1. Social Capital: Giving Help and Seeking Help in Hong Kong and Shanghai, China.
- Author
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Mok, Bong-ho and Ma, April
- Subjects
- *
SOCIAL capital , *SUPPORT groups , *POVERTY reduction , *UNEMPLOYMENT , *CRIME prevention , *PREVENTION - Abstract
Mutual help, a concept consisting of giving help and seeking help, is considered one of the most important aspects of social capital which contributes significantly to controlling social problems such as poverty, unemployment, crime and delinquency, and others. This paper explores and describes the culture of helping, seeking help and mutual help in Hong Kong and Shanghai which are two major cities of China. Initial findings showed that Hong Kong citizens scored alarmingly low on the indexes of helping, seeking help and mutual help. In Shanghai, it is observed that the situation is similar, but for different reasons. To build a community with mutual care and mutual help, individuals, professionals and the government have important roles to play. It was proposed that polices in building social capital, developing social enterprises, encouraging tripartite partnerships among the business, government and the community should be reviewed; the school curriculum may include the promotion of mutual help; more resources should be allocated for the development of existing and new mutual help groups; and public education on helping, seeking help and mutual through the mass media should be implemented. ..PAT.-Unpublished Manuscript [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2009