Understanding Low-Income Elders in Hong Kong

APSS has co-organised a research seminar entitled “Understanding Low-Income Elders Who Live Alone Or With Spouse Only: Their Voices (基層長者生活研究分享研討會)” with the Hong Kong Church Network for the Poor (教會關懷貧窮網絡) on both 24 and 30 June 2022 at PolyU.   Since January 2021, a research team led by Dr Crystal KWAN, Assistant Professor, has been collaborating with the Hong Kong Church Network for the Poor (HKCNP) on a project to study the issues that the low-income elders who live alone or with spouse commonly face. In the sharing session, findings on the issues and strengths of the elders they interviewed were reported. Participants were invited to share their experiences, thoughts and perspectives of being with elderly and to form small groups to discuss possible solutions and the services they needed. They also discussed how to apply for grants to carry out a follow-up intervention pilot project to address the needs of the elders.

Fostering Closer Ties with APSS Student Association

President and core members of the 29th APSS Departmental Society (APSSDS) Empatija have met with Prof. Eric CHUI and Dr Kong YAM to confirm its affiliation with APSS on 23 June 2022. The name of the student society is going to be The Hong Kong Polytechnic University Department of Applied Social Sciences Student Association (APSSSA) / 香港理工大學應用社會科學系會 with effect from 13 July 2022.  Under the new model of student bodies affiliation and governance introduced by PolyU lately, APSS is going to support our student association continuously by offering them professional guidance and training whenever necessary.    From left to right: Prof. Eric CHUI (Professor and Head, APSS) Dr Kong YAM (Chairperson of SAAC, APSS) Mr. Tim LAM (President of APSSDS) Ms. Melody CHIU (Publishing Secretary of APSSDS) Ms. PUN Chui Yee (Publicity Secretary of APSSDS) Ms. Aki WONG (Welfare Secretary of APSSDS) Ms. Flora CHAN (Liaison Officer of APSSSA; Executive Officer, APSS)  

“Study Hard, Play Hard” – An Encounter with APSS Student-athletes

APSS outstanding student-athletes exchange ideas on their colourful university life To connect with our undergraduate students, several student-athletes were invited to share their experiences and reflections on sportsmanship and university life with Prof. Eric CHUI, Professor and Head of APSS, Dr Kong YAM, Dr Rita CHEUNG, Dr Raymond TAM and Dr Yanto CHANDRA on 23 June 2022.    Seven APSS student-athletes, who were encouraged to exchange ideas on how to achieve optimum performance in both the classroom and the field of play, are:   CHAN Ching Him, Matthew (SPE year 2) – Soccer CHAN Yik Chung, Philip (SPE year 3) – Karatedo LAM Chun Ngai Sunny (SW year 4) –Taekwondo NG Wai Lam, Richard (SW year 1) – Handball NG Yuen Ying, Kitty (SW year 1) – Korfball TANG In Chim, James (SPE year 1) – Soccer SO Cheuk Lam, Theodora (SW year 3) – Indoor Cycling The student-athletes began the conversation by sharing ways to maintain being race-fit amid the pandemic, followed by a casual discussion on learning experiences and challenges. The importance of self-discipline was emphasised to maintain a good balance between study and sports.

