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SoCO - Society for Community Organisation

SoCO - Society for Community Organisation
Society for Community Organisation (SoCO) is a non-governmental and human rights advocacy group in Hong Kong. The group was founded in 1972 by church members. It is also financially supported by donations from various churches, overseas funding, the Community Chest and individuals. The group has organised community social actions and civic education programs in order to encourage the political participation of the population.
The number of people aged 65 and above in Hong Kong is expected to increase from 1.64 million in 2023 to 2.67 million in 2043, accounting for about 35 per cent of the population, according to official projections. Photo: Elson Li
Hong Kong economy

What experts say Hong Kong gets right and wrong in plan to tap ‘silver economy’

Blueprint a ‘good start’ but government can adopt more measures, such as flexible retirement age and insurance co-payment for employers hiring older workers.

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Hong Kong society

Hundreds of poor Hongkongers face cutbacks in essentials when handout ends: poll

Hong Kong healthcare and hospitals

Editorial | Hong Kong’s private hospitals must also be transparent

Hong Kong healthcare and hospitals

Call to toughen rules for reporting incidents at private hospitals in Hong Kong

Concerns arise after breakdown of air conditioning at St Teresa’s Hospital created condensation in operating theatres but incident from last July only now revealed.

St Teresa’s Hospital, a private facility in Kowloon City, confirmed to the Post the air-conditioning system for its operating theatres broke down on July 31 of last year. Photo: Edward Wong
Hong Kong society

Discovery of skeleton in flat reveals plight of Hong Kong’s ‘hidden elderly’

Experts warn that older residents who live alone and have no family care need more timely support.

Hong Kong housing

Hong Kong groups, subdivided-flat tenants seek changes to proposed regulations

Public consultation on proposed regulatory system for subdivided flats ended on Monday.

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Hong Kong housing

60% of Hongkongers in subdivided flats say proposed minimum too small: poll

Society for Community Organisation says government should factor in household size in effort to eradicate substandard homes.

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Hong Kong has 110,000 subdivided flats and is now seeking to weed out low-quality homes by only allowing those meeting certain criteria to remain on the market as “basic housing units”. Photo: Elson Li
Hong Kong housing

16-year wait for Hong Kong public housing? Singles under 60 slam policies

‘Is being single a sin,’ asks one resident, who is among those saying they are being left behind by focus on families and elderly.

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Hong Kong housing

93% of children in Hong Kong subdivided flats have spinal issues: survey

Children not having proper desks to do homework is the main reason for problems, Society for Community Organisation says.

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Hong Kong housing

Why are some Hong Kong subdivided housing tenants turning down temporary flats?

Society for Community Organisation, subdivided housing tenants urge authorities to offer alternative flats that fit needs of relocated residents.

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Wong Chi-kong has turned down an offer of temporary government housing because the estate is too remote from the rest of the city. Photo: Elson Li
Hong Kong society

Flushing food waste down the toilet? Hong Kong’s poor predict rubbish fee chaos

Society for Community Organisation poll finds quarter say they may flush food waste down toilet and more than half say will avoid taking out trash every day.

Household waste is collected at the Wing Hing Street Refuse Collection Point in Tin Hau. The waste charging scheme will take effect in August after being delayed from April. Photo: Yik Yeung-man
Hong Kong society

Call to ease A&E ward wait time, improve carer support for Hong Kong elderly

Elderly residents attending event organised by Society for Community Organisation recount difficulties they face in trying to book emergency medical services.

Hong Kong society

Early Christmas for children in need, but Hong Kong’s SoCO says it’s struggling

Youngsters get gifts from Society for Community Organisation, which has handed out more than 40,000 Christmas presents over past 20 years.

Hong Kong economy

Help for needy as Hong Kong power firms set to reveal tariff plans for 2024

CLP Power says it will budget HK$70 million to support low-income families in 2024 while HK Electric has earmarked HK$55 million for initiatives.

Hong Kong’s two power companies supply different parts of the city. Photo: Edmond So
Hong Kong housing

‘75% of Hongkongers in low-income district raise hygiene, building safety concerns’

NGO poll also finds less than 7 per cent of residents in Sham Shui Po satisfied with government inspection efforts following spate of incidents involving falling concrete.

The Society for Community Organisation has released the results from a survey of residents in Sham Shui Po. Photo: Harvey Kong
John Lee

Hong Kong leader vows to focus on housing, land supply and tackle subdivided flats

Chief Executive John Lee visits family of four in subdivided flat in Yuen Long, the second stop of his community visits aimed at gauging public opinion.

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Hong Kong healthcare and hospitals

Healthcare specialists cool to expanded Hong Kong elderly voucher scheme

More publicity is needed, as most elderly people don’t know about latest four services added to list, professionals say.

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Hong Kong housing

Walled City ex-resident turns to Hong Kong court over public housing denial

Retiree files application for judicial review over policy barring him from public housing after he accepted compensation 30 years ago when his flat was demolished.

Retiree Hui, 74, will take the government to court after filing a judicial review. Photo: Yik Yeung-man
Hong Kong society

Hong Kong elderly suffering depression and anxiety, survey finds

Half of city’s lower-income elderly have moderate to severe depression or anxiety, poll finds.

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Hong Kong economy

Power bill cuts not enough to help Hong Kong Island’s poorest residents: NGO

HK Electric to cut surcharge by 15.5 per cent over January levels as global fuel prices fall, but Sze Lai-shan of Society for Community Organisation says more relief needed for residents living in subdivided flats.

Hong Kong weather

Hong Kong heat prompts rush for air conditioners but poorest still swelter

Society for Community Organisation warns hot weather brings increased strain on low-income households.

Papabo, a platform that connects customers with home repair workers, says the recent heatwave has triggered “tremendous growth” in air-conditioner job requests. Photo: Edmond So
Hong Kong society

Hong Kong’s single-parent cross-border families in daily struggle for food

Nearly 80 per cent of survey respondents said they could not afford enough food for each of the three daily meals.

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Lan Qiying (second right) tells a SoCO press conference about the hardships she and her daughter have faced. Photo: Jonathan Wong
Hong Kong housing

Underprivileged youth call for Hong Kong to tackle housing crisis, boost handouts

NGO poll of 5,000 youngsters rates government performance as 19 out of 100, with respondents saying housing shortage is top concern.

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Hong Kong housing

Hong Kong housing authorities must supply transitional homes, says group

Society for Community Organisation announces transitional housing project under a five-year lease in the industrial district of Kwai Chung.

Hong Kong social distancing

Isolated by Covid-19 entry rules, elderly Hongkongers worry about app changes

Thousands of elderly people do not own a smartphone or are clueless about coping with pandemic digital checks.

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Social workers have expressed concerns that elderly residents will be left behind if the government updates the “Leave Home Safe” app. Photo: Sam Tsang
Hong Kong housing

Hong Kong housing chief vows to locate more land for transitional homes

Secretary for Housing Winnie Ho made the remarks following visit to subdivided flats and ‘cage homes’ in Sham Shui Po.

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Secretary for Housing Winnie Ho visits ‘cage homes’. Photo: Handout
Hong Kong housing

Advocacy group calls for tougher rent controls to protect Hong Kong’s poorest

Society for Community Organisation appeals to government to put caps on rent levels to ease the problem.

Hong Kong society

Nearly 1 in 4 young Hongkongers from low-income families ‘lying flat’: survey

Findings show 23 per cent of 100 young people polled have taken to lying flat, but three in five respondents do not want to do so and some say working hard can bring hope.

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