St. James' Settlement
Company typeNon-profit organisation
IndustryCharity
Founded1949
HeadquartersHong Kong
Websitehttp://www.sjs.org.hk/

St. James’ Settlement (SJS; Chinese: 聖雅各福群會) is a charitable organization in Hong Kong with more than 60 years of history. It provides continuing care, family and counselling, rehabilitation, youth and community centre services. It aims at helping the needy to cope with social challenges.

Background

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History

It was founded by the Rt. Rev. Bishop R.O. Hall of the Anglican Church as a club for children in 1949. It was originally a temple in Stone Nullah Lane, Wanchai. In 1963, it was rebuilt to a six-storey building and started to extend its service group to teenagers, the elderly and those with mental health problems. In 1987, Eastern Clinic and the office of the Civil Defence Corps were rebuilt to today's headquarter of the St. James' Settlement in Stone Nullah Lane. It is a multi-service community centre and the scope of services was further extended. After the Central and Western District Elderly Community Center was opened in 1991, different service centers developed and located along the North coast of Hong Kong Island. Currently, there are more than 20 service units located in Hong Kong Island and Tin Shui Wai with over 800 staff in the organization.

Values

  1. Being a Christian organization, it provides services based on the principle of Care, Respect, Fairness, Striking for excellence and Customer service
  2. Opportunities are of vital importance for everyone to develop their own unique talents.
  3. Facilitate the caring function of family as it is the primary caring unit in society
  4. Employees are highly respected and the understanding between employees and the organization will not be hurdled because of the difference in hierarchy
  5. Matters are tackled without prejudice, regardless of who are involved, what the matter is concerned and where the matter is happened
  6. Being a social organization, it has the obligation to serve society

Mission

  1. Provide thorough social services with high quality which follow the Christian principles so as to cope with various needs from different social groups, helping people in need and assist them to stand on their own feet and cultivate the harmony and integration of society
  2. Understand manifold needs of society and respond to society's changes effectively and appropriately in order to satisfy social needs by arrange and implement services and to establish an elitist and pioneering reputation in the field of social services
  3. Aware of the social service development across the Hong Kong boundary for the sake of learning from each other and to seek collaboration opportunities
  4. Provide venues and facilities for the training of social work students and workers


Organizational Structure

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St James' Settlement organizational structure.
St James' Settlement organizational structure.


Funding

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There are various channels for St. James' Settlement to collect funds.

  1. the Anglican Church
  2. Government subsidization
  3. Donations from organizations in Hong Kong, for example:
    1. The Community Chest of Hong Kong
    2. Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust
  4. Donations from individuals in Hong Kong and overseas, in the following forms
    1. Residues of inheritance
    2. Part of inheritance
    3. Transference of specific property or wealth
    4. Listing the organization as the beneficiary of life insurance policy
    5. General donors
  5. Investment and Interests
  6. Grants
  7. Dues and fees

Charity Projects

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Electrical Appliances for the Elderly Program

Electrical Appliances for the Elderly Program, targeting elderly reside in all three main territories of Hong Kong namely Hong Kong Island, Kowloon and New Territories, is a program to improve quality of life of elderly, to ensure household safefy of the elderly and to care for the abandoned elderly.

Beneficiaries must satisfy all of the following 4 criteria: (1) Being age 60 or above (2) Facing financial difficulties (3) Living alone or only with spouse (4) Being unaided

Welfare materials given out includes domestic electrical applications, for example electric fan, rice cooker, electric water boiler/pot, radio, TV set, fridge, washing machine, water heater etc.

Applications can be submitted to St. James’ Settlement directly, or through any social welfare organizations. The volunteers are located all over 3 major territories of Hong Kong. Each application will be processed within 3 weeks upon submission.

In processing applications, SJS will first examine the case of elderly. SJS will then check the availability of requested appliances. After that, SJS will reply to related organizations / parties. Lastly, SJS Volunteer workers will deliver and install the items for the elderly, if necessary.


Services

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Continuing Care It is started in September 1967. Its target service group in the senior citizen in Waichai.

Family and Counseling Services It is started in 1971. Its target service group in family members who has encounter various difficulties.

Youth Services It is started in August 2001. Its target service group in the adolescent in society

Community Centre Services It is started in September 1987. Its target service group is all the residents living in Wan Chai.

Rehabilitation Services It is started in 1973. Its target service group in the disabled in the society.

Corporate Venture It is started in June 2003. Its target service group is all citizens in Hong Kong.


Reference

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Category:Charities based in Hong Kong