2005/2006

Chairman's Foreword
For 50 years the Hong Kong Society for the Blind has been working with the blind and visually impaired in Hong Kong. During that time, from its humble beginnings in 1956 as a provider of vocational training for the blind in Hong Kong, the Society has expanded its role to provide comprehensive general eye and low vision services, rehabilitation, residential and educational services, orientation and mobility training and employment opportunities, among others.

For the first three decades of its existence, the Society had to rely to a considerable extent on expert advice and funding being provided by overseas organizations, including the Christoffel Blinden Mission in Germany, the Perkins School for the Blind in USA and Sightsavers International (or the Royal Commonwealth Society for the Blind as it then was) in Britain, to all of which we are most grateful. However, over the years, funding support from Hong Kong sources, including the Hong Kong Government, the Community Chest of Hong Kong and the Hong Kong Jockey Club, has grown substantially so that reliance on overseas organizations has been gradually reduced.

IThe improvements in the economic and social conditions in Hong Kong over the years has meant that in addition to caring for the blind and visually impaired in Hong Kong, we have been able to provide training and other assistance to countries in the Asian region and so pass on the expertise we have acquired to others in need.

The first 50 years have been remarkable. I look forward to reaching our centenary in 2056 with the earnest hope that with the continuing advances in science, particularly in medicine, treatable blindness will become a thing of the past. However, for those in need, the Society will do its best, to help in every way possible to ensure that they become full participants in Hong Kong's vibrant society.

Clive Oxley

Chairman
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Chief Executive 's Report
The Golden Jubilee is a time to celebrate, reflect, and plan ahead. To celebrate, The Society has organized a series of activities to commemorate this important year: the Mobile Eye Treatment Centre Review Seminar held in July, the 12th International Mobility Conference (IMC) held in November, and the launching of the First International Blind Marathon: Beijing-Hong Kong to be held in October 2007. These events have special implications to the Society. The 12th IMC is the first of the conference to be held in an Asian city. The Mobile Eye Treatment Centre was first initiated and organized by the Society and the Asian Foundation for the Prevention of Blindness (AFPB) in 1996. The project has proven to be a good success. It is expected that at the end of 2007, there will be 15 Mobile Eye Treatment Centres operating in China, providing low cost to free cataract surgeries to over 30,000 patients annually. The First International Blind Marathon (Beijing - Hong Kong) is a bold attempt to raise community and international awareness on needs, opportunities, and potentials of people with visual impairment. The event comprises fifteen marathons in fifteen consecutive days in fifteen cities in China, starting in Beijing and ending in Hong Kong. This will be the largest scale blind marathon ever organized. The task is difficult and the logistics very complicated. These activities mirror some current characteristics of the Society :
1) internationally connected, 
2) wide spectrum of services provision, 
3) recognized as one of the reputable organizations in the region and 
4) the willingness to launch pioneer projects and programmes for the benefit of its serving clients.

The Golden Jubilee is also the moment that we should pause a while to reflect on the growth path of the Society, evaluate our current position, and to base on the experience gained, look ahead on available opportunities and map out the direction that the Society would proceed forward in order to provide the most appropriate services to people with visual impairment. I have the privilege to witness the 20th, 30th, 40th, and 50th anniversaries of the Society. In reviewing the defining moments, or the mile-stones of the Society, I realize that there are five pillars that the success of the Society is rested upon.? These pillars are:

1) Government support; 
2) support from the community; 
3) international experience and contribution; 
4) committed leadership and 
5) a team of dedicated and experienced staff.

In our journey of continued growth and service improvement, it is important to assure that these supporting pillars remain strong so that our services can meet with the different challenges ahead and be prepared for the unexpected.

