The Samaritans Hong Kong
Encyclopedia
The Samaritans Hong Kong (Chinese:
香港撒瑪利亞會) operates a free "24-hour multilingual suicide prevention
hotline
in Hong Kong
. [It] is a non-religious charity that provides confidential emotional support to all people, irrespective of race, creed, age or status, who are despairing or suicidal." The organization is registered as a charity in Hong Kong
, and governed by its unpaid volunteers.
There currently are about 110 active volunteers with the Samaritans Hong Kong, speaking a total of 14 languages. All of its volunteers speak at least English
as one of their languages.
of the Republic of China—and Elsie Tu
, GBM
, a missionary from Newcastle-upon-Tyne of England
who came to Hong Kong in the 1950s, began their tasks in helping its underprivileged, victims of corruption and injustice, anguish and despair. They also established the Mu Kuang English School through an arduous course of years. Working at this school in 1973 was Dave Tredrea, an ex-Samaritan from the United Kingdom
, who was pivotal in shaping the local suicide prevention activities similar to that of his home country.
Rev. Chad Varah
, founder of the Samaritans in the United Kingdom, visited Hong Kong in 1974, and he was instrumental in the formation of a Samaritan branch locally in Hong Kong in September 1974, i.e. The Samaritans Hong Kong. It became the first overseas branch of the Samaritans
, initially with 20 volunteers, and with Andrew Tu became its first Director. This local branch was sharing an office with Elsie Tu’s clinic at Lo Fu Ngam Public Housing Estate (now known as Lok Fu Estate
).
Vanda Scott, who later became Director General of the Befrienders International in the United Kingdom, was the Director of Samaritans Hong Kong from 1980 to 1982.
, continued to devote their energy to the Chinese speaking
community.
Station at the beginning of 1987.
The organization hosted an international conference in April 1991 on the helping skills in suicide prevention, which was well attended by fellow Samaritans throughout the world.
With growing number of Chinese speaking callers and increasing number of Chinese speaking volunteers, the organization changed to a multilingual hotline in 1991, instead of just serving English speaking callers.
. Volunteer selection, training and other operations are conducted at the new venue since.
Rev. Chad Varah (the founder of Samaritans Worldwide) visited the Samaritans Hong Kong after a Samaritans biennial conference held in Sri Lanka in the summer of 1994. With effect from 1994, its 20th Anniversary, the organization was renamed as The Samaritans, multi-lingual suicide prevention hotline.
and the Outward Bound
Hong Kong, known as the SKO Project, to train senior students from secondary schools to be aware of suicide risks in their peers and in the community at large, the skills needed to recognize the danger signs and how to respond to them, as well as life coping skills. This project was revamped and renamed the Youth Suicide Prevention Project (YSPP). The project is now further tailored to operate in Chinese and currently ran twice annually, each time admitting 40 students from secondary schools.
There are currently 4 paid staff forces at the Samaritans Hong Kong to assist the volunteers in administrative and fundraising and publicity matters. The paid staff however is not involved in the operation of the hotline.
Chinese language
The Chinese language is a language or language family consisting of varieties which are mutually intelligible to varying degrees. Originally the indigenous languages spoken by the Han Chinese in China, it forms one of the branches of Sino-Tibetan family of languages...
香港撒瑪利亞會) operates a free "24-hour multilingual suicide prevention
Suicide prevention
Suicide prevention is an umbrella term for the collective efforts of local citizen organizations, mental health practitioners and related professionals to reduce the incidence of suicide....
hotline
Crisis hotline
A crisis hotline is a phone number people can call to get immediate emergency telephone counseling, usually by trained volunteers. Such hotlines have existed in most major cities of the United States at least since the mid-1970s. Initially set up to help those contemplating suicide, many have...
in Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
. [It] is a non-religious charity that provides confidential emotional support to all people, irrespective of race, creed, age or status, who are despairing or suicidal." The organization is registered as a charity in Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
, and governed by its unpaid volunteers.
There currently are about 110 active volunteers with the Samaritans Hong Kong, speaking a total of 14 languages. All of its volunteers speak at least English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
as one of their languages.
