Info Session A & B

Date: 21st March 2024 (Thu) & 15th April 2024 (Mon)

Host: HKSTP Representative

Speakers: Representatives from Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) and Social Welfare Department (SWD)

Target Participants: All groups are welcome

 

Sharing on Sub-theme - I&T for Nature (Yama)

Representative from the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department - Dr. Lam Kin San Samuel

Challenges in Country Park Operation and Management

Hong Kong boasts a vast expanse of countryside, accounting for approximately 40% of the total land area, including 25 country parks and 22 special areas. Managing these areas presents numerous challenges. Some locations are remote, making it difficult to monitor real-time facility usage, visitor flow within the country parks, and the amount of litter along hiking trails and coastlines. Furthermore, limited mobile network coverage may restrict the widespread use of technology. In addition, certain remote areas face environmental constraints, such as a lack of electricity supply and other infrastructure, posing challenges for the implementation of technological solutions.

Examples of Technological Applications

Dr. Lam shared that the AFCD has been actively exploring various technological applications to facilitate the management of country parks, yielding significant results. These applications include the use of video analytics technology to detect wildfires swiftly, enabling prompt deployment of firefighting operations to safeguard the forest areas within the country parks. Unmanned aerial vehicles have been employed to support ecological conservation and planning management. They are used for conducting environmental surveys in large or hard-to-reach areas, assisting in the planning of tree planting and identifying suitable recreational sites. In recent years, the department has also introduced solar-powered mobile toilets equipped with sensor-driven lights, faucets, exhaust fans, and water pumps to enhance the restroom experience in country parks. Furthermore, the department has explored the application of LoRaWAN technology to remotely monitor the water levels in sewage tanks, facilitating efficient scheduling of cleaning tasks in the countryside. Additionally, they have experimented with infrared sensors and 4G network transmission to gather data on visitor numbers, aiming to enhance the management and planning of country parks.

The public is invited to contribute their ideas and expertise in developing sustainable and efficient innovative solutions for country parks and campsites. Participants are encouraged to consider the aforementioned challenges when conceptualising their proposals. The aim is to improve operational management efficiency and create a more comfortable and aesthetically pleasing countryside environment, providing the best experience for avid explorers of Hong Kong's natural landscapes.

 

Sharing on Sub-theme - I&T for Community (Community Wellness)

Representative from the Social Welfare Department - Ms. Chow Ching Yee and Mr. Lo Wai Nam

Challenges Faced by Carers for the Elderly/Persons with Disabilities

While taking care of their family members, carers also face tremendous stress. Mr. LO Wai Nam, Senior Social Work Officer (Elderly) from the Social Welfare Department, expressed that carers bear the responsibility of taking care of the elderly/persons with disabilities/persons in mental recovery for long periods, often leading to physical and mental exhaustion. Carers encounter various difficulties in coping with daily life and require emotional support. Additionally, carers need to acquire relevant caregiving skills and knowledge, such as methods to prevent elderly wandering, fall prevention, and techniques for assisting with mobility. They also need knowledge in medication management. Furthermore, carers face challenges in finding suitable community resources and support services, and the financial burden is also a significant challenge.

In the case of caring for persons with disabilities/persons in mental recovery, carers also face numerous challenges. Ms. Chow Ching Yee, Senior Social Work Officer (Rehabilitation and Medical Social Services) from the Social Welfare Department, pointed out that the types and levels of care required for persons with disabilities/persons in mental recovery vary, leading to different carer needs. Carers often require services from multidisciplinary teams. Moreover, due to a lack of technological knowledge, carers may have difficulty accessing caregiving information and seeking appropriate support, which adds significant caregiving pressure.

 

Challenges Faced by Organisational Carers

NGOs providing community care and residential services for the elderly also face several challenges. Mr. Lo mentioned that NGOs experience situations such as staff transfers, retirements, and new hires, making it crucial to utilise technology and human resources effectively. Additionally, the management of carer knowledge, such as nursing skills for the elderly, rehabilitation training, communication skills with the elderly and their families, organising activities and equipment placement in limited space, and streamlining administrative work through technology, all require attention.

Similarly, NGOs providing community care and residential services for persons with disabilities/persons in mental recovery also face various challenges. Ms. Chow highlighted that organisations need to adapt to the changing service needs resulting from the shifting demographics of persons with disabilities/persons in mental recovery. Simultaneously, organisations need to coordinate different professionals to provide appropriate services to the individuals and their carers. Furthermore, some persons with disabilities/persons in mental recovery and their carers may not be familiar with or willing to try new technologies. Therefore, organisations need to enhance their understanding and acceptance of technology to facilitate the recovery process for persons with disabilities/persons in mental recovery.

Examples of Technological Applications

Mr. Lo emphasised that the key to integrating technology into social services is to cater to the needs of carers, ensuring that technology is user-friendly and affordable. He mentioned that there are already smart positioning and locating devices available in the market to assist carers in finding their missing family members. Participants can learn about the various technological products that can better assist carers through events like the Gerontech and Innovation Expo cum Summit, elderly centres, and social workers. Regarding supporting carers of persons with disabilities/persons in mental recovery, Ms. Chow pointed out that technology can be used to assist individuals in their work or enhance their work capabilities, thereby promoting their recovery process and reducing carer stress. With the assistance of technological products, training content for persons with disabilities/persons in mental recovery can become more diverse and enriching.

 

Introduction to Submission Procedure

Representative from HKSTP – Mr. Justin Tsui

Account Registration

• Open Group and University/Tertiary Institute Group participants are required to register an account before submitting their projects
• Secondary School Group and Primary School Group participants can directly submit their projects online
• Participants under the age of 18 need to upload a consent form from their guardian, teacher or parent

Submitting Project - Choosing Sub-theme and Type of Participation

• After completing the registration, participants can submit a new proposal from "My Dashboard"
• Firstly, select a sub-theme, then choose to participate as an individual or a team
• If participating as a team, the team representative will be pre-set based on the registered account and cannot be changed
• The team representative can add up to four team members

Submitting Project – Submission Details

• Project Title
• Description of user pain points (maximum 100 Chinese or English words)
• Description of the benefits the project brings to user or the community (maximum 100 Chinese or English words)
• Description of innovation and technologies applied (maximum 100 Chinese or English words)
• Upload a presentation of up to 10 pages in PowerPoint or PDF format
• Provide a YouTube video link ID (optional)
• Upload up to three images (optional)

Submitting Project - "Save as Draft" or "Submit"

• Confirm relevant terms and conditions
• Upload declaration form from the team representative and members
• Choose to "Save as Draft" or "Submit"

My Dashboard

• The dashboard displays saved or submitted projects
• Click the "Edit" button allows you to modify saved drafts
• Click the "Submit New Proposal" button allows you to add new projects (there is no limit on the number of projects)
• Participant can choose a different sub-theme and participate as an individual or with different teammates for each new project

Judging Criteria

• The Grand Challenge’s judging criteria are divided into four parts:
  • Benefits to user and community
  • Innovativeness and uniqueness of technology
  • Feasibility of prototyping and trials
  • Team’s capability and entrepreneurship
• The weighting of the judging criteria varies at different stages

 

Info Session for Primary School Group

Please click here to watch the recorded video of Info Session (for Primary School Group).

 

Info Session for Secondary School Group

Please click here to watch the recorded video of Info Session (for Secondary School Group).