1. Government Support

The Hong Kong Government has been the most important staunch supporter of the Society' service for fifty years. All our current service buildings are made possible with the generous land grant from the Government. Through the Lotteries Fund grant and policy support of our other funding applications, the Government contributed many of the construction costs of our buildings and most of the furniture and equipment of our subvented service units, and has been most helpful with the regular maintenance and improvement of these facilities. The Government has always been the major resources of our recurrent income. The Hong Kong SAR Government currently provides 60 percent of the Society' recurrent expenses. Even though the Government' new lump sum grant allocation system and the new Service Quality Standards monitoring system has caused great stress to the Society, it is imperative that the Society continues to maintain a harmonious partnership relationship with the Hong Kong SAR Government. In this regard, the Society has striven to improve existing services to meet with or exceed the agreed standards, and to maintain regular contacts and dialogues with the Government on important policies that would enhance opportunities for people with visual impairment.

1.1 IMPROVEMENT OF SERVICES

It has been the tradition and culture of the Society to expand and improve our services in order to meet with the clients' service demand. Such expansion eventually becomes part of the Society' regular service. One good example is the General Eye and Low Vision Clinic. Continued increase in service demand and the corresponding service expansion is the major impetus and motivation behind the construction of the new East Wing Headquarters building. Although capacity of our subvented services is currently governed by the Services and Funding Agreement, we manage to improve quality of services through improvement of equipment and facilities and continued staff training. Such tradition enables the Society to maintain mutual trusting relationships with the Government. Highlights of service improvement for the subvented units in the year 2005/06 are as follows:

1.1.1 Residential Services Division

1.1.1.1 Integrated Motor Rehabilitation Training for People with Multiple Disabilities at Morning Glory DAC cum Hostel

The Integrated Motor Rehabilitation Training Programme for adults with visual impairment and mental handicap was completed with establishment of the Scented Garden and the Adventure Park, thanks to the generous donation from the Morning Glory DAC cum Hostel Parents Association. Situated on the third floor of the open terraces, different scented and colourful plants and flowers are planted in the Scented Garden. It is also equipped with a fish pond, water fountain with splashing water, and pebble stone floor with different textures. The Adventure Garden, located on the fourth floor terrace, is an outdoor physical exercise area. Together with the adjacent in-door multi-sensory training room and the physiotherapy Room, the integrated motor rehabilitation approach complete sensory-motor training for our clients with multiple disabilities. Such training enhances their gross motor coordination, which in turn improves their self-competence and self-confidence.

1.1.1.2 Staff Training Programmes

The Society has always encouraged staff to attend relevant training courses organized by the Social Welfare Department, the Hong Kong Council of Social Service, the Tertiary Education Institutes and other professional organizations. In addition, in-house staff training programmes were organized to ensure the provision of quality services. Some examples were: Occupational Health and Safety and the Manual Handling and Transfer of Bed-bound and Wheelchair-bound Patients Training Courses organized by the Physiotherapists Team, and Handling Skills of Demented Aged Blind by the Dementia Care Team. Outside trainers were also invited. For example, Mr Stephen Sun of the City University and Ms Gloria Tsang, a Music Therapist, conducted a one-day Workshop on Handling of Depression for the Elderly and Music Therapy for the Dementia Clients respectively in July 2005. Dietitians had been invited to give talks on food nutrition and diet.

1.1.2 Rehabilitation Services Division

1.1.2.1 Improvement of Braille Production Procedures

With increased educational opportunities for people with visual impairment, demand for braille textbooks has increased significantly, especially for mathematics and science textbooks. In 2005/06, the Centralized Braille Production Centre (CBPC) produced 15,000 master sheets of tactile diagram. Such production would have been impossible without acquisition of the Tiger Pro Tactile Diagram Embosser. To ensure textbooks are delivered on time despite increasing demand, CBPC has strived to further streamline the work procedures in order to reduce as much bottleneck as possible. With the generous donation from Canon Hongkong Company Limited, CBPC has successfully acquired its own colour A3 duplex document scanner in 2005, just in time for the peak season. The scanner significantly reduced the scanning lead-time and increased production efficiency.

