Living in Hong Kong with Down Syndrome has its challenges, but a particularly pronounced one is employment. According to statistics, only 17.6% of individuals with Down Syndrome in our city are employed, compared to the 59% employment rate of the general workforce. Exacerbating this is the fact that 30% of those with disabilities who are employed earn less than HK$10,000 per month, as opposed to just 20% of the general population. For someone like our community member and R21 graduate Chi Wing, these numbers are awfully familiar.

Prior to joining r é n’s community, Chi Wing had worked a number of jobs, but none were long term. “She’s been hired by many different places before, but they only ever offer her internships or short-term contracts,” Chi Wing’s mother tells us. “There’s always been a lack of stability, which can really affect people with Down Syndrome. More than anything, they need a healthy routine and a strong sense of stability and purpose, which long-term employment can offer. Everyone needs structure in their lives, but this is especially the case with people with Down Syndrome.”

Earlier this year, through r é n’s partnership with the Hong Kong Down Syndrome Association, Chi Wing was introduced to our community and the R21 Youth Programme. This new initiative kicked off last year and was created to help those with Down Syndrome gain access to vocational training, as well as holistic support to increase their overall wellbeing, including yoga sessions and different social workshops. “When we learned of the programme, Chi Wing and I were both very interested, so we signed on and met Jo and the team,” Chi Wing’s mother recalls. “I remember the first session we had together was a yoga lesson, and Chi Wing got to meet new friends while I had the opportunity to talk to other parents and caregivers. It was a very rewarding experience, and I knew then already that we wanted to be part of r é n’s community.”

Eventually, Chi Wing completed the 24 hours of allocated training under executive chef Anthony Cheung at Casa Cucina, helping with cleaning tasks, preparing tables, and learning how to make and cook pasta. With her graduation from R21, Chi Wing will soon join r é n’s YES Programme and work part-time at Casa Cucina under a long-term arrangement, as well as being part of our team that runs our R É N TEEN Pasta Workshops. With this employment, we aim to bring her that much needed sense of stability, purpose and structure.

“We’ve worked with other employment agencies before,” Chi Wing mother explains, “but they’re nothing like r é n. Most, if not all, of them focus on just finding you a placement, and once that’s done, the support is gone – even if it’s just short-term employment. But with r é n and Jo, you can really feel a sense of community and belonging. They support Chi Wing in so many ways, from employment to physical wellbeing to social skills, and you can really tell the difference it makes. So for any parents or people with Down Syndrome that have yet to be learn about the R21 Youth Programme, I would highly recommend giving it a shot.”