St. James’ Settlement Nam Cheong Community Living Room Commences Services Offers Homelike Spaces and Community Support for Subdivided Unit Households

Operated by St. James’ Settlement and funded by the Community Care Fund, with venue support from Henderson Land Development Company Limited, the Nam Cheong Community Living Room Project (‘The Project’) officially launched on 29 August, 2024. Officiating guests included Mr. Eric Chan, Chief Secretary for Administration, Mr. Chris Sun, Secretary for Labour and Welfare, Dr. Martin Lee, Chairman of Henderson Land Group, Mrs. Cathy Chui Lee, Mr. Brian Li, Vice Chairman of St. James' Settlement’s Executive Committee, Ms. Alice Lau, Permanent Secretary for Labour and Welfare, and Ms. Charmaine Lee, Director of Social Welfare Department.

The Project, which commenced trial operations in early July, adopts a community engagement model under the theme "Family+". In addition to creating a home-like interactive space for users, it aims to extend their living spaces through various areas to alleviate the living conditions of subdivided units’ households, such as the community lounge “Break+", community kitchen "Delicious+", community dining room "Appetite+" and children's play area "Creative+". By late August, there are nearly 300 members.

During the ceremony, officiating guests unveiled the backdrop symbolizing community engagement approach by placing props represent different areas of The Nam Cheong Community Living Room which were named by Sham Shui Po residents, to create a complete mural-like backdrop.

Co-creating the community with users

By adopting the community engagement approach, the Project emphasizes users’ engagement. The “Knowledge+” area features a 11 feet wide community map of Sham Shui Po, allowing users to share information about local restaurants and social service points and other community resources. This fosters a platform for mutual aid and sharing, extending living spaces from subdivided units thorough the community living room to the broader community.

 Diverse Activities to Support Users

In addition to providing space and facilities, the Project offers a variety of activities including after-school care programme, initiatives promoting mental and physical health in collaboration with Sham Shui Po District Health Centre, and stress relief activities to support needs of users. SJS’s social workers would also provide case counselling services for families with risk factors and make timely referrals to community resources.

The project team continues to reach out to residents of subdivided units through street stands and home visits to encourage them to join the programme. They will also invite users to become community ambassadors and encourage them to give back to the community through voluntary services. By building a support network and enhancing social capital for sustainable community development, the resilience of subdivided flat residents will be uplifted, and the project will further inject new momentum into the Sham Shui Po district.

Information of the St. James’ Settlement Nam Cheong Community Living Room Project