Transcription of musical Braille has always been a difficult task. After several years of conferring with Dancing Dots in the U.S. on organising a Goodfeel braille music translation workshop in Hong Kong, it was at last actualised in July 2005. The Dancing Dots Workshop * music scanning editing and automatic braille music transcription using GOODFEEL was successfully held from 11 to 15 July 2005. Other than getting hands-on experience on the procedures and understand its strength and limitation, participants could also discuss how best to make use of the programmes to assist in the braille music transcription.

1.2 REGULAR CONTACTS AND DIALOGUES

All related staff of the Society actively participated in external committees to communicate our views on how services provision to people with visual impairment could be improved. Staff of the Consultancy Services and Rehabilitation Division for example, were actively involved in the Consultancy Study for the review of the *Design Manual: Barrier Free Access 1997*. In regard to the 2005 Review on Rehabilitation Programme Plan, trainees and staff of the Society attended the Review Forum held in November 2005. The undersigned also served on the Rehabilitation Programme Plan Review Committee to contribute information and ideas on services for people with visual impairment.

Relevant Government Officials were invited to attend ceremonies for significant events of the Society. They included: Ms Elsie Leung, the former Secretary for Justice, Mrs Rita Fan, President of the Legislative Council to officiate at the Charity Walk in November 2003. Mr Henry Tang, Financial Secretary, officiated at the Charity Concert held in Baptist University in January 2005. Mr. Paul Tang, Director of Social Welfare Department, kindly officiated at the opening ceremony of our "Let There Be Light" Charity Walk held in November 2005 and the 10th Mobile Eye Treatment Centre Annual Seminar held in June 2006. Dr. York Chow Yat-ngok, Secretary for Health Welfare and Food, officiated at the Kick-off Ceremony of the Territory-wide Mobile Exhibition held in New Town Plaza in January 2006. All these contacts facilitated the understanding of Government officials on the Society's current work and helped develop a better relationship.

2. Support from the Community

Continued support from the community is indispensable for the Society to maintain its current level of service provision, and to continue to adapt its service to meet with the needs of people with visual impairment. Three categories of community support are currently assisting the Society including the Charitable Trusts, the Caring Companies, and the Volunteers.

2.1 THE CHARITABLE TRUSTS

The Charitable Trusts are instrumental in the Society's services provision.? Their essential resources have enabled the Society to provide extra services beyond the scope supported by the Government, and to launch pioneer services to meet with the changing services demand of our clients. The Society has been blessed with the support of many charitable trusts which can be reflected in the list of acknowledgements. Among the many charitable trusts that have helped the Society, four charitable trusts have been very supportive to the Society for decades: 1) the Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust; 2) the Community Chest of Hong Kong; 3) the HSBC International Trustee Limited; and 4) the Standard Chartered Bank Community Foundation.

2.1.1 The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust (HKJCCT)

The HKJCCT literally financed all major construction costs of the Society buildings, including the current two Headquarters buildings, the Jockey Club Tuen Mun Home for the Aged Blind, the Factory for the Blind, and the Yuen Long Home for the Aged Blind. For more than twenty years, the HKJCCT has provided regular recurrent support to enable the Society to provide additional services not supported by the Government.? With change of funding policies, the HKJCCT supported the "Let There Be Light Project" since April 2005. With this support, the former Career Support and Development Centre has been reorganized into the Career Development, Training and Public Education Centre to enable us to reach out proactively to the community at large to promote needs and potentials of people with visual impairment and to provide the necessary training on eye care, proper communication and correct attitude in interaction with people with visual impairment. Opportunities are created for the community to experience some of the daily tasks undertaken by people with visual impairment, such as dining in the dark, walking in the dark, etc.

2.1.2 The Community Chest of Hong Kong

Support from the Community Chest enabled us to provide the needed services in Community-based Rehabilitation, the Deaf-Blind Project, the Employment Services, the Technical Aids and Appliances Services, additional services in the Information Accessibility Centre (formerly known as the Communication Department), employment of additional Braille Production Officers and additional social work services in the Factory for the Blind. Support from the Community Chest has been reduced in recent years due to unfavourable economic climate and at the same time, the Society is requested to be more accountable to the service outputs and allocation of resources. With the concerted efforts of our team of dedicated staff, the Society has managed the situation successfully. We would continue our tradition to maximize our resources in provision of best quality services in the years ahead.

