Spirit to Serve our Communities

Ms. Sandra Ng, Director of Human Resources,
JW Marriott Hotel Hong Kong (right)

Ms. Nora Wong, General Secretary,
Hong Chi Association (left)

The JW Marriott / Hong Chi Partnership started in May 2001, at a time when the Hong Kong job market was shifting from manufacturing to service industries. Ms. Nora Wong became aware that Hong Chi's vocational training programmes were no longer yielding jobs for graduates with mental handicap. To face the challenges positively, Hong Chi sought help in the service industry. At the same time, under a corporate philosophy "Spirit to Serve", the JW Marriott Hotel had been looking for a new community partner.

At the beginning, Hong Chi trainers were sent to JW Marriott Hotel to work with the staff there so as to learn housekeeping and other relevant skills for developing an appropriate training curriculum. To facilitate the training, JW Marriott donated and replicated two hotel rooms at Hong Chi Pinehill Village and the new JW and Alice Marriott Training Centre was opened in March 2002.

The success of the training programme made JW Marriott and Hong Chi to collaborate further. Ms. Sandra Ng promoted this partnership scheme through Hong Kong Hotel Association, to encourage her counterparts to provide more training opportunities on housekeeping. Till now, over 60 trainees with mental handicap had been placed in JW Marriott Hotel, its 2 sister hotels as well as other hotels in Hong Kong.

In the past few years, with the support of JW Marriott Hotel, Hong Chi developed bakery training, sewing workshops (including aprons and environmental bags), printing of welcoming cards, and plant nursery that produces organic and salad vegetables. For the future, JW Marriott and Hong Chi look forward to developing laundry service. A more diversified scope of training is believed to be crucial in enhancing trainees' competencies.

Ms. Sandra Ng attributed the success to having a better understanding of the partner NGO's needs and knowing clearly the company's own resources and expertise. She emphasized the importance of both partners being involved in brainstorming ideas, identifying opportunities, acting on them and maintaining effective communication. Ms. Wong pointed out the lessons learned by Hong Chi Association as being honest in the partnership. Mutual trust of both parties is important.

Click here to see Ms. Sandra Ng and Ms. Nora Wong's Presentation (PDF file format - 9MB)