Concord Mutual Aid Club Alliance
Concord Mutual Aid Club Alliance aimed at promoting the welfare of people with psychiatric disabilities, as well as self-help and mutual help. The Association has been giving ongoing support to its development. Experienced staff was sent to assist in funding management, operation, staff training, and activities to address members’ needs. In 2023/24, our membership has grown to 1,900 individuals, together with the Alliance’s Executive Committee and staff advisors from the Association, put much effort in developing strong cohesion through sharing issues encountered in their recovery processes, participation in working groups on social issues, and self-help activities.
The Alliance took up an active role in advocacy of policies beneficial to PIR. We had members act as representatives in Hong Kong Mental Health Council, Hong Kong Alliance of Patients’ Organizations, Self-help Organizations' Development Centre and Alliance for Advocating Mental Health Policy, to express our concerns. One of our members was appointed as the sole PIR representative in the government's Mental Health Review Committee. The Alliance maintained close contact with other self-help organizations, and we joined hands to express their concerns to the Legislative Council and the Hospital Authority on related issues.
We continuously promoted equality and fairness for PIR in society, through public education, interviews, meetings and sharing with various staff and family groups, and meetings with the Hospital Authority, various departments and service providers etc. We hope that the needs and welfare of the mentally ill will be carefully addressed by all stakeholders.
Besides members' social and recreational activities, the Alliance regularly organized education groups on legal implications and the mental health ordinance, discussion groups on current issues, self management groups, and educational talks on drugs and patients’ rights as well as the impacts of community order. Members also participated in visits to disadvantaged people in the society, and joined voluntary work and study visits to rehabilitation organizations in China and Thailand. We also promoted peer support among members, so that they were supported in all ways possible. All the activities increased the value of mutual help among members of the Alliance.