New Immigrants Project

New immigrants develop on an equal ground and work together for Hong Kong

When Hong Kong created the miracle in the past, it was a success story of a new immigrant society. But today, new immigrant women come to Hong Kong with their kids to reunite with their husbands for a family reunion. After coming to Hong Kong, they must not only adapt to the new environment and culture, but also faced with differentiated policies and social discrimination, the road ahead is rugged and development is hindered.

The equality of human beings is the human rights concept that SoCO has always believed. We assist new immigrants to set up mutual support groups, follow up on the difficulties of new immigrants in education, housing, employment, economic hardship, reunion and social integration, and seek to eliminate discrimination through policy change which safeguarding the equal opportunities for new immigrants. SoCO also trains new immigrant women and children to understand their rights and obligations, to be self-reliant and self-sufficient in society and to develop their own strengths.

Data (2017)

New immigration myths and facts in comparison

The following is the information circulating by the society on new immigrants and the actual data from the government. It can be seen that there is great difference:

Our service

Enhancement policy

Organize new immigrant families to jointly promote policy improvement, including: family reunion, immigration, housing, education, economy, employment, anti-discrimination, women’s rights, etc. Constantly sustain equal opportunities for new immigrants. Research is conducted regularly on the needs and difficulties and feasible policies for new immigrants.

Training and empowerment

In 1995, SoCO organized new immigrant families to form new immigrant support groups, organized new immigrants to fight for their rights, established mutual help networks, mutual support and serve the society. Currently, there are over 10,000 members. Members will elect a volunteer groups to lead the members every three years, and set up groups of more than ten different policy groups.

Support and development

• Life Guide and assistance in integrating into Hong Kong

Follow up on the needs every member, provide guides and consulting services for reunion, housing, admission, employment, and economic improvement. It also provides adaptation courses to enable new immigrants to understand basic Hong Kong laws, human rights, social culture, community services, etc., to help new immigrants integrate into Hong Kong as soon as possible.

• Employment support services

Provide employment and training guidance and seminars, child care services for new immigrant families.

• Community Economic Project

For those women who are unable to find employment because of their children, SoCO can provide various community economic projects that women can work at home or work flexibly. Through these projects, new immigrants can develop their own strengths, and they can also establish a mutual network. Current projects include: Amber DIY, Jewelry DIY, Leather Bag Class, Cooperative with Les Beatitudes (https://www.lesbeatitudes.com/) DIY (https://www.soco.org.hk/womenexh/index.htm) . The development of community services, including: women’s clinic escort team, women’s after school pick up team, etc., women earn a allowance to help families get rid of poverty

• All-round support for poverty alleviation services

In 2012, under the auspices of the Chow Tai Fook Charitable Foundation, the Association established a new community centre in Fuk Wah Street, Sham Shui Po. In addition to serving grassroots children, the Centre also provides free community resource referrals, information presentations, job matching, employment skills training, child care, community economic planning, emotional counseling, discipline and emotional control, etc. for exit-entry permit visitors, quasi-immigrants, new immigrants and permanent residents. Concurrently, the Chow Tai Fook Charitable Foundation has set up a fund to support the new Immigrant or grassroots women employment to keep them out of poverty.

• Lifelong learning

Provide different long-term study courses and information for new immigrants, and encourage new immigrants to strive for lifelong learning.

Mutual Help

• Member Network

Provide members benefits and build a mutual help network to help them improve their quality of life.

• Women Volunteer Team

Organize new immigrant women to volunteer and help manage SoCO community learning center. The learning center is open every day and assists thousands of poor families and children every year. In addition, it provides free community consultation services for new immigrants and grassroots families to help liaise with members, visit elderly people and give out donated materials.