If you cannot view the news below, please click here.

EN   繁 

J.C.DISI e-Newsletter

February 2025

Empathising with the Sensory Experience of Dementia, Replacing Prejudice with Understanding

 

The creative Dementia Simulation Game Tool Kit is now available. The game simulates the visual (Bento Puzzles), auditory (Role-playing Whisper), and olfactory (Scent Guessing Game) experiences of people with dementia (PwD) through game-based learning. Players will delve into the challenges PwD face in daily life, fostering empathy and aiming to dispel misconceptions about dementia.

 

We invited staff from community centres, social welfare organisations and elder academies to participate in the experiential event to capture creative design and public education in action on 24 February 2025.

 

Organizations interested in applying for the game package are requested to email the "Innovative Action Plan" to disi.event@polyu.edu.hk by 5 March 2025.

 

 

#PolyUJockeyClubOperationSoInno #HKJCCharitiesTrust 

Virtual Reality Sky-window｜Bring the Outdoor In: Enhancing the Mental Health of the Elderly

Many residential care homes for the elderly are located in outdated multi-storey buildings that often lack natural light, access to nature areas, and open neighborhood views. To address this issue, J.C.DISI is collaborating with PolyU’s School of Design and Research Centre for Assistive Technology (RCAT) to develop an innovative virtual reality sky-window prototype, which aims to create an immersive therapeutic environment and transform the landscape of indoor spaces, thereby reducing feelings of loneliness among the elderly.

 

Our participation in the RCAT Symposium on “Evolution of Assistive Technology Devices: Pathway to Equal Opportunity and Quality of Life in Hong Kong” on 14 December 2024, involved showcasing our upcoming prototype and engaging in discussions with scholars and industry professionals to exchange ideas and insights. We also hosted user-centred community engagement events at the Gracious Alliance (Lai Kok and Aberdeen), and Hong Shui Garden of Age - Tuen Mun in January to listen to the preferences and opinions regarding outdoor environments of residents, carers, staff, occupational therapists, etc. Let's strive to foster "Aging For Good" through this endeavor!

 

#PolyUJockeyClubOperationSoInno #HKJCCharitiesTrust 

Pylon Re-imaging｜Community As an Innovation Laboratory

J.C.DISI is thrilled to collaborate with the Good Hope School, St. Teresa Secondary School, and HKFYG Lee Shau Kee Primary School on the Pylon Re-imaging Project. This initiative encourages students to unleash their creativity by redesigning the disused W18 pylon while fostering a deeper understanding of safety, green construction, and sustainable development. Students embarked on a field trip to the W18 Pylon in Aberdeen, followed by designing and prototyping their reimagined pylons. Their outstanding works seamlessly blend practicality with creativity, showcasing the power of design playing, design thinking, and design making in learning.

 

The project is one of the initiatives under the “Construction Month 2024 Outreach Programme” organised by the Construction Industry Council. At its opening ceremony, students proudly showcased their designs, receiving widespread acclaim. We are grateful for the collaborative efforts of CLP Power, Gammon Construction Group, and the School of Architecture at the Chinese University of Hong Kong.

Workshop for the District Care Teams (Sai Kung) Training Programme｜

Cultivating a Culture of Care through Empathy

Social innovation begins with empathy. J.C.DISI has the honor of conducting a meaningful "Community Master" workshop for the District Services & Community Care Teams (Care Teams) in Sai Kung, providing innovative thinking training for team members on 26 October 2024. Through design thinking, we delved deep into the connection between "empathy" and "care." Using real-life examples, we demonstrated how to transform abstract concepts into concrete actions: When seeing someone fall, immediately offering help shows you care, and understanding their pain and embarrassment exemplifies empathy. During the workshop, participants used design thinking and co-creation methods to explore ways of nurturing more care in their surroundings.

 

This training programme, jointly organised by PolyU's Department of Applied Social Sciences, Policy Research Centre for Innovation and Technology, and the District Services and Community Care Development Fund (Sai Kung) Limited, demonstrates the importance of cross-sector collaboration.

J.C.DISI Supports HKCSS "Secret Chat"｜Exploring the Inner Journey of Youth with Design Thinking

J.C.DISI fully supports various organisations in serving the community with innovative ideas. We are pleased to participate in the “Secret Chat” project, sponsored by the Lee Kum Kee Family Foundation and organised by the Hong Kong Council of Social Service (HKCSS). This project combines face-to-face services and online chats to break through traditional social service bottlenecks and address the mental health needs of young people.

 

Our team shared our expertise in design thinking and co-creation tools with 100 social workers at the two boot camps to discover more effective supporting solutions, and engage more actively in initiating and sustaining in-depth online conversations with young people. We also participated in the Service Innovation Hackathon, where participants brainstormed solutions for the problem statements. Many participants valued the effective idea exchange and creative collaboration among their peers. We will collaborate with HKCSS and a third-party design team to integrate feedback and innovative ideas into actionable solutions. In partnership with a co-creation team of social workers and youth, we will strive to develop two online tool prototype solutions that will enhance social workers’ online counselling capabilities.

Site Visit to Ming Wah Dai Ha｜“Ageing in Place” Emphasising Residents’ Well-being and Community Needs Evolution

On 19 December 2024, J.C.DISI organised 2 seminars with the Urban Renewal Authority as part of their “Inclusive Design for Intergenerational Community Training Series” and arranged a site visit to Ming Wah Dai Ha, which showcased innovative elderly-friendly design.

• Pre-visit Briefing outlining the overview of history, development plans, and current status of the project
• Guided Tour led by Hong Kong Housing Society representative
• De-briefing Fireside Chat discussing the vision and key learnings in establishing an intergenerational community, exchanging hardware and software design and integration

The participants experienced the “ageing in place” concept and gained understanding of creating inclusive environments with physical and social infrastructure to support residents of all ages and abilities, stressing the significance of diverse perspectives in community planning for sustainable neighbourhoods.

J.C.DISI Team Explores the Northern Metropolis｜Uncovering New Opportunities for Social Innovation and Community Making

J.C.DISI is dedicated to advancing community making in the Northern Metropolis and transitional housing development. To gain a deeper understanding of the layout plan and recent progress, our team had the honor of visiting THE Loop of the Civil Engineering and Development Department (CEDD), the Showsuite of the Hong Kong-Shenzhen Innovation and Technology Park (HSITP) along with its upcoming Talent Accommodation, and the Po Oi Kong Ha Wai Village Transitional Housing Project on 10 January 2025, witnessing the current development achievements firsthand.

 

We extend our heartfelt gratitude to the CEDD, HSITP, and Po Oi Hospital for making this insightful visit possible. Our team embarked on the visit with a fresh perspective, concentrating on the balance between development and conservation, as well as harmony in urban-rural integration, and gained valuable insights.

Child in the City World Conference｜Exchange of Valuable Experience on Intergenerational Play Space Design

J.C.DISI presented our initiative on shaping communities for intergenerational play and children's well-being with friends from around the world. Karen Lee, our Senior Manager, shared her enriching experience at the Child in the City World Conference in Rotterdam last December.

 

The delegates showed keen interest in our innovative intergenerational play space project, particularly the software-led hardware design concept and the valuable lessons that can be applied in promoting intergenerational solidarity across various communities and cities. On the other hand, we were inspired by the Netherlands' commitment to climate adaptability and community making in designing play spaces that integrate nature-based solutions, and how these initiatives contribute to reshaping communities, reducing crime rates, and fostering social mobility.

Follow Us 關注我們

If you do not wish to receive further message from J.C.DISI, please click here to unsubscribe.

To manage your subscription to direct marketing message from sending department and campaign type, please click here.