Rising Stars in Social Work: Being Reflective, Confident and Thankful

Eleven Outstanding APSS Students Honoured with Coveted HSBC Scholarships 2021/22 APSS is pleased to announce that 11 BA (Hons) Social Work undergraduate students were selected as recipients of coveted HSBC Scholarships! Sunny LAM Chun Ngai, a social work year-4 student, received the HSBC Hong Kong Scholarship, which is accompanied by a HK$50,000 award, in recognition of his record of excellence in academic results and community service. Ten APSS students were awarded the Scholarship grants HK$25,000 to each awardee, as a recognition of their outstanding academic performance and strong commitment to the betterment of society. The Hongkong Bank Foundation donates up to HK$250,000 to a HSBC Scholarship Scheme for local full-time undergraduate students from the Social Work Programme at PolyU. All awardees are invited by The Hongkong Bank Foundation to join the “Hub for the Future”, co-organised by HSBC and The Hong Kong Federation of Youth Groups, with other scholarship recipients. The alumni network provides young talents a unique opportunity to meet and build connections. Through this network and its activities, awardees will be able to further develop their capabilities and competencies, broaden their horizons, and become better prepared to make impactful contributions to society. A big APSS congratulations to the winners for their achievements! Awardee of HSBC Hong Kong Scholarship 2021/22     LAM Chun Ngai “It is my greatest honour to be nominated by APSS and awarded the HSBC Hong Kong Scholarship. Not only did APSS equip us with academic knowledge and skills, but also nurtured us to become reflective and empathetic practitioners for the future. I have benefitted from fruitful exposures and learning experiences at APSS.” Awardees of HSBC Social Work Scholarship 2021/22     AU Tsz Ching Coco “I am Coco, currently a BASW Year 3 student. My programme has been inspiring and humanistic. I am encouraged to reflect on my personality, thoughts, behaviours, and the meaning of my life. These experiences have enhanced my self-care ability and turned me into a reflective person.”   FAN Lap Fei Philip “I have been studying the BASW programmme for two years. I am able to acquire many positive and enriching learning experiences as a result of studying this programme at APSS. The supportive and professional teachers have made me become a better student and future social worker.”     LAM Kin Ngai Jabez “I am Jabez. I aspire to work with families and children, improving their life satisfaction and happiness. With a strong emphasis on practice and reflection, my learning experiences at PolyU has not only provided me with a solid foundation of knowledge and skills, but also deeper self-understanding of my personal values and career path.”   LAM Maan Fu “I am Bob, a Year 2 student of Social Work. The past two years has been a fruitful learning experience. I have not only benefitted from classroom teachings of practical knowledge, but also the all-round support provided. I feel more confident to explore various types of social and community services.”   LAM Yee Ling Linda “I am a future social worker with a sense of curiosity about new ideas and all forms of life stories.After years of studying at APSS, the lens I use to interpret social issues have been infused with elements of philosophy, psychology, and sociology. Also, with a reflective learning process of integrating theories and personal values into practice, I have established my orientation in walking with service users.”   LAU Wing Kiu Winkie “Studying Social Work at PolyU has been a fruitful journey of self-exploration. The programme enables me to gain a reflective understanding of various social issues and extensive theoretical knowledge. Receiving much support from the teaching staff, I am more engaged and determined to work with the community in the future.” LAU Yat Nam Cyrus “Greetings! My name is Cyrus, a Year 1 student of Social Work. Learning in APSS has been an incredible experience personally, where teachers and peers are very supportive and caring. A great support system has also been established, which helps me gain momentum to learn and explore continuously.”   MAK Wan Fung Emily “I am Emily, a Year 4 student of Social Work. I have learned different theories and practical skills for being a professional social worker. The professors and teachers also provided various types of support for us throughout these four years.”   TSO Long Hin Lincoln “Passionate about the LGBTQA+ community, I am interested in using creative expressions as a means to empower these individuals. While studying social work at APSS has laid the theoretical grounds for my learning, I am keen on learning more about the profession first-hand through services and other types of social participation.”   ZHAO Ye Phyllis “I love to learn and am a passionate student, who wishes to not simply receive an education but earn it. Luckily, I have met teachers at APSS who the teachers inspired them to grow academically and personally by discussing with them about the integration of theories and practice as well as promotion of social justice and community betterment. In the process of empowering ourselves, we are also committed to empowering others.”

Dr Ada FUNG appointed as Endowed Young Scholar in Social Services

Donor recognition is not limited to simple 'Thank you'. An appreciation lunch is a meaningful time out with our donors. An appreciation lunch was hosted on 4 July 2022 by PolyU’s President Prof. Jin-Guang TENG to express our thanks to Mr. Charles TO, Chairman of the Thetos Foundation. The Foundation has kindly established Thetos Foundation Young Scholar in Social Services to support talented PolyU young scholars who are devoted to serving the community, particularly in the context of social services. Dr. Ada FUNG, who feels deeply honoured to be appointed as Endowed Young Scholar in Social Services, was also invited to the lunch meeting. Ada shared her insights on geriatric research and interventions to enhance both cognitive function and mental health of older people, and the guests all enjoyed the conversation. It is our turn to extend our sincere gratitude and appreciation to Mr. Charles TO and Mrs. TO for their generosity and kindness in supporting better social services. We hope the appreciation luncheon has filled their hearts. Warmest congratulations to Ada on her achievement too.