2.1.3 The HSBC International Trustee Limited

The HSBC International Trustee Limited and the many charitable trusts under its management, have been the major supporter of many of the Society's pioneer projects, both in Hong Kong and in China. Some of the more recent projects include: the Daisy Project supported by the Hong Kong Bank Foundation; the Education Resource Centres for Integrated Higher Education in Changchun University in China in 2005, the Education Resource Centre for Integrated Education for Visually Impaired Children in Nanjing School for the Blind in 2005, and the five-year Ophthalmologists Training Courses in China since 2001, all supported by the Drs. Richard Charles and Esther Yewpick Lee Charitable Foundation through the HSBC International Trustee Limited.

The Van Zuiden Charity Trust under the management of the HSBC Trustee (Hong Kong) Limited is another long time supporter of the Society. In the past 10 years, the Van Zuiden Charity Trust has contributed towards the building costs of the Tuen Mun Home for the Aged Blind, the East Wing headquarters, the establishment of the Tuen Mun Health Massage & Treatment Centre, Tuen Mun General Eye & Low Vision Clinic and the Yuen Long General Eye & Low Vision Clinic. In 2005/06, the Van Zuiden Charity Trust supported the purchase of five Lock-stitching Machines, one Embroidery Machine and one Hot-Stamping Machine of the Factory for the Blind that allowed the Factory to improve and expand business in the Sewing and Paper Box Sections. The Trust also funded the purchase of some equipment for the Deaf-Blind Service in 2006.

2.1.4 The Standard Chartered Bank Community Foundation

The Standard Chartered Bank Community Foundation has been supporting pioneer projects of the Society in China since the late 1980s, when the Foundation supported the Society's prevention of blindness initiative in China through sponsoring medical teams to carry out cataract surgeries in the remote areas. The Foundation jointly organized prevention of blindness activities on the World Sight Day through the Bank's "Seeing is Believing Project". In 2005, the Bank also assisted in approaching one of its clients to donate a Mobile Eye Treatment Centre to the Province of Hebei.

2.2 THE CARING COMPANIES

The Society has established long term and mutually beneficial relationships with many companies. The companies provided the much needed manpower resources and financial support to enable the Society to organize additional services and mass events, while the Society provided meaningful opportunities for staff of the companies to experience team spirit, leadership training, and event organisation activities. The Society's partnership with The Sun Hung Kai Properties Ltd. is one good example of such mutual cooperation. The Sun Hung Kai Properties Ltd. has been very generous in allowing the Society to use its shopping arcades for exhibition and mass events free of charge. In the past few years, volunteer teams from the Sun Hung Kai Properties Ltd. participated in almost all the Society's major mass events, such as the "Let There Be Light" Charity Walk, the Mobile Eye Treatment Centre Exhibition, Barrier Free Access Facilities Exhibition, etc. The cooperation of the Society with Asia Works on organization of the "Let There Be Light" Charity Walk in November 2005 is another fine example. Senior members of the Asiaworks actively involved in the organization process, while members work actively in the fund raising endeavour and participated in the Charity Walk event. As a result, the event raised over $1.3 million after deduction of all expenses, and all participants enjoyed a very meaningful experience. Also we had good cooperation with the Lions Clubs International District 303 for two charity concerts, with Lions Club of Happy Valley for the Sight Restoration Campaign with good fund-raising results.

