Social News
Written by: Chen Shuxia
2020-09-24 08:00
Last update date: 2020-09-24 08:00
With hot milk tea, more cream, and pineapple oil, Akun and Shuling graciously served their meals.
The social enterprise restaurant "Xiangcheng Tea Room" in the Museum of History has left a lot of work for the two. However, with the partial renovation of the museum, the restaurant will also close at the end of October.
Xiangcheng Teahouse has hired a number of people with disabilities in the past six years. Looking back at the past, the two are grateful for the restaurant’s tolerance and understanding of disabled employees. Akun, who suffers from emotional illness, was once timid to join the workplace. With the encouragement of social workers, he finally dared Taking the first step, he bluntly said that after entering the workplace, his personality changed greatly. From the past reticence to cheerfulness, his sense of success at work also made him regain the self-confidence he had lost for a long time.
Although Shuling is a deaf-mute person with mild intellectual disability, she has become a pistachio in the restaurant because of her happy personality, and diners take the initiative to take pictures.
The operating organization also hopes that in the future there will be the opportunity to "renew the frontier" with the museum.
Xiangcheng Teahouse is a social-enterprise restaurant located in the History Museum. It has a nostalgic and retro style. It has been open for nearly 6 years and is very popular among diners.
(Photo by Liang Pengwei)
Akun bluntly said that after working in the Xiangcheng Tea Room, he found his lost confidence and the meaning of life.
(Photo by Liang Pengwei)
Walking into the tea room is like walking into a time tunnel, with nostalgic tea stalls, large brown brick floors and bird cages, exuding the old Hong Kong atmosphere.
However, the permanent exhibition of "Hong Kong Stories" in the Museum of History will be closed on the 19th of next month for renewal work. The Xiangcheng Tea Room will also need to reach its final chapter due to the completion of the contract.
A Kun, a spiritually restored person, is the "big brother" of the Xiangcheng tea room, and has been with him since the opening of the tea room.
Before joining the job, Akun tried to work as a cleaner, but felt discriminated by colleagues, and soon left. After working in a sheltered workshop for 10 years, with the encouragement of social workers, he finally took the first step and regained the courage to return. In the workplace, I am responsible for floor work in the tea room. Huang Yuhua, a social worker at the Kwai Hing Career Development Center of the Fu Hong Society, said, "It is not estimated that it will last for 6 years."
Unforgettable manager rewards employees for buying crepes with tips
"I was cringing before, so don't dare to face it." Akun said that he was not good at resigning. After this work, his self-confidence has increased a lot. "Returning to the meaning of life", he is the most unforgettable party with 50 guests. Afterwards, he was very satisfied with the service. The manager even gave the tip to buy crepes and shared it with everyone. He believed that it was an affirmation of their work performance, "It is more successful than being a cleaner."
He went on to say that working in the tea room also brought unexpected gains. He once interviewed on behalf of the restaurant, and then received a contact from a long-lost friend, thinking that the other party would be blinded, unexpectedly warming his heart, "Just let me explain. For many years, I have been talking about it. If you don’t, you will definitely support me by my side.”
A Kun needs regular follow-up consultations. Ms. Huang pointed out that the restaurant can coordinate working hours for employees to go to follow-up consultations; in case of emergencies, there is also consultation.
The social worker responsible for following up the case will also provide support.
Xiangcheng Teahouse is a social enterprise restaurant. There are currently 25 employees, 17 of whom are people with disabilities. Over the years, it has provided employment opportunities for 60 people with disabilities.
(Photo by Liang Pengwei)
Although Shuling is in charge of floor work, she is very observant and "steals the teacher" from time to time. She is also good at making Hong Kong-style milk tea.
(Photo by Liang Pengwei)
32-year-old Shuling is a colleague of Akun. She is a deaf-mute person with mild intellectual disability. Ms. Huang, who has been following up her case, pointed out that she has a poor sense of time and was often late for work when she first came to work. She has adapted and improved since then. It has been 4 years.
Shuling serves as a store clerk. She is mainly responsible for delivering meals, tidying up and cleaning the countertops, but she can also work as a guest at the water bar, because once the manager "temporarily pulls" her to make water on her behalf. Observing, knowing how much evaporated milk and how much sugar water is needed.” In addition to her strong observation ability, Shuling is also the "happy fruit" of the tea room. Although she cannot express herself in words, she has a real smile and is invited by foreign diners to take pictures from time to time. "You can communicate with gestures."
Mak Runyun, deputy director general of the Fu Hong Society, pointed out that there are 25 employees in Xiangcheng, of which 17 are people with disabilities (including people with physical disabilities, people with intellectual disabilities, and people with mental rehabilitation). In the past 6 years, a total of 60 people with disabilities have been provided with employment opportunities .
After the completion of Xiangcheng Cafe, Akun will be transferred to another social enterprise of the Fu Hong Society to be responsible for the spraying of anti-drug coatings, and Shu Ling will be transferred to the house cleaner. Mak Runyun said that he had already started more than half a year ago In arranging the future whereabouts of employees, priority will be given to arranging them to work in its social enterprises, and it will also depend on personal wishes.
She also pointed out that due to social incidents and the epidemic, the restaurant must be closed from time to time, and losses were also recorded. Fortunately, it was subsidized by the Anti-epidemic Fund. Also, because it was located in the Leisure and Cultural Services Department, the rent concession was "alleviated." It is hoped that the government can provide more support to social enterprises, and it is also hoped that interested people can subsidize the tea room.
After the museum reopens, will the organization bid for the restaurant operation in the museum again?
Mai said, "I hope to have another chance to cooperate."
The Hong Kong Museum of History will undergo a partial renovation. The permanent exhibition of "Hong Kong Story" will be closed on October 19 this year for the renovation project.
(Profile picture)
In response to enquiries, the Leisure and Cultural Services Department stated that the permanent exhibition "Hong Kong Story" at the Hong Kong Museum of History was originally scheduled to be closed at the end of August for renewal.
Due to the epidemic earlier, the museum was closed from mid-July to September 14th.
In order to give citizens a chance to make a final visit, the museum decided to postpone the permanent exhibition until October 19.
The contract for the Xiangcheng Tea Room attached to the museum will expire at the end of October.
During the renewal of the permanent exhibition, the museum’s facilities, including the restaurant, will undergo minor improvements. The details are under planning.
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