Bid Farewell to Joanna

Join APSS to extend best wishes to Ms Joanna CHUNG, our Instructor who retired in late June 2022. She is greatly missed by colleagues and students alike.   Wishing Joanna the best of health, and happiness on her new journey in life.

Sweeping Awards at the Learning to Learn L2L Video Contest

Sweeping Awards at the Learning to Learn (L2L) Video Contest We are delighted to learn that the Department of Applied Social Sciences (APSS) swept three awards in the Learning to Learn (L2L) Video Contest. The Awards Presentation Ceremony was held on 8 June 2022 at the Global Student Hub in PolyU. All 17 awards were presented during the Ceremony.   The video entitled "The inspiring and transparent PADLET for better learners" by Dr Rodney CHU, Assistant Professor of APSS, won both the "Most Inspiring Video Award (Gold) and “Most Popular Video Award" while the video entitled "How to be productive at home" by Ms Phyllis ZHAO, a final year student of BA (Hons) Social Work, won the "Most Creative Video Award (Silver)".   The Learning to Learn Community of Practice (L2L CoP) launched the L2L Video Contest in order to engage teachers and students in understanding and promoting L2L through video production and to share their insights and discoveries with a view to helping others to become better learners. A total of 50 interesting videos were received between March and April 2022. (For details of the L2L Video Contest, please click here)   Keep up the good work Rodney and Phyllis!  

Funding for project -Hong Kong Mental Health Projects Evaluation

Dr. Herman LO, Associate Professor the Department of Applied Social Sciences, has received funding (Application ID A0040790) for the proposal title “Hong Kong Mental Health Projects Evaluation”.   Project brief The Save the Children Hong Kong (SCHK) has launched the “Hong Kong Mental Health Projects” that have sponsored 27 intervention programmes from nine partner NGOs between July 2020 and March 2022.  All programmes are based on at least one of the three objectives: (1) to improve mental health awareness and acceptance of mental health issues among children and youth; (2) to drive early detection and treatment for children and youth who are impacted by mental illness; and (3) to strengthen the capacity of parents, teachers and social workers to support children & youth in need.    To evaluate the effectiveness of these programmes and to foster learning among NGO partners who are using different approaches in promoting child and youth mental health, SCHK is collaborating with the PolyU research team which is headed up by Dr. Herman LO and Dr. Yam KONG. A mixed methods study integrating participant's ratings of outcomes and interviews of project staff, parent and child who joined the programmes will be conducted. Findings and recommendations will be released around July 2022 and hopefully such collaboration can generate new knowledge and evidence that can inform the mental health service and policy in Hong Kong. 

PolyU Faculty Seminar Series held on 17 May 2022

The Faculty of Health and Social Sciences (FHSS) Seminar Series was successfully held in the evening on 17 May 2022. Over 10 distinguished academics from different departments, including the Faculty Dean, Department Head / Associate Heads, and other departmental members, were invited to share important information about admissions to PolyU via the online seminar. More than 320 participants, mostly students and their parents, joined the event. The participants were able to gain pertinent knowledge and a broader perspective from the seminar about admissions to the University and the Faculty's programs. This knowledge would help them set their academic goals early, and eventually prepare them for a fruitful academic and career development. Report of the seminar can be found in the web link:  https://www.polyu.edu.hk/media/media-releases/2022/0504_polyu-to-launch-faculty-seminar-series-featuring-deans-and-heads/

Prof Sylvia CHEN received Outstanding International Psychologist Award

Prof. Sylvia CHEN, Associate Dean of Faculty of Health and Social Sciences and Professor of the Department of Applied Social Sciences, was selected to receive the Outstanding International Psychologist Award conferred by the American Psychological Association (APA) Division 52 (International Psychology).   The Outstanding International Psychologist Awards recognize outstanding contributions to international psychology through significant research, teaching, advocacy, and/or contributions to international organizations. An award is given to a psychologist from the United States and to a psychologist from outside the United States.   Congratulation to Prof. CHEN on her latest award.