Social worker driven to help needy

While many international students pursue business or sciences Vincent Li Man Kit has chosen social work.

The 26-year-old is one of three full-time workers with volunteers that run a Hong Kong community charity group called Silver Power Integration Volunteer Allliance (SPIVA).

SPIVA organises community projects for the young and old and is financed by benefactors, government bodies and charity foundations.

Mr Li said he prepared activities for the elderly such as concerts, guest speakers, visits to other hostels, training courses about chronic-illnesses or suicide prevention and also trains volunteers.

He has been with SPIVA since July working as a registered social worker at various community centres around Shatin.

He said “Silver” represented the knowledge of the elderly and “Power” the energy of youth which together could better serve the community.

Mr Li graduated with a Bachelor of Social Work at The University of Queensland’s Hong Kong celebration in September.

“I went to Australia to do social work because I wanted exposure to the international, to the global, then to contribute to my own country,” Mr Li said.

“Brisbane is a multicultural city so it’s similar to Hong Kong. It’s very relaxed.”

While studying in Australia for two years he also visited the aged and researched the wellbeing of an elderly neighbourhood.

UQ based in Brisbane, Australia, is Queensland’s oldest and largest University which consistently ranks as one of Australia’s most outstanding research and teaching and learning universities.

Media: Vincent Li (+852 9425 7649 mobile, Vincentli@silverpower.org.hk) or Miguel Holland at UQ Communications (+61 7 3365 2619, m.holland@uq.edu.au)