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Social Welfare

delivery enhancement studies. In 2017, about $171 million was approved for 124 NGOs to implement such projects.

Partnership Fund for the Disadvantaged

The Partnership Fund for the Disadvantaged promotes cross-sectoral collaboration in social welfare projects by providing grants that match donations made by businesses. A portion of the fund is dedicated to providing matching grants to implement more after-school learning and support programmes for primary and secondary students from grassroots families. In 2017, this fund allocated about $35 million for 49 welfare NGOs and schools to implement 75 welfare projects.

Community Investment and Inclusion Fund

The Community Investment and Inclusion Fund finances diversified social capital development projects, promotes trust and reciprocity among the public and various sectors, and builds cross- sectoral collaborative platforms and mutual help networks for a caring Hong Kong. In 2017, it allocated $60.55 million to 28 new projects. Ongoing projects recorded about 113,500 participants, including about 20,200 volunteers, and about 1,020 collaboration partners. Together, they built about 160 mutual support networks.

Community Care Fund

The Community Care Fund helps people with financial difficulties, especially those who fall outside the social safety net or who are within the safety net but still have special circumstances that are not covered. As at end-2017, the fund had 24 assistance programmes operating under its auspices, with a commitment of around $4.5 billion benefiting about 250,000 cases. These included pilot programmes introduced to help the government identify measures that could be considered for incorporation into its regular assistance and service programmes. Twelve such programmes have been incorporated into the government's regular assistance programmes since the fund was set up in 2011.

Child Development Fund

The Child Development Fund provides children from disadvantaged backgrounds with personal development opportunities. Through the fund's projects, operated by either NGOs or schools, participants draw up and implement their own development plans under guidance and learn to accumulate savings and intangible assets, such as a positive attitude, personal resilience and social networks, thus helping their long-term development. In 2017, there were 54 ongoing NGO-run projects and 34 school-based projects, of which 11 school-based projects involving more than 600 new participants were launched in the year.

Advisory Bodies

Social Welfare Advisory Committee

The Social Welfare Advisory Committee reviews social welfare services and advises the government on all matters of social welfare policy. In 2017, the committee offered advice to the government on social welfare initiatives announced in the January and October Policy

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