Media

CADENZA community project AIMS-Active Interest Mentorship Scheme Promoting quality of life after retirement

05 Apr 2012

In Hong Kong about 60 000 working adults enters retirement every year. Due to the baby boomer effect, the retirement rate will peak in 2018, with up to 300 000 people leaving their work position within a few years. Retirement is a completely new page in life, and successful adjustment to retirement is a critical first step for quality aging. Therefore adjustment and preparation to retirement is both a personal, familial and social issue. Because of resources constraints, corporates can only provide basic preparation such as leaflets or one-off seminar for soon-to-retire employees. To promote real behavior change necessary for retirement preparation, a universal, effective and sustainable intervention model is required.

In response to the big challenge, The University of Hong Kong and The Hong Kong Christian Service jointly launched a two year project, CANDEZA Community Project - Active Interest Mentorship Scheme (AIMS) with the sponsorship of Jockey Club Charities Trust from 2011. Using active interest as a positive entry point and making use of successfully retired people as mentors, AIMS assists the soon-to-retire people making active actions preparing for their imminent retirement. In the press interview the AIMS team will report the encouraging preliminary research results. Mentors and mentees will also participate to share their personal experiences. Information of the coming activities of AIMS will be announced, including the First Hong Kong Active Interest Expo which will be conducted on Sunday April 15.

You are invited to participate in the press interview. Details are as follows:

Date: 10 April 2012 (Tuesday)
Time: 11am
Venue: Main Building Room 218 Convocation Room

Speakers:
- Dr. Ng Siu Man, CADENZA Fellow & Assistant Professor
Department of Social Work & Social Administration, University of Hong Kong
- Mr. Anthony Geun, Consultant, Employee Development Service Hong Kong Christian Service

Albert Wong, George Yeung, Connie Chan, Babe Cheung, mentors & mentees

Enquiries: Trinni Choy, Assistant Director (Media), (tel.: 2859 2606, email: pychoy@hku.hk) or Melanie Wan, Manager (Media), (tel. 2859 2600, email: melwkwan@hku.hk), Communications & Public Affairs Office, The University of Hong Kong