Annual District Highlights

District Highlights 2024-25

1. Strengthening Collaboration to Promote Mental Health Awareness

The Tai Po and North District Social Welfare Office (DSWO) partnered with non-governmental organisations across sectors to establish the "Soul Touching" Working Group under the Tai Po and North District Mental Health Support Programme. Guided by the “4Hs” theme - Heart, Health, Hope, and Harmony – the Working Group organised a series of activities to promote mental health awareness. A district-wide kickoff event, “大埔及北區精神健康支援計劃起動日”, featuring activities such as the "心靈加油City Run" and a launching ceremony, was held to raise public awareness of mental health, and to foster compassion and community bonds. The event attracted more than 1 500 participants. The “Teen Guardians@TPN” Project was also launched to promote youth mental well-being by providing training sessions and activities aligned with the “4Hs” theme for more than 550 youth ambassadors in 2024-25, thereby strengthening mental health education and nurturing a spirit of mutual care and support among young people.

2. Mobilising Community Resources to Strengthen Support for Carers

Carers were encouraged to plan ahead for their caregiving work and build peer support networks under the theme “Supporting Carers on Their Beautiful Journey". 8 000 hard copies of “照顧規劃小貼士” booklet were published, and a soft copy was uploaded to “Heart and Soul Scenic Drive”, an online mental health platform, attracting nearly 1 000 views. The "Cheer-up Wall for Carers" was installed to collect encouraging messages for carers from district stakeholders. The projects “護老‧友里結伴行” and “連融包．陪住您” paired new and experienced carers of elderly persons and people with disabilities to form a peer support network. Together, these two projects benefited over 2 190 participants. The “Companions Relaxing Tour” took place on 13 January 2025, benefiting 300 carers and their peers. The “Rural Carers Support Stations” were expanded to 16 rural sites, providing carer support information, health checks, and rehabilitation equipment lending services for carers. Meanwhile, the Community Carer Cafes were extended to new communities, including Queens Hill Estate and Fu Tip Estate, serving about 1 100 carers across 12 cafes throughout the year.

3. Enhancing Family Cohesion and Supporting Children and Youth from Underprivileged Families

The DSWO organised the “小檔口大故事” Market at the Tai Po Arts Centre, offering opportunities and diversified platforms for young people to directly participate in the design, planning and implementation of activities and services. The market also featured workshops, a career development exhibition, and performance opportunities for young people to showcase their talents, build self-confidence, strengthen their sense of belonging to the community, and develop a positive self-identity. More than 600 participants attended the event. Career exploration tours were organised in collaboration with community members and local businesses to help youth from underprivileged families discover and explore interests beyond academics. The DSWO also co-ogranised the “Walking Hand in Hand - Parent-Child Programme for Children’s Development” with The Education University of Hong Kong, and launched the “Caring Kitchen” programme to enhance family bonds and expand support networks for underprivileged families. To promote child protection, 15 community education programmes were conducted in collaboration with school principals’ associations, parent-teacher associations, and local organisations. Through a series of activities, these programmes encouraged listening to children and promoted positive family communication.