2.3 VOLUNTEERS

Volunteers have been an important component of the Society's service provision. Their invaluable contribution of time and resources is the major impetus that keeps the Society moving forward. The enthusiasm and dedication of the volunteers are good encouragement to the Society's staff. Volunteers' participation confirms our belief that our services are meaningful, worthwhile, and beneficial to our serving clients. In the past year, the Society has dedicated much to enlarge our pool of volunteers. Some of the examples are as follows:

2.3.1 Volunteer Movement to Promote Community Networking and Social Integration

Since 2004, the Residential Services Division launched the "Brighten Our Heart" volunteer training programme to recruit new volunteers and to refresh caring skills of the existing members. In 2005, two recreational programmes for enhancing motivation and interpersonal relationships of the existing volunteers were organized in June and December respectively. New volunteers training programme was conducted in the summer of 2005 to recruit new volunteers. In 2005, about 80 new volunteers had been recruited for the Residential Services Division. The total number of volunteers increased to 419 at the end of March 2006. More than half of them had provided services to the different aged homes and the Morning Glory DAC cum Hostel during the year 2005/06.

2.3.2 Establishment of Volunteer Coordinating Committee

Chaired by the Director of Rehabilitation, the Volunteer Coordinating Committee was established in January 2006. The Committee would devise strategies to streamline the volunteer recruitment, training, and service process. The objectives are to identify interesting and meaningful training and volunteering opportunities for our volunteers so that they can serve as the Society's ambassadors to attract more volunteers. Plans are made to form the "Friends of Let There Be Light" Club to maintain regular contacts, information exchange, and opportunities for involvement in various services and projects, both locally and in China, with our volunteers.

3. International Experience and Contribution

Many of the Society's current services were founded with the help from international experts. For example, the Rehabilitation & Training Centre and the Communication Departments were formed with advice and assistance of Ms Susan McGrath seconded by the American Foundation for the Blind for two years in 1973 and 1974. The General Eye and Low Vision Clinic was established in 1985 with advice and assistance from Dr. Alan Johnson from the University of Melbourne, Australia. The first-ever Massage Training Course for the Blind was made possible in 1989 with the support from the China Disabled Persons' Federation who continued to send massage teachers to Hong Kong in the past 15 years. As services continued to develop, international experience and knowledge are essential to upkeep the quality of services and to ensure that the best possible services are provided. Currently, the Society has been developed into one of the leading organizations in services to people with visual impairment in the region. A well-connected international relationship becomes more important if the Society were to keep abreast of the latest services and technological development to maintain our current status.? In this regard, the Society has participated actively in the areas of : 1) Involvement in International Committees and International Organisations, 2) Organising International Events, and 3) Attending Relevant International Conferences.

3.1 INVOLVEMENTS IN INTERNATIONAL COMMITTEES AND INTERNATIONAL ORGANISATIONS

Involvement in international committees and international organizations are indispensable to maintain a well-connected network and to acquire the latest information and advancement in services provision. Some of the more significant current involvement included: International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness (IAPB), International Council for Education of People with Visual Impairment (ICEVI), World Blind Union Asia Pacific Regional Massage Commission and the Asian Foundation for the Prevention of Blindness (AFPB).

3.2 ORGANISING INTERNATIONAL EVENTS

Organising international events is beneficial to the Society's services in several areas. It provides opportunities for maximum number of staff of the Society to exposure of the latest development in specific services areas and exchange knowledge and experience with international experts of all levels. It is an excellent occasion to promote the services of the Society and to provide opportunities for international experts to give their suggestions and comments on services of the Society for our further improvement. In the organizing process, different organizations in Hong Kong are pulled together to work cooperatively, which resulted in better relationship among the participating organizations and promote future cooperation.

3.3 ATTENDING RELEVANT INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCES

International conferences provide the forum for acquiring new knowledge, exchange of experience, and establishing new relationships with experts in the service area. In the recent years, staff of the Society also presented papers and service projects at international conferences. In the process, we are able to undertake a thorough evaluation of the project, which serves as the foundation for further improvement. For example, papers on evaluation of the Mobile Eye Treatment Centre Project and the project on Education Resource Centre for Integrated Higher Education for People with Visual Impairment were presented at the 12th ICEVI World Conference held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia in 2006.

