The Community Research Scheme of this Centre coordinates CUHK students from different disciplines to work together on rigorous studies of various public issues under the guidance of professional tutors. Participants are required to collect and analyse data, carry out research and present findings that become blueprints for the community and social reforms. In October of last year, the scheme’s project teams of 2019-20 and 2020-21 released their respective research results.
Taking “Grassroots Housing” as the research topic, the team of 2019-20 had conducted numerous home visits to understand the general living condition of the subdivided apartment’s residents, and composed four pieces of housing-oriented oral history of the grassroots residents of different backgrounds. To introduce the condition of the grassroots residents to the public, the team has constructed an online exhibition titled “Hopefully Only for Now”. Other than publicising the aforesaid oral history and throwing light on some “keywords” of the issue, the exhibition presents two interactive items: (1) a video simulating the life of a subdivided-apartment’s resident, and (2) a virtual reality tour to a subdivided apartment which exhibits the lives of the grassroots residents with their voice recorded. The exhibition was officially launched in October of last year. Please click here to view it. An Instagram account was also simultaneously set up by the team to promote the exhibition.
Concerning the team of 2020-21, they focused their research on “The Relocation Policy of Shek Lei Interim Housing and the Long-term Development of Interim Housing” in view that the redevelopment of Hong Kong’s last urban interim housing has been scheduled for end-2022. Through literature review, site inspection, focus group and interviews, the team has studied since January of last year (1) how a reasonable plan of relocation would look like for residents of the Shek Lei Interim Housing, and (2) how interim housing should develop in the long run. After a 10-month research, the team completed a written report (vide here - Chinese version only), and released the research findings and policy suggestions in a press conference on the 10th of October last year. To revisit those media reports, please click here.
For more information about the Community Research Scheme, please click here. If there is any enquiry, please contact Miss Lau of this Centre at 3943 8621 (Tel) or aprillau@cuhk.edu.hk (Email).