LU joins Jockey Club Age-Friendly City Project to train elderly ambassadors and promote the scheme

In response to the challenges and opportunities of an ageing population, The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust has worked with Lingnan University’s Asia-Pacific Institute of Ageing Studies (APIAS) and three other gerontology research institutes in Hong Kong since 2015 to implement their six-year Jockey Club Age-Friendly City Project.

The objectives of the project are to assess the age-friendliness of each of the 18 districts, to gather momentum in developing an age-friendly community, and to recommend a framework for districts to undertake continual improvement in the well-being of senior citizens, as well as to arouse public awareness, and encourage community participation in building an age-friendly city.

For the project, the team at APIAS has recruited and trained a number of AFC ambassadors from the islands, Tsuen Wan, Tuen Mun and Yuen Long, who are keen to serve their own communities and make an impact on others with their positive attitudes.

Among them is Mr Chan Kue Ting from Yuen Long, who says: “To me, age is no barrier. Many elderly people are energetic and capable.”

The 68-year-old appreciates the opportunity and the experience of studying at Lingnan University. “I never thought that I would study at university. When I was young I didn't receive much education. Now I know what ‘age-friendly’ means, and am equipped with home modification skills." To him, studying at Lingnan and learning new things are very refreshing, and that’s why he attended all the classes.

“We apply what we learned to improve the community. We can help others, as well as ourselves. This is my biggest takeaway from the project,” he said.

To date, the project has trained over 2,500 ambassadors. In 2017-2020, the Trust has approved 128 district-based programmes organised by nearly 80 NGOs and community organisations with a total funding of about $26.2 million, directly benefiting nearly 110,000 older people and the general public.

Watch the following videos for more stories about the ambassadors.

Mr Chan Kue Ting

Mr Lau Pui Yuk

Ms Lam Tsz Fong

Ms Lee Shiu Fong and Mr Cho Yu Man