Inaugural Christmas Party Fills Global Centre with Warmth and Love

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Towards the end of last year, an inaugural Christmas party was held in the P. C. Lee OneSky Global Centre for Early Childhood Development in Hong Kong.

The event attracted 100 members who shared a wonderful afternoon with Centre staff celebrating the festive season. Thanks to the generous support and sponsorship of Generali’s The Human Safety Net (THSN), volunteers created fun and interesting Christmas-themed games using recycled materials.

Caregivers and children explored and traveled around different booths, hosted by Generali’s THSN volunteers. The families had great fun joining in various activities including the wreath and wooden craft DIY workshop, putting up a Christmas tree, hunting for jingle bells, and playing bowling games. What surprised the children most was that Santa Claus “came to town” and took pictures with them! They were further delighted when Santa distributed presents to each one of them.

A good time was had by all during the inaugural Christmas party – which organizers hope to make an annual event going forward.

A big thank you to volunteers from Generali’s THSN! The children and their families had great fun and felt a sense of community at the party.

Children designed a beautiful wreath and helped to put up a Christmas tree.

Strike! The children demonstrated their talent for playing bowling games.

Jingle bell, jingle bell… where are they?


Children colored beautiful wooden crafts showcasing their creativity.

Children and adults alike were excited when Santa paid a surprise visit to the Centre!

OneSky Community Day Join Hands with Community Partners to Support Families in Need

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In Hong Kong, OneSky has been working with community partners to offer assistance and support to families in need. In December 2021, OneSky joined hands with the Hong Kong Federation of Women’s Centres and Caritas Hong Kong’s “Project Hyacinth-Enrichment Service for Young Mothers,” inviting caregivers and children aged between 0 and 6 to visit the P. C. Lee OneSky Global Centre for Early Childhood Development (OSGC).

Through experiencing the educational playground and parenting skills interactive workshop, the families in attendance gained a better understanding of the services offered by the Centre promoting early childhood education and supporting vulnerable families.

Through exploring the inspirational playground of OSGC, the families, on one hand, experienced learning through play; on the other hand, they could have a better understanding of responsive care under the guidance of Family Mentors.

 

“We feel very grateful for having support from like-minded organizations, who are willing to join hands with us to introduce community support for families in most need. By collaborative effort and making good use of one’s strength, I believe that we could build a strengthened and supportive network for vulnerable caregivers and children in Hong Kong,” said Susanna Lee, Executive Director of OSGC.

On Community Day, caregivers and children were excited to tour around the interactive educational playground, creative sports zone, and family resources zone under the accompaniment of dedicated Family Mentors.

“Project Hyacinth – Enrichment Service for Young Mothers” aims to rebuild family and community support for young mothers. On the Community Day, young mothers  explored ways to improve children’s early childhood development through a responsive care approach, via the service and facilities of OSGC.

 

Followed by an interactive parenting skills workshop, caregivers learned about the importance of childhood brain development and how the attitude of caregivers influenced children’s responsive learning abilities. In the future, OneSky hopes to continue partnering with more like-minded organizations, providing additional support to the community.

Caregivers had an understanding of early childhood development after attending a parenting workshop and learned ways to stimulate children’s brain development.

Hong Kong Federation of Women’s Centres focus on the livelihood of grassroots women. Thanks to their visits we hope to meet them again in the caregivers training program.  

One year on, the vision and bravery at the heart of OneSky Global Centre

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By Susanna Lee, Executive Director of the OneSky Global Centre

I grew up in Sham Shui Po, near what is now the P.C. Lee OneSky Global Centre for Early Childhood Development. Back then it was still a secondary school but that would ultimately close and the building would fall into disrepair.

My family lived in a small apartment. My parents, younger sister, and I shared a set of bunk beds, and, at the heart of our home, was a small collapsible table. It was used for meals and for watching TV but I invariably sat underneath it. It was part of my imaginary games — my little kingdom.

I recently asked my mother why I had never attended childcare. It turns out the first obstacle was the waiting list. Then, when a place finally became available, my mother visited and was shocked by what she saw. A dozen babies watched over by a single caregiver, with no time for play or nurturing.

It’s no exaggeration to say that Sham Shui Po has needed a place like OneSky’s Global Centre for my whole life.

But, as fate would have it when the Global Centre finally opened it was during a once-in-a-century occurrence – a global pandemic. While the vision of all involved was remarkable, it was matched by inspirational bravery and perseverance. Do you remember that creeping fear we were all feeling one year ago in the early months of 2020?

Susanna Lee, Executive Director of the OneSky Global Centre

At the time I was OneSky’s Hong Kong Director of Development, I am now proud to be the center’s Executive Director. Having observed all the hard work that was required to open the centre, I am grateful for the vision that led to its achievement.

It was a vision that came to light thanks to Jenny Bowen, OneSky’s founder. Jenny imagined the center as a place that was equal parts love and learning. A place where children could find a better start to life and where caregivers, parents, and partner NGOs could learn best practices in Early Childhood Education.

