Funded by The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust, Jockey Club Wah Fu Centre, which is also our fifth service centre and our first service centre on Hong Kong Island, was opened today. It also marked the start of the Jockey Club Project "SPA" for Women's Wellness. This indicated the expansion of our diverse women services. An online kick-off ceremony was live-streamed today (26th September 2020). Ms. CHAN Yuen-han, G.B.S., J.P., Chair of Women's Commission, Mr. Sunny PAU, Charities Manager of The Hong Kong Jockey Club, and our Honorary President, Professor Linda LAM from the Department of Psychiatry at The Chinese University of Hong Kong, were invited to the ceremony. Our Founding President, Professor Fanny CHEUNG, also the former Vice-President of The Chinese University of Hong Kong, and Dr. CHAN Hoi-yan, the Associate Professor of Social Work and Social Administration at The University of Hong Kong, were the guests who presented the preliminary report about the investigation of the wellbeing of the women living in the Southern district.
Jockey Club Project "SPA" for Women's Wellness is the first service scheme of the Jockey Club Wah Fu Centre. It is a women-oriented, gender-related, diverse and all-rounded health service scheme. It aims to enhance women's awareness and recognition towards physical and mental health, strengthen their capability in dealing with stress and expand their social support network. The Chinese name of the scheme (「心・呼吸」) symbolizes the hope for women to stay true to themselves, and be conscious about one's feelings, emotions and thoughts. We hope that women could take a "deep" breath from their "heart" (the Chinese term for "deep" and "heart" are homonyms) and again control one's life and living style. Meanwhile, the English name of the scheme (SPA) implies that women could experience something like immersing themselves in comfortable spring water. They would then realize that their emotions are flowing like water and awake their self-love and self-autonomy. Under the influence of SPA, we hope that women could again encounter, embrace, accept and realize oneself, and able to manipulate one's abundant inner resources. This could help them to be more confident in encountering different challenges in their life journey. Our Honorary President, Professor LAM Chiu-wa, stated in the kick-off ceremony that our staff under the scheme had adjusted the services in accordance with the pandemic. We had provided mental-healing activities to Southern district women and distributed pandemic prevention materials to women who were in need.
Ms. CHAN Yuen-han, Chair of Women's Commission, was also aware that women had borne the brunt of the pandemic, no matter in family care and pandemic prevention. This had brought immense pressure to women. Women's Commission had suggested the government to provide more services and care support to women. The commission was also delighted to see that a new women-oriented service centre was established to provide more services to the women who were in need.
The Jockey Club Project "SPA" for Women's Wellness emphasized evidence-based service development. Hence, it had collaborated with Dr. CHAN Hoi-yan, the Associate Professor of Social Work and Social Administration at The University of Hong Kong, to analyze the physical and mental health of the Southern district women.
The investigation was done between January and July 2020. The team had surveyed 485 women who were living in the Southern district. According to the statistics, nearly 20% surveyed Southern district women had medium to very serious depression symptoms. 30% of the surveyed women had medium to severe anxiety symptoms, and 10% of them had medium to severe pressure symptoms. The research had also found that those women who were younger, separated from their spouse, unemployed or between jobs, had higher academic qualifications, received Comprehensive Social Security Assistance, no child or bore family care responsibilities had comparatively severe symptoms related to depression, anxiety and pressure. Besides, the research result indicated that women's seriousness of depression, anxiety and pressure were significantly reduced after participating in health-enhanced activities.
After the light switching ceremony of the kick-off ceremony, we had utilized live streaming technology to take a tour of the 5,000-square-fit Jockey Club Wah Fu Centre with the honourable guests. Multiple workspaces, various de-stress activity spaces, occasional child care service area, large kitchen, planting area and other facilities were being demonstrated. We seek to provide more diverse services to women living in the neighbourhood.