Striving to enhance the management quality of its public rental housing estates, the Housing Authority has recently introduced a new Customer Services Management System (CSMS) for handling tenants’ requests and recording document submissions. The system facilitates estate offices to process tenants’ enquiries and requests in a more systematic and efficient manner.

The new CSMS had been launched since 14 February and will be rolled out by phases to some 230 estate management offices. The first batch of estates using the system includes On Ting Estate Office, Kwai Shing East Property Service Management Office and Sheung Kwai Chung District Tenancy Management Office. Other offices will adopt the system in the following six months. The implementation of the CSMS has enhanced our management service, resulting in developing a more pleasant living environment for public housing tenants.

In a bid to boost safety awareness of cleansing work at height among workers of cleansing service contractors and to forge a safety culture in the industry, the Housing Authority held the Occupational Safety Forum for Cleansing Service on 22 February.

Guest speakers from Occupational Safety and Health Council and Horizontal Life Line contractor were invited to share at the forum the importance of safety at work, especially working at height, and to demonstrate the proper use of Horizontal Life Line system to about 250 industrial practitioners of cleansing service. In addition, representatives from the Housing Department, the Hong Kong Association of Property Services Agents, cleansing service contractors and front-line workers joined a discussion panel to share their experience of the subject in their day-to-day operations.

The Forum aims not only to reinforce safety awareness among front-line workers but also encourage contractors to provide a safe and healthy working environment for their employees to avoid accidents.

In recognition of its continuous contribution to source separation of waste over the years, the Housing Authority has been presented an appreciation certificate at the “Love Food Waste Not” Summit jointly organised by the Environmental Campaign Committee and the Environmental Protection Department. The summit was held on 2 February, with Assistant Director (Estate Management) of the Housing Department S C Leung sharing the HA's experience and achievements in community participation in waste reduction and recycling at housing estates during the "Waste Reduction and Recycling at Community Source Separation of Waste at Housing Estates and Commercial and Industrial Buildings" session.

In addition, the HA received 3 Grand Prizes, 1 Silver Award, 14 Bronze Awards and 2 commendation certificates at the Source Separation of Waste Award Presentation Ceremony held on the same day. Details are listed in the table below:

Committed to promoting environmental protection, the Housing Authority (HA) has co-organised the Estate Green Fun Day again with the Estate Management Advisory Committee (EMAC) to strengthen public rental housing (PRH) tenants’ awareness of environmental protection, and to promote waste reduction and recycling in estates. Held at 18 PRH estates from October 2012 to January 2013, the Fun Day was well received by the tenants, with the message of green living being disseminated through display panels and game booths.

The HA has also actively promoted green living in the community. We joined again the Green Carnival orgainsed by the Green Council on 3 February at the Kowloon Park. A game booth and display panels were set up to deliver the message of green living to participants.

Internally, the HA co-organised the “Year End Environmental Collection and Recycling Campaign” with the Community Recycling Coop of Industrial Relations Institute, a non-profit making charity organisation, in February. Its staff members were encouraged to reduce and recycle surplus household items during Lunar New Year cleaning by donating them to the needy. The activity was held at the HA Headquarters, Lung Cheung Office Block in Wong Tai Sin and the Customer Service Centre in Lok Fu. With the enthusiastic support of the staff, about three tonnes of reusable items were collected, including electrical appliances, shoes, handbags, books, stationeries, household items, beddings and decorations, etc.

“The Show Goes on at Shek Kip Mei”, the final episode of the “Community Impressions” video series produced by the Housing Authority (HA), has been launched. The story is about Auntie Ha, one of the fire victims resettled in Hong Kong’s first public housing estate at Shek Kip Mei. Having stayed there for years, she remembers life in the estate in the early days. She even recounted her experience in a drama performance. With a positive mindset, she believes the best is yet to come.

The public can view the video on the Housing Authority / Housing Department Website, the HA’s facebook page “Public Housing Vistas”, as well as the HA’s channel on YouTube. A short version of the video is also running on the Housing Channel at the ground floor lobby of public housing blocks.

To help newcomers quickly adapt to their new working environment, the Development and Construction Division of the Housing Department (HD) initiated a Buddy Scheme in September 2010. Working on the principle of “the old guiding the young”, the scheme provides newcomers with appropriate assistance and support. Under the scheme, a newcomer is allocated a colleague of the same grade for three months; that colleague is an experienced veteran who has been working in the HD for over three years.

Housing Dimensions interviewed two groups of participants who have just finished the scheme, and invited them to share with us the benefits of the scheme. New architect recruit Horace Lai was assigned veteran architect Lambert Chow as his “buddy”, while the buddy of new architect recruit Carol Ty was experienced architect Ellen Ngan. It is the first time for both buddies to join the scheme.

Ellen briefly introduced the background of the Buddy Scheme, “The HD has its own unique culture, and the working style here is different from that in the private sector.” She said, “That means when they begin here, new recruits may feel at sea. The scheme gives us a platform for sharing our experience and helping them adapt to the new environment.” Veteran Lambert agreed that the scheme is good at helping new recruits integrate into the HD, saying “I introduced Horace to many other colleagues, so he now knows where to turn for assistance if he needs it.”

Lambert and Horace work in different units so they do not meet frequently. According to Lambert, “The scheme is not like most traditional training courses. There are no fixed meeting times or places. We would occasionally meet for meals, to share experiences with other colleagues, and to build up a friendship.” In Ellen’s view, initiative from new recruits is very important. “We have a hectic daily workload which doesn’t allow us to go through each step in detail,” she said. “But if new recruits raise questions, I will certainly make time to resolve them.”

Carol remembers clearly the difficulties she encountered when she first joined the HD. “I used to work in the private sector,” she said, “and I soon found there were many more guidelines and procedures to follow in the HD. For example, with the Housing Construction Management Enterprise System (HOMES), I did not know where to start! I’m grateful for Ellen’s patient guidance. She gave me a lot of valuable input on many different issues.” Horace, who also joined the HD from a private company at the end of last year, totally agreed with Carol. “At the outset, I was not used to the working culture of the government. To take preparing a tender as an example, the procedures are so complicated that I really needed guidance from my supervisor and colleagues. Lambert has been happy to share his experience and fill me in on many things. I learned a lot from him about handling issues and applying skills.”

Asked what he had gained from the Buddy Scheme, Lambert said he was delighted to have been able to share his experience with new recruits. “The HD has not recruited many architects for over 10 years since 2001,” he said. “It’s great to have new blood entering the department. I have also learned things by sharing experiences. For example, I have come to understand many of the current practices in the private sector. Sometimes we need to discuss issues that neither of us have ever come across before, so we search for solutions together.” Ellen noted that the Buddy Scheme provides a good platform for building new friendships and appreciated the opportunities of sharing experiences freely in a casual way. Horace considers it to be a useful scheme, and would like to get to know buddies working in other units in the future. Carol is grateful to the HD for the arrangement. “The scheme is very helpful for new recruits to adapt to the new working environment effectively.” She noted, “I have got to know many of my colleagues, both new recruits and veterans.”