Navigation Scheme for Young Persons in Care Services opens for application

The Social Welfare Department has launched the Navigation Scheme for Young Persons in Care Services (the Navigation Scheme) to provide opportunities of employment and training, including a two-year part-time course under government subsidy, for young people who are interested to work in the elderly and rehabilitation care services.

Target Trainees
The target trainees are young people aged 17 to 29 who have completed Form 5 education or possess an equivalent qualification.

Details of the Navigation Scheme
Trainees participating in the Navigation Scheme will be arranged to take up care work in elderly or rehabilitation service units.  The operating agencies shall arrange trainees to attend an orientation programme (including a first aid certificate course and personal care worker training) to equip them for entering the care sector.  Besides, the elderly and rehabilitation service units offering job placements shall provide mentorship as well as employment guidance and support for trainees to facilitate their adaptation to the working environment.

After taking up employment, trainees will be invited to attend a two-year part-time diploma course at a qualified training institute.  The course fee will be processed on a reimbursement basis.  Fees will be reimbursed to the trainees annually upon their successful completion of the course each year with a certificate issued by the training institute.

Upon successful completion of the two-year part-time diploma course, trainees will be recognised for having a qualification at Qualification Framework Levels 3 or 4. For those who are interested in developing their career in the care service and meeting relevant eligibility criteria, they may, on the basis of their multi-skills qualification, pursue other training courses on their own initiative and move further up their career ladder in the social welfare care sector.
     
Career ladder of the Navigation Scheme

Step 1> Young people have completed Form 5 or possess an equivalent qualification joining the Navigation Scheme
Step 2> Orientation Programme (including personal care training and first aid training)
Step 3> Job Placement as Care Workers in the Service Unit
Step 4> Two-year Part-time Diploma Course (including Health Worker Training Course in the first year)
Step 5> Successfully registered as Health Workers on completion of the first-year study and promoted to Health Worker
Step 6> Two-year Part-time Diploma Course (including relevant health care/multi-skills trainings in the second year)
Step 7> Upon completion of the Two-year Part-time Diploma Course, trainees possessing the relevant qualification pursue other training courses / move further up their career ladder in the social welfare care sector

How to apply
Young people interested to join the Navigation Scheme may contact the operating agencies listed below.

Caritas - Hong Kong 
Telephone: 3589 2268     
E-mail: hons@caritassws.org.hk

Evangelical Lutheran Church Social Service - Hong Kong
Telephone: 2467 7040 / 5115 4177   
E-mail: yns@elchk.org.hk

Haven of Hope Christian Service
Telephone: 2643 3365         
E-mail: nsypinfo@hohcs.org.hk

Tung Wah Group of Hospitals
Telephone: 3525 1218 / 6177 3404   
E-mail: navigation@tungwah.org.hk

Yang Memorial Methodist Social Service
Telephone: 2609 1855 / 6239 5584   
E-mail: ns@yang.org.hk

Enquiry     
For further enquiries about details of the Navigation Scheme, please contact 2892 5560 (from Monday to Friday, 9:30 am to 1:00 pm and 2:30 pm to 5:00 pm, except public holidays) or send email to elderly2@swd.gov.hk. For details, please visit the website of Navigation Scheme for Young Persons in Care Services of Social Welfare Department.