Our Story

The lives of people with intellectual disabilities are filled with challenges. Over the years, Hong Chi Association has been providing lifelong support to improve the livelihood and well-being of people with intellectual disabilities and caregivers. In 2024, the government launched services to support special school leavers and their caregivers, establishing designated teams at 21 district support centres across Hong Kong. On April 1, our two district support centres began offering designated team support for school leavers and their caregivers proactively, ensuring a smooth transition from school to community life.

Transitioning from School to Community

Ho Kin-ping graduated from Hong Chi Lions Morninghill School last year. His mother, Rachel Leung Wai Chi, expressed her worries after Kin Ping’s graduation. “I didn’t know what the future holds. I was afraid that he would get into temper if he stayed at home all day, which put a lot of pressure on me.” Kin-ping has mild intellectual disability, autism and epilepsy, making him prone to illness and seizures, sometimes losing consciousness. Despite these challenges, Rachel hoped he could find stable work and lead a structured, healthy life.

The Hong Chi designated team would get in touch with students 6 months before graduation, and work closely with school social workers to understand their situations and prepare for post-graduation transitions. Earlier, Toby Ngai, a social worker at the Hong Chi District Support Centre (Kwun Tong West), and occupational therapist, Ng Yin Chun have met Kin Ping for his post-graduation transition. Kin Ping was later arranged to work at the workshop. However, due to Kin Ping’s introverted personality, Rachel feared he might not adapt to the new environment or make new friends, which would adversely affect his emotional well-being.

Toby and Chun regularly visited Kin Ping to assist him with adapting to the new environment. They also provided community living skills training and personal growth activities to ease his psychological pressure and adjustment issues. Having such a strong support system, Rachel was relieved: “I’m so glad to have the designated team backing me up and looking after my son.”

A New Chapter Begins

Kin Ping now enjoys his new life routine ever since he started working. He also finds happiness in joining workshop’s activities such as singing. His mother, Rachel, believes that a regular schedule helps stabilise Kin Ping’s emotions. Her next goal is for Kin-ping to improve self-care skills, such as walking home safely from the workshop.

Though the workshop is just a 10-minute walk from home, Kin-ping’s limited road safety awareness worried Rachel. Occupational therapist Chun designed a training plan to build safe road-crossing habits, incorporating game-based eye control and head-eye coordination exercises for Kin-ping to practise at home. When Kin-ping grew frustrated, Chun encouraged him, saying, “Your mom really wants you to learn to get home safely!” With family and team support, Kin-ping is gradually mastering independent travel.

Stress Relief for Caregivers

Apart from supporting school leavers, caregiver support is another key function of the Hong Chi school leavers’ designated team. The team provides early help services to caregivers to shed light on their children’s post-graduation paths, as well as introducing them to the community support services, day activity services, and the hostel waiting list mechanism. One of the beneficiaries, Chik Yu Sin, a graduate of Hong Chi Pinehill School with moderate intellectual disabilities, and her mother, Kuk Sau Lan, met the designated team from the Hong Chi District Support Centre N.T. (North District). They visited the newly opened hostels to get familiar with Yu Sin’s future living arrangements. The team also took care of Sau Lan, who has been hospitalized multiple times due to sickness. Senior Manager Jessica Lee assisted Sau Lan in applying for Care-On-Call Service, allowing her to seek help immediately if she feels unwell.

Yu Sin received daycare and life skills’ trainings at Hong Chi Wan Tau Tong Centre after graduation. To help her and Sau Lan adapt to the centre’s environment, the designated team brought them to the centre and introduced them to the transportation, training, and meals arrangements. To further help Yu Sin get along with members of the centre, instructor Ma Kit Mei joined Yu Sin in her trainings. In addition, she encouraged Yu Sin to engage in the centre’s activities to make new friends. Ms. Ma also shared with her colleagues about Yu Sin’s capabilities, preferences, personality, and special needs to make sure she received proper care. She even created a photo album for Yu Sin to make her feel happy and secure. Sau Lan praised the team for their thoughtful service, reassuring her about her daughter’s future after graduation.

Graduation not only marks the end of school life but also opens the door to new opportunities and breakthroughs. People with intellectual disabilities aspire to greater autonomy and exploration. The designated team for Hong Chi special school leavers will continue supporting them and their caregivers, paving the way for a fulfilling journey ahead.