Among 83 contesting programs submitted by 26 organizations to the 2003 Best Practice Awards in Social Welfare, an award scheme organized by the Hong Kong Council of Social Service, HKCS won two Outstanding Project Awards on promoting community harmonization namely, 'Breaking the Discrimination' and' Project CITY'.

'Breaking the Discrimination' is a program that advocates a re-integration of the marginally problem teens into the community through encouraging these youngsters to participate in different kinds of social services and to assist them to express themselves positively. The program aims to help the general public understand the various challenges that troubled adolescence may be facing and to recognize the many possibly hidden talents and potentials in them. Henceforth, we hope to lessen the discrimination and negative labeling from the community on these teenagers.

On the other hand, 'Project CITY' is a program that helps to rebuild self-esteem and to equip the high-risk females with skills through vocational trainings; thus increase their compatibility in the society attempting to help prevent them from falling into traps like addiction to drugs.

With the aim of accomplishing the best quality social service, it is known that many stimulating and innovative practices have been developed throughout the social welfare industry. Hence, it is among the goals of the Best Practice Awards to exhibit social welfare's contribution to the society, to share and acknowledge excellent practices as well as to establish a record on the various successful programs.

The awards are granted base on four theme categories: human resources development, self-support advocacy, family network consolidation and advocacy on community harmonization. One champion project is selected for each category and 6 outstanding projects are granted with the awards. Presentation of the awards will be in November of this year.