Seminar on IT Project Management for the Social Welfare Sector Opening Remarks Mrs Carrie Lam Director of Social Welfare

1. Seminar on IT Project Managementfor the Social Welfare SectorOpening RemarksMrs Carrie LamDirector of Social Welfare21 January 2002

2. Use of IT in the Social Welfare Sector • Generally lagging behind in the use of IT • Need to catch up in the use of IT becoming more imminent because we need - • more responsive service to meet changing needs • technology assistance to improve efficiency • faster communication to facilitate cross-agency and cross-sector collaboration

3. IT Strategy for the Social Welfare Sector • Drawn up in consultation with HKCSS in December 2000 • To apply IT to delivery of client-based services (core business functions) • To expand and improve the use of IT in managing an organisation (back office functions) • To assist disadvantaged individuals to use IT by making IT accessible (overcome Digital Divide)

4. IT Strategy for the Social Welfare Sector • SWAC and LegCo Welfare Panel consulted in January and February 2001 respectively • Direction supported • Early implementation of the recommendations aspired • Joint Committee on Information Technology for the Social Welfare Sector chaired by DSW, comprising representatives from ITSD, HWB, HKCSS and welfare NGOs as well as IT experts, was set up in May 2001

5. IT Strategy for the Social Welfare SectorEssential Components • Infrastructure • PC replacement • Procurement assistance by extending Standing Offer Agreements to NGOs • Communications • between NGO HQ and service units (e.g. Internet access and e-Cert) • between NGOs and service recipients (e.g. web-based applications)

6. IT Strategy for the Social Welfare SectorEssential Components • Humanware • To raise the competence of social work personnel in the use of IT • Matching volunteer IT professionals as IT advisers to NGOs • System applications • To support NGOs to develop their need-based applications to facilitate organisational management and service delivery

7. IT Strategy for the Social Welfare SectorEssential Components • Accessibility • To enhance the accessibility of elders and disabled persons to IT

8. IT Strategy for the Social Welfare SectorImplementation Initiatives in 2001 • A half-day seminar on computer security was held in March 2001 • Guidelines to improving web accessibility were issued to NGOs in March 2001 • ITRC commenced operation in June 2001 to provide a wide range of IT services to NGOs

9. IT Strategy for the Social Welfare SectorImplementation Initiatives in 2001 (cont’d) • A reference guide to the implementation of software asset management was issued in August 2001 • A seminar on design concepts and techniques to make the web sites accessible was held in September 2001 • ITRC was invited in October 2001 to add proper alternative text to NGO welfare-related web pages

10. IT Strategy for the Social Welfare SectorImplementation Initiatives in 2001 (cont’d) • Total commitments of $152 Mn approved from Lotteries Fund to implement the IT Strategy recommendations in 2001 • PC replacement programme (to replace 1,584 PC sets for 172 NGOs) ($ 26 Mn) • Supporting an Information Technology Resource Centre within HKCSS for the social welfare sector for 3 years ($ 9 Mn) • Broadband Internet access and digital certificates programme for welfare NGOs ($ 73 Mn)

11. IT Strategy for the Social Welfare SectorImplementation Initiatives in 2001 (cont’d) • Financing IT training programme for NGOs ($1.8 Mn) • Supporting other individual project applications (e.g. web-based Social Welfare Information Kit, homepage for caregivers, etc.) ($1.4 Mn) • Installing PCs with Internet facilities in M/Es and S/Es and sponsoring IT awareness programmes ($11 Mn)

12. IT Strategy for the Social Welfare SectorImplementation Initiatives in 2001 (cont’d) • Installing PCs with Internet facilities and special features in rehabilitation units, sponsoring IT awareness programmes and developing a portal site for people with disabilities ($30 Mn)

13. Funding of IT • LFAC has endorsed framework for making Lotteries Fund grants to NGOs to carry out IT projects endorsed by LFAC – annual call for funds applications in respect of IT projects • Lotteries Fund as the main source of funds for IT in the social welfare sector, community resources and sponsorship welcome (e.g. a grant from Tang Ho Fund to finance further IT training for elders)

14. Funding of IT • Lotteries Fund funding parameters - • non-recurrent in nature and on a project-by-project basis • ongoing recurrent expenses to be met by NGOs through enhanced efficiency and productivity arising from the use of IT • SWD is proceeding with Phase II of its ISS comprising a Client Information System and will shortly approach LFAC for a grant to conduct a quick feasibility study on extending CIS to NGO FSCs

15. Observations and Expectations on theUse of IT for the Social Welfare Sector • IT is a tool – welfare services should continue to be people-centred. Use of IT should not undermine compassion and discretion • IT assists and enables business transformation but IT itself does not transform an operation. Use of IT should be accompanied by business process re-engineering and changes to service delivery mode

16. Observations and Expectations on theUse of IT for the Social Welfare Sector • Emphasis on IT for the Sector to facilitate joined-up efforts, knowledge sharing and co-operation • Need to increase skills amongst social welfare professionals in managing IT projects • Prepare frontline staff – readiness to use IT and cultural change

17. Thank You