KF Champion for Change Award
The Award is an initiative of the Keswick Foundation (KF) which highlights the ideas of committed individuals who are addressing society's big challenges with novel approaches. KF believes big challenges could be tackled by creating an ecosystem of projects and people who could address urgent issues in an integrated manner. The Award emphasized using a bottom-up approach to address root causes and identify individuals whose work has the potential to make system-level changes.
The first Award was presented in 2019, focusing on the issue of youth suicide prevention. The Hong Kong Council of Social Service (HKCSS) was invited as a collaborator to coordinate and manage the award scheme and to conduct social impact assessment. Eight champions, mainly practicing social workers and one primary school principal, were selected. These champions received a cash award for his/her organisation to pursue ideas on how to alleviate pressures and increase mental wellbeing of our young people.
Eight awarded champions and the project brief are as follows:
The Salvation Army
- Hold Me Tight, Let Me Go
Targeted the boys in the residential homes, the project aimed to build their self identity and connectedness with their families and communities.
Baptist Oi Kwan Social Service
- MoodFit – Positive Youth Sports for Suicide Prevention
Used sports as the means to enhance mental wellbeing of the young people.
The Boys' and Girls' Clubs Association of Hong Kong
- Project Shine @Community
Provided another learning platform for youths with mental illness and school withdrawal problems to develop their confidence, self-identity and to re-connect with the community.
Caritas Hong Kong
- Companion as Usual
Cared young people who experienced bullying or interpersonal relationship issues and helped them express the negative emotions
CNEC Lui Ming Choi Primary School
- School Time Table Reform
Developed a new school time table and rearranged classes to provide more diversified activities for children in school.
Christian Family Service Centre
- Open Studio Project – Holding Environment for Healing and Nurturing through Arts
Provided secondary school students the opportunities to share and accept negative emotions through classroom art workshops and open art studios in schools.
Yan Oi Tong
- Shout
Provided platform for young adults to share their adverse experiences and feelings with public through playback theatre.
The Church of United Brethren in Christ Social Service Division
- Get Closer – Youth Suicide Prevention Project
Facilitated young people to define their meaning of success and empowered them to share their view with their parents and public.
