Funding pattern for social service providers needs adjustment

Macau’s government needs to adjust the pattern of how it has supported the social service sector, as current models might no longer be helpful, said the Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture Alexis Tam.
He revealed that “significant changes” may be made in the government’s subvention models to the social service sector, and discussions to draft a new scheme will take place over the next two months.
“Macau’s economic and social conditions now are very different from a decade ago. Facing the increasing costs in human resources and rental price, the government may need to adjust [its subvention] in these aspects accordingly,” he explained.
After visiting a training factory operated by the Fuhong Society of Macau for mentally disabled adults yesterday, Tam told the media that the government can consider investing in or purchasing existing industrial buildings in order to provide venues for social enterprises.
The non-profit organization provides vocational training and job positions in its social enterprises to those with mild or moderate mental handicaps. As managers reflected that the organization’s labor force is always stable but its professional team is suffering from a staff turnover, Tam reiterated that professionals need to be imported from outside, but establishing an exit mechanism for them is a precondition.
“All the problems I’ve heard from the sectors are attributed to two major issues, which are the shortages of land and human resourses,” he stressed, concluding a series of visits to medical, educational and social service institutions recently.