A secure and peaceful life with a satisfying job – the source of enjoyment

“Being able to lead a secure and peaceful life and have a stable job is enough for me to give thanks every brand new day!” said Ah Wah, whom styled with short hair and with a composed character, told her story and how she felt of her independent life with a gentle yet firm voice repeatedly.

Her determination to apply for a public housing unit and establish her own home-sweet-home budded as soon as Ah Wah started living in the Halfway House. Therefore, Ah Wah led frugal life in the Halfway House in order to save money for future use should her application for compassionate re-housing was successful. Although the wish cost her a fortune, Ah Wah still thought that it was worthwhile as the pleasure of living in her own house far outmeasure the efforts spent!

Ah Wah is now working in care and attention home for the elderly as a kitchen assistant, a stable job which rewards her labour with not only the daily necessities but also satisfaction and life goal. In order to maintain work-life balance, Ah Wah engages in a lot of leisure activities to nourish her life in addition to establishing a disciplined life-style. Although she has already been discharged from the Halfway House, Ah Wah still participates in community services and activities as a volunteer of the Halfway House on a regular basis. She also enrolls in cooking classes organised by the Hong Kong Federation of Trade Unions to improve her cooking techniques.

As Ah Wah believes, life is all about a comfortable place to live, a satisfying job, a life free from excessive pressure, and meaningful engagement in spare time. We wish her a happy and secure life in the community.

People with mental illness often find it difficult to adapt to a challenge-packed ever-changing environment after being discharged from the Halfway House. In response to their needs, we set up Aftercare Service as early as 1973 to provide continuous counseling service and support to those residents who have been discharged from Halfway House. In 1988, this service was brought to an abrupt halt due to the failure to obtain government subsidy. In 1992, finally, we resumed the Service again.

Aftercare Service is committed to providing continuous community support to service users to sustain an independent community living after they have been discharged from Halfway Houses. With attention paid to their particular needs, the service provides a maximum of 2-year follow up service to help them adapt to community lives. It covers a wide spectrum of services including outreaching support on daily living, supervision on drug compliance, budgeting training, vocational guidance, individual counseling, family work, crisis intervention and social service referrals. Service users are also supported through our community support services and various social and recreational activities organised by Halfway Houses and Community Mental Health Link Services which they are encouraged to join. It is hoped that through these services, service users would be able to develop greater confidence to live independently.