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Social Welfare
to enable welfare NGOs to carry out social welfare projects. In 2014, 51 welfare NGOs obtained matching grants totalling over $62 million to implement 108 welfare projects.
Community Investment and Inclusion Fund
The Community Investment and Inclusion Fund (CIIF) is aiming to implement diversified social capital development projects in the community, promote trust and reciprocity between the public and different sectors, and build a cross-sectoral collaborative platform and mutual help network so as to build a caring Hong Kong. In 2014, the CIIF allocated around $28 million to 13 new projects, and about 122,000 project participants (including about 19,000 volunteers) and about 1,000 collaboration partners building about 400 mutual support networks were recruited by existing CIIF-funded projects.
Community Care Fund
The Community Care Fund (CCF) was established in 2011 to assist people facing economic difficulties, especially those who fall outside the social safety net or who are within the safety net but have special circumstances that are not covered. It has been integrated into the work of the Commission on Poverty (COP) since 2013. The CCF has launched 27 assistance programmes which have benefited over 870,000 people, involving a total commitment of over $4.757 billion. In addition, the CCF introduces programmes on a pilot basis to help the government identify those suitable for incorporation into the government's regular assistance programme. Ten programmes have been incorporated into the regular assistance programme so far.
Taking into account the views of the public and stakeholders, the CCF will, in collaboration with other task forces under the COP, draw up more programmes to help the underprivileged and low-income families.
Advisory Bodies
Elderly Commission
The Elderly Commission advises the government on policy and services for the elderly. It places emphasis on promoting 'active ageing' and advising on the means to enhance further long- term care services for the elderly. The commission is currently studying the feasibility of introducing a residential care service voucher scheme and formulating an Elderly Services Programme plan.
In the 2014-15 school year, 121 academies were operating under the Elder Academy Scheme (jointly launched by the commission and the government), with 114 in schools and the rest in tertiary education institutions.
At the community level, the Neighbourhood Active Ageing Project encourages care and love for elderly persons and reaches out to elderly people who are unfamiliar with the existing network of community support. From 2014 to 2016, 86 district projects are being carried out to encourage elderly people to participate in community activities and enhance neighbourhood support networks.
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