4. Committed Leadership

The Society is blessed with a very capable and committed chairman and a group of very dedicated Council members. My predecessor, Rev. Karl Stumpf, was the Chairman of the Society in the sixties prior to his taking up the directorship in the early seventies. The foundation of the Society was formed and consolidated under his leadership: establishment of the Rehabilitation and Training Centre, Communication Department, General Eye and Low Vision Clinic, Yuen Long Home for the Aged Blind, Hostel for the Blind, Pokfulam Vocational Training Centre, and the West Wing of the Headquarters Building. Our current Chairman, Mr. Clive Oxley, has been elected Chairman of the Council since 1987. During his visionary leadership, the Society continued to grow and expand. The Hong Kong Jockey Club Tuen Mun Home for the Aged Blind and the East Wing of the Headquarters building were constructed under his superb leadership. Many of our Council members have served the Society for more than 10 years and there is little change in membership. Such leadership commitment provides stability and continuity, and at the same time, allows the Society to be more assertive and adventurous in striving for service excellence and weathers many storms because of the spirit of mutual trust, understanding, and comradeship built up over the years.

5. A Team of Dedicated and Committed Staff

Our team of dedicated and committed staff is instrumental in the Society's continued development despite resources restraint in recent years. The Society experienced significant reduced in funding support from the three major resources. The Government reduced its level of subvention while requesting increased output through Enhanced Productivity Programme (EPP). Subsequent to 2003/04, the Community Chest has imposed a further 15% cut of $674,000 in allocation. The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charity Trust switched its regular funding support to the Society into a Community Project Grant where the Society has to employ additional staff and develop new services to meet with the Project's performance indicators. With all of the above resources cut back, the Society recorded an operating surplus of $502,545 for the financial year ended 31 March 2006. This paradoxical phenomena of "higher service output with less resources" is made possible with our team of dedicated staff.

The Society has long recognized the importance of experienced and committed staff in quality service delivery. Knowledge and expertise accumulated by senior and experienced staff would be lost if the staff left the Society. In this regard, the Society has made the following efforts to develop commitment and royalty of staff: 1) Competitive employment package and 2) Open communications for staff contribution.

5.1 COMPETITIVE EMPLOYMENT PACKAGE

Despite the implementation of lump sum grant system, the employment condition of the Society's existing staff remained unchanged. It is an appreciation of the Society on staff loyalty and a reflection of the Society's emphasis on staff experience. As a result, staff morale remained high despite increasing service demand, extra work load, and more stringent accountability requirement.

5.2 OPEN COMMUNICATIONS FOR STAFF CONTRIBUTION

The Society deploys an open door system and encourages open communication among all level of staff. Staff can express their grievances, suggestions on possible services improvement, ideas that would enhance staff relationship and new possible services direction during different team and committee meetings, or directly to their Supervisor and/or Divisional Director who will bring forth the issue in the regular weekly Chief Executive-Directors meeting. We are committed to create a working environment that is characterized by mutual respect, trust and openness which will enhance loyalty and commitment to work.

Conclusion

The primary mission of the Society is to provide the best possible service to people with visual impairment. The ultimate objective is to create opportunities for equal participation in education, employment, and social integration. We are able to achieve what we have accomplished as an internationally renowned agency for people with visual impairment because our services are supported by the five pillars of 1) Government Support 2) Community Support 3) International Experience and Contribution 4) Dedicated leadership and 5) A team of committed staff. In the years to come, we would continue to strengthen and expand these pillars to ensure that our services are well supported. In Government Support, we would continue to pursue for a more coherent policy on a full barrier free access community, including accessibility in transportation, employment, physical building, public services and information technology. In the area of community support, we have plans to proactively promote the needs and abilities of people with visual impairment services to the community, and will coordinate our efforts in volunteer recruitment, training, and participation. We will spend our resources to liaise with different companies to provide mutually winning opportunities for mutual cooperation and partnership. We will continue to rely on the superb leadership of the Council to direct our future path, and to provide a warm, friendly and respectful working environment to our staff to foster loyalty, commitment, and dedication.

Grace Chan
Chief Executive