SLW meets with Minister for the Community and Voluntary Sector of New Zealand (with photo)
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Mr Cheung told the visiting minister that Hong Kong is undergoing a quiet social revolution in moving towards a more caring, compassionate and cohesive community.
Apart from the huge increase in welfare spending by 55 per cent from $42.8 billion in 2012-13 to $66.2 billion in the current financial year, the Government is also committed to mobilising the whole community and reinforcing cross-sectoral collaboration, Mr Cheung said.
This can be illustrated by the increase in the number of social enterprises from 260 in 2008 to 570 this year, as well as the increase in the number of registered volunteers from 990,000 in 2012 to more than 1.26 million nowadays.
He pointed out that Hong Kong's social enterprise sector is essentially community driven with the Government playing a key supporting role. Noting that about 20 per cent of the social enterprises now are run by non-charitable organisations formed by the business sector and professionals, Mr Cheung said he saw that as an encouraging trend.
Ends/Monday, September 26, 2016
Issued at HKT 16:45
Issued at HKT 16:45
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