried privatisation, but not all have enjoyed positive outcomes. 'Public transport is a social service' In Malaysia, policymakers are divided, although many are inclined to view public transport as a social service that should be financially backed by taxpayers. 'In my experience, return on investment is not the issue. The issue of efficiency and funds for expansion of services normally arises,' said Rajiv Risyakaran, the pro-public transport Bukit Gasing state assemblyman who had been involved in Selangor's city and town planning. 'I don't expect public transport to break even or be profitable. It's a social service the government provides for the people, and it's a net cost to the government. So, are there countries where public transport operators make money? Malay Mail looks at five countries with arguably the best public transportation systems, and analyses open-source information to see if operators there are financially self-reliant or subsidy-dependent. People walk past signs for the Tokyo Metro underground system inside Shimbashi Station in central Tokyo in this file photo taken on October 21, 2024. — AFP pic Japan Japan's public transport systems, particularly its rail networks, are known to be among the most efficient in the world. The train operations, including the famous Shinkansen (bullet train), are incredibly punctual with minimal delays. Japan's rail networks, among the world's most complex, were initially operated by public and private companies, but in the 1980s, policy favouring car ownership plunged the government-run entity Japanese Railways (JR) into heavy debt. This pushed JR to privatise by splitting into regional-based companies (JR East, JR West, JR Central and JR Kyushu) that gave it flexibility to tailor the unique needs of the service areas. Today, the Japanese privatisation programme is the exception in terms of profitability. But ticket sales are not the only income source. A key to its success is diversification into real estate and retail businesses around its stations, according to the World Bank. A file photograph shows public busses in Singapore. — TODAY pic Singapore Singapore's public transport system is internationally renowned, and public transport operators like SBS Transit in Singapore have shown to make profits according to media reports citing financial records. But Singapore operates through a unique model where the government often owns the infrastructure, such as tracks and stations, and the operators lease or run services on it. This helps manage the massive capital expenditure. Switzerland The Swiss public transport network, which includes rail systems, taxis, and buses has a total length of 24,500 kilometres and has more than 2,600 stations and stops, some even cutting across the Swiss Alps. The Swiss Federal Railways (SBB), the national railway operator, has seen a return to profit in recent years after pandemic-related losses, according to official statements published on a government website, but like Japan, much of the profit comes from diversification of income sources like rentals from real estate and its energy divisions. Generally, public transport operators there still rely on government subsidies to stay afloat, with half of their operating costs funded by taxpayers. Germany Germany's public transport system is a mix of public and private ownership, with the federal government, state governments, and private companies all playing a role. Local public transport, including buses, trams, and some regional trains, is primarily managed by state governments and municipalities. Deutsche Bahn (DB) is the main railway provider, a state-owned company, but it operates as a private entity and faces competition from other private companies such as SWEG, ODEG, and Flixtrain. Still, many of the operators rely heavily on federal subsidies. In 2021, at least 11.6 billion euros in federal funds were reported to have been invested in public transport, with more promised annually starting in 2025. Over the years, there has been growing criticism over the funding model. Travellers wait at the Eindhoven Airport. — AFP pic Netherlands Dutch public transport is frequently ranked among the best in the world for being well-organised, efficient, reliable, and covers the entire country. Its transport system is known for its integration of trains, buses, trams, and metros, making it easy to travel between cities and within urban areas. Like Germany and Switzerland, Dutch public transport operators rely heavily on government subsidies. But unlike Germany, there is strong public support for financial assistance of public transit systems because they view it as a social service first. Public transport in the Netherlands is funded through a combination of ticket revenue, government subsidies, and sometimes regional or local government contributions.
CTV News
03-07-2025
- General
- CTV News
Trauma-focused hiring drive aims to keep Indigenous families together
Northern Ontario Watch A recruitment drive was held Wednesday for 20 new social service workers in M'Chigeeng First Nation. The roles focus on trauma-informed care to reduce child apprehensions. A second event runs Thursday in Sault Ste. Marie.
CNA
02-07-2025
- Business
- CNA
S$7.5m fund launched to help social service agencies track impact of programmes, refine offerings
Social service agencies can tap a new S$7.5 million fund to improve expected outcomes of their programmes and refine services. The National Council of Social Service said this will attract sustained funding as sponsors can better track the progress of the programmes. The fund was announced at the NCSS Social Service Summit. Around S$34 million has been invested into technology capabilities within the social service sector since 2022. These aim to improve operational efficiency and help alleviate manpower challenges amid a shortage of social workers. Chloe Teo reports.
