HONGKONG, CHINA - Media OutReach - 15 July 2019 - The  "Social Innovation · Community 4.0"Competition, supported by Citi Foundation and organized by the Hong KongCouncil of Social Service (HKCSS), held its Prize Presentation Ceremony todayat City Gallery. We were honoured to have Mr. Anson Kwok, Managing Director and Head of Commercial Bank, Citi Hong Kong and Mr. Chua Hoi Wai, ChiefExecutive of The Hong Kong Council of Social Service (HKCSS) officiating at theceremony. Also attending were the representatives of the competition's partnersand supporting organisations. The exhibition, showcasing 15 prototypes and 27idea boards from the competition will be open to members of the public until July 23, 2019 (Tuesday).

The winning entry is "We Community" fromYing Wa Girls School which is a combination of walkapanel and E-steps which is designed to tackle the challenge of low mobility of elderly encountered while using ubiquitous steps in the district, and as a result to promote social participation and cohesion.  Public engagement can be encouraged throughthe use of E-steps, featuring energy conversion from motion of residents toelectric energy required for operating the walkapanel. The winning team will join a HKCSS-organised tour in France at the end of July tovisit the latest innovative start-ups and social enterprises focusing on socialinnovation in France.

The "Social Innovation · Community 4.0" Competition was open to allsecondary schools in Hong Kong and was the first such competition to encouragestudents to design prototypes to address identified issues and needs of thecommunity. The pilot competition focused on Central and Western district.Through experiential learning in the community and comprehensive training incity planning, technology, design thinking, etc. as well as interaction withlocal citizens in Central and Western district, participating students havebeen able to articulate the needs of the citizens and design correspondingprototypes. 67 participating teams from 41 secondary schools submitted theirproposals, and the 15 finalists were invited to create prototypes. The Central and Western District Office and NGOs in the area wereacknowledged for ensuring that students' ideas would be put intopractise in the community.

Said Mr.Anson Kwok, Managing Director and Head of CommercialBank, Citi Hong Kong, "This program not only enables young people to understandthe community and care about society but also provides them with a platform tounleash their creativity, learn problem-solving, equip themselves for futurecareer development and comprehend the team spirt. At the same time, it alsohelps build a sustainable city by addressing community issues. Enabling youngpeople to make economic progress, enhancing their employability and building sustainablecities are key community focuses of Citi Foundation."

Mr. Chua Hoi Wai, Chief Executive of The HongKong Council of Social Service said, "There are numerous social innovationcompetitions available for students at the moment. However, 'Social Innovation · Community 4.0' is not only a competition but also an experiential learning opportunityin social innovation corresponding to concrete community needs. Socialinnovation hinges on empathy and creative thinking. More than 50 hours of local visits, training, andtechnical support from different professionals, and two Community Pitchingexercises to collect views from local residents and district officials wereoffered to the students who were able to get a clearer insightabout the community, and hence, design practicalsolutions utilising creativity and STEM."

Some of the prototypes will be tested in thecommunity in September and October this year. Residents in Central and Westerndistrict will be invited to participate, and their comments and views will becollected after the prototype trials. The second "Social Innovation · Community4.0" Competition will be open for applications in this October, and the focaldistrict will be Kowloon City district. The aim of the competition isto spread the concept of community-based social innovations to every corner ofHong Kong.

About HKCSS

The HKCSS is anumbrella organisation of 450 agency members that provide over 90% of the socialwelfare services in Hong Kong.  HKCSS launched the Caring Company Schemein 2002 to build a cohesive society by promoting strategic partnership amongbusiness and social service partners and inspiring corporate socialresponsibility through caring for the community, employees and theenvironment.  HKCSS puts much effort in building capacity for socialenterprises through the Social Enterprise Business Centre (SEBC) to advancesocial entrepreneurship and mobilize social innovation.

Additional information may be found at www.hkcss.org.hk | Facebook: www.facebook.com/hkcssfans

About Citi Foundation

The Citi Foundation works topromote economic progress and improve the lives of people in low-incomecommunities around the world. We invest in efforts that increase financialinclusion, catalyze job opportunities for youth, and reimagine approaches tobuilding economically vibrant cities. The Citi Foundation's "More thanPhilanthropy" approach leverages the enormous expertise of Citi and its peopleto fulfil our mission and drive thought leadership and innovation. For moreinformation, visit www.citifoundation.com