Formation
In Hong Kong, the late Andrew Tu—originally from Inner MongoliaInner Mongolia
Inner Mongolia is an autonomous region of the People's Republic of China, located in the northern region of the country. Inner Mongolia shares an international border with the countries of Mongolia and the Russian Federation...
of the Republic of China—and Elsie Tu
Elsie Tu
Elsie Hume Elliot Tu or Elsie Tu , GBM, CBE, is a prominent social activist, former elected member of the Urban Council of Hong Kong, and former member of the Legislative Council of Hong Kong...
, GBM
Grand Bauhinia Medal
The Grand Bauhinia Medal the highest award under the Hong Kong honours and awards system, is to recognise the selected person's lifelong and highly significant contribution to the well-being of Hong Kong. The awardee is entitled to the postnominal letters GBM and the style "The Honorable"...
, a missionary from Newcastle-upon-Tyne of England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
who came to Hong Kong in the 1950s, began their tasks in helping its underprivileged, victims of corruption and injustice, anguish and despair. They also established the Mu Kuang English School through an arduous course of years. Working at this school in 1973 was Dave Tredrea, an ex-Samaritan from the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, who was pivotal in shaping the local suicide prevention activities similar to that of his home country.
Rev. Chad Varah
Chad Varah
Reverend Prebendary Edward Chad Varah, CH, CBE was a British Anglican priest. He is best remembered as the founder of The Samaritans, established in 1953 as the world's first crisis hotline organisation, offering non-religious telephone support to those contemplating suicide.-Life:Varah was born...
, founder of the Samaritans in the United Kingdom, visited Hong Kong in 1974, and he was instrumental in the formation of a Samaritan branch locally in Hong Kong in September 1974, i.e. The Samaritans Hong Kong. It became the first overseas branch of the Samaritans
Samaritans (charity)
Samaritans is a registered charity aimed at providing emotional support to anyone in emotional distress or at risk of suicide throughout the United Kingdom and Ireland, often through their telephone helpline. The name comes from the Biblical parable of the Good Samaritan, though the organisation...
, initially with 20 volunteers, and with Andrew Tu became its first Director. This local branch was sharing an office with Elsie Tu’s clinic at Lo Fu Ngam Public Housing Estate (now known as Lok Fu Estate
Lok Fu Estate
Lok Fu Estate is a public housing estate in Lok Fu, Wong Tai Sin, Kowloon, Hong Kong, near MTR Lok Fu Station.Hong Keung Court is a Home Ownership Scheme court near Lok Tung House, Lok Fu Estate. It has one block built in 1999.-History:...
).
The period at the Wanchai Centre
In April 1976, the Samaritans moved to a new office in the Sailors and Soldiers Home at 22 Hennessy Road in Wanchai. The new centre comprised 2 tiny rooms, separated by a corridor, and provided full hotline service 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, plus a "flying squad" for emergencies. The 2 small rooms were replaced by 2 larger ones in the same building in 1979.Vanda Scott, who later became Director General of the Befrienders International in the United Kingdom, was the Director of Samaritans Hong Kong from 1980 to 1982.
The Split into two branches
By the late 70’s there was a growing number of English speaking expatriates joining the Samaritans Hong Kong to become volunteers so that it was able to strengthen their service to the non-Chinese speaking callers. From the beginning of 1982, this branch of the Samaritans was renamed as The Samaritans (English Speaking Service), concentrating their efforts to the non-Chinese speaking community. The original branch, now known as The Samaritan Befrienders Hong KongThe Samaritan Befrienders Hong Kong
The Samaritan Befrienders Hong Kong is a non-government organization. It is a local voluntary agency which provides counseling services to people with suicidal tendencies or behavior...
, continued to devote their energy to the Chinese speaking
Chinese language
The Chinese language is a language or language family consisting of varieties which are mutually intelligible to varying degrees. Originally the indigenous languages spoken by the Han Chinese in China, it forms one of the branches of Sino-Tibetan family of languages...
community.
The Period at the Wanchai MTR
The organization moved to a room at the Wanchai MTRMTR Corporation
MTR Corporation Limited is a company listed on the Hong Kong Exchange and included in the Hang Seng Index. MTR owns and runs the Hong Kong MTR metro system, and is also a major property developer and landlord in Hong Kong...
Station at the beginning of 1987.
The organization hosted an international conference in April 1991 on the helping skills in suicide prevention, which was well attended by fellow Samaritans throughout the world.
With growing number of Chinese speaking callers and increasing number of Chinese speaking volunteers, the organization changed to a multilingual hotline in 1991, instead of just serving English speaking callers.
