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Social Capital in Tung Chung Community

Presented by Crystal Cheng

Date : 8/3/2002

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ContentContent

A case study Features of Tung Chung Meaning of social capital Social capital and a caring community Reflection

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Positive change in the process

• From helpee to helper

• From self-help to mutual help

• From individual to community level

A CaseA Case

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Features of Tung Chung Community

• Established and occupied in July, 1997

• Population of around 22,000 with majority of which are young nuclear families

• Situated close to the Airport and isolated from the urban areas

• Most of the inhabitants working at the Airport

• Lack of recreational and leisure facilities

• Not enough job opportunities

• Comprehensive transportation network but expensive travelling cost

• Well provision of kindergartens, primary and secondary schools but under-enrolment

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To Build a caring community

‘Individual Caring and Overall Concern’

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Woolcock (1998):Woolcock (1998):

• “Social capital as encompassing the norms and networks facilitating collective action for mutual benefit”

Adler & Kwon (1999)Adler & Kwon (1999)

• “Social capital is a resource for individual and collective actors located in the network of their more or less durable social relations”

Definition of social capital

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Core elementsCore elements- trust, cooperation, mutual benefit, reciprocity,

social network

- a resource and can be invested with an expectation of future returns

Meaning of social capitalMeaning of social capital

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VisionVision for a caring community(桃花園 -安居樂業) – shared common belief, value, interest and concern so as to increase the community cohesion

Social capital and a caring community

HKSKHTCIS StrategiesStrategies• Social networking

geographic social capital networkmulti-level and multi-entry

• Types: Personal network Neighbouhood helping network Volunteer network e.g. from aged 5 to 76 Mutual aid network e.g. unemployment Community empowerment networks e.g. MAC Home-school-community

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•Impact to Tung Chung Community↓transaction cost

↓social cost

↑responsiveness to community needs and resource return of investment of social capital

↑sense of belonging social cohesion

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IndicatorsIndicators

• ↑rate of volunteer• ↑rate of acceptance of disadvantage

groups e.g. MR, differential

cultural minority groups etc.• ↑employment rate • ↓crime rate• ↓school drop-out rate

HKSKHTCIS ReflectionReflection

• seems to be “an old wine in a new bottle”• compatible with the vision, mission and service delivery

model of our integrated services• as a popular concept under the present economic

depression and social unstable circumstances• match with Government policy in promoting social

cohesion so as to build a caring and compassionate society

(Community Investment and Inclusion Fund)• stimulate to have systematic further exploration on social

capital in Tung Chung

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Thank You!