The period at the Chai Wan Centre
In January 1993, the organization moved its hotline operation to another centre at Chai WanChai Wan
Chai Wan , formerly mistakenly known as Sai Wan , lies at the east end of the urban area of Hong Kong Island next to Shau Kei Wan. The area is administratively part of the Eastern District, and is a mosaic of industrial and residential areas...
. Volunteer selection, training and other operations are conducted at the new venue since.
Rev. Chad Varah (the founder of Samaritans Worldwide) visited the Samaritans Hong Kong after a Samaritans biennial conference held in Sri Lanka in the summer of 1994. With effect from 1994, its 20th Anniversary, the organization was renamed as The Samaritans, multi-lingual suicide prevention hotline.
24-Hour Suicide Prevention Hotline
Apart from a free 24-hour hotline service, offering multilingual emotional support, the organization also provides the following services:Flying Squad
The organization has a group volunteers ready to visit callers in dire situations and who have demanded such visits.E-mail Services
E-mail was becoming more popular since the mid-90’s, the organization started to train volunteers to be conversant with such skills in providing support through e-mail, and by early 1997 the organization joined forces with the Befrienders International e-mail team to provide e-mail service to global callers as an alternative means to hotline calls. The Samaritans Hong Kong was the first organization under the Befrienders International to operate e-mail support outside of UK.Student Suicide Prevention Ambassadors Training Programs
School children in Hong Kong are known to be sufferers from pressure arising partly from their studies and examinations, and partly from the temptation of substance abuse. Consequently in 1998, the organization started a project, in collaboration with Kely Support GroupKely Support Group
The KELY Support Group stands for Kids Everywhere Like You. It is a non-governmental organization with charitable status, that tries to offer non-judgmental support to young people, from early teens to late twenties, in Hong Kong....
and the Outward Bound
Outward Bound
Outward Bound is an international, non-profit, independent, outdoor educationorganization with approximately 40 schools around the world and 200,000 participants per year...
Hong Kong, known as the SKO Project, to train senior students from secondary schools to be aware of suicide risks in their peers and in the community at large, the skills needed to recognize the danger signs and how to respond to them, as well as life coping skills. This project was revamped and renamed the Youth Suicide Prevention Project (YSPP). The project is now further tailored to operate in Chinese and currently ran twice annually, each time admitting 40 students from secondary schools.
Support to People Bereaved by Suicide
People Bereaved By Suicide (PBS) – The Samaritans have organized an ongoing support group for those affected by the suicide of a relative or friend. The pain and emotional distress felt by people bereaved by suicide can be frightening. Shock, anger, guilt, shame and depression are among the many emotions felt. The PBS aims to provide a safe, confidential environment, in which bereaved people can share their experiences and feelings, thus giving and gaining support from each other.Outreach
As a public service to the community the Samaritans regularly give talks to organizations, societies and groups with shared purposes or interests in order to raise awareness to Hong Kong people about the services the Samaritans can offer.Governance
The Samaritans Hong Kong is fully governed by unpaid volunteers. The 110 active volunteers elect a Management Committee to oversee finance and fundraising, and a Director to be responsible for the general operation of the organization. The Management Committee members and the Director are unpaid volunteers.There are currently 4 paid staff forces at the Samaritans Hong Kong to assist the volunteers in administrative and fundraising and publicity matters. The paid staff however is not involved in the operation of the hotline.
See also
- SamaritansSamaritans (charity)Samaritans is a registered charity aimed at providing emotional support to anyone in emotional distress or at risk of suicide throughout the United Kingdom and Ireland, often through their telephone helpline. The name comes from the Biblical parable of the Good Samaritan, though the organisation...
- The Samaritan Befrienders Hong KongThe Samaritan Befrienders Hong KongThe Samaritan Befrienders Hong Kong is a non-government organization. It is a local voluntary agency which provides counseling services to people with suicidal tendencies or behavior...
- crisis hotlineCrisis hotlineA crisis hotline is a phone number people can call to get immediate emergency telephone counseling, usually by trained volunteers. Such hotlines have existed in most major cities of the United States at least since the mid-1970s. Initially set up to help those contemplating suicide, many have...
- suicide preventionSuicide preventionSuicide prevention is an umbrella term for the collective efforts of local citizen organizations, mental health practitioners and related professionals to reduce the incidence of suicide....