The center would serve as a hub to share cutting-edge theories on early brain development and teaching methods.

It was a dream that the Lee family shared too. They believed in Jenny and her vision. Their donation allowed us to begin building the dream, their gift is an investment in the future of Hong Kong’s children and it is truly fitting that the center carries their name.

Jenny’s enthusiasm for the project was contagious. A steering committee, a campaign committee, partner NGOs, and hardworking board members, all contributed so much.

So many people gave knowing this was what Sham Shui Po so desperately needed.

And it happened. This beautiful center. This inspirational, bright, love-filled space. To watch children explore it has been such a joy. Released from the constraints of small, subdivided homes, their energy is restored and their imaginations fed.

And now here we are in May 2021, a year on from opening in the toughest circumstances imaginable. Sometimes we still need to take a moment to look around at what has been achieved and feel a genuine sense of pride.

Because, 12 months ago, as Hong Kong counted Covid-19 cases and we fearfully scanned the news, our dedicated team continued as best they could. As they worked socially distanced or online, lockdown brought us all a fresh reminder of just how many of Hong Kong’s children have so little space.

Despite it all, in the last year we’ve registered 437 children and 496 caregivers as centre members. Community training has included nine events with 87 families attending. We have engaged with 57 local organizations, most of whom have visited the centre, and commenced training partnerships with two. The reach is growing and as Hong Kong emerges from the pandemic, our horizons are widening.

This is an investment in children, in parents, in good childcare, in expertise.

Because a better start for our children means a better future for all our communities.

Thank you to all who made it happen.

OneSky appoints Executive Director to Global Centre in Hong Kong

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Susanna Lee, formerly OneSky’s Hong Kong Director of Development, has been promoted to Executive Director of the P.C. Lee OneSky Global Centre for Early Childhood Development.

Having grown up in Sham Shui Po, Susanna knows, like many children living today in the center’s neighborhood, that space to play is minimal and childcare options extremely limited.

In her new role, she’ll be working with the Hong Kong government, NGO partners, and funders to grow the center’s reach and to serve vulnerable local children and families.

As a training organization, OneSky established the center to grow the capacity and quality of early childcare in Hong Kong and across Asia. The center also provides training to professional caregivers and parents.

OneSky was founded in 1998 in China to provide nurturing care and early education to abandoned children in China’s welfare institutions.

The organization now serves left-behind children in China’s rural villages, the children of migrant workers in Vietnam’s industrial zones, and children living in ger districts in the Mongolian capital, Ulaanbaatar. The P. C. Lee OneSky Global Centre for Early Childhood Development was opened in May last year.

OneSky CEO Morgan Lance said: OneSky CEO Morgan Lance said: “Susanna has a wealth of experience working for NGO in Hong Kong, coupled with a natural passion for this work in a part of Hong Kong that she knows so well. I am delighted that Susanna has taken on this new role  –  giving back to the Sham Shui Po community where she grew up and helping OneSky grow the capacity and quality of early childhood education in Hong Kong.”

Susanna added: “I am so proud to accept this role and to represent OneSky. The decision to open in the midst of the pandemic was a brave one but the issues of childcare, space to play and child development have never been more current. We must never forget that Hong Kong’s children are Hong Kong’s future.”

A place of hope for Hong Kong parents struggling through Covid-19

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As Covid-19 spread around the world in 2020, lessons were quickly learned on the impact of the disease and the efforts to control it.

Just as the vulnerable were more likely to catch the virus, those whose homes offered little space for parents and children to coexist suffered most during lockdown.

Meanwhile, financial realities also meant balancing childcare and the need to work, creating an often impossible challenge.

A brave decision

Against this backdrop, in a part of Hong Kong famed for its small, subdivided apartments, the P. C. Lee OneSky Global Centre for Early Childhood Development opened in May. While the decision to open during a pandemic was brave, the need had never been greater.

The site, in Sham Shui Po, will eventually be a multi-use center where local children and their caregivers can play, learn and enjoy support, and professional caregivers can train and be trained.

But it was soon clear during 2020 that it was local parents who needed OneSky’s help the most.

Since opening last spring, 34 parents have benefitted from OneSky training. While they learned, children were able to enjoy the open, socially-distanced spaces within the center. A further 263 families, including 343 children, have registered as center members.

And, when lockdowns intervened, OneSky staff and trainers were able to reach out to families online.

Quality time with children

For mom of three, Wong Yin Yu (pictured below), parenting training meant being able to learn, spend quality time with her children and benefit from sharing experiences with others.

“I believed I had enough experience and knowledge of caregiving but discovered my deficiencies after taking the course,” she explained. “I learned from the details that I used to overlook, like paying attention to children’s interest when teaching them something new, replicating their actions and guiding their behavior in positive ways.”

In total, three groups of parents benefited from the training. The first completed 18 sessions and are now progressing to “Graduate Alumni” level. These participants were recruited during local community events.

The second group, referred from the Music Children Foundation, completed 12 sessions. A third, again locally recruited, have completed six sessions to date.

YOU CAN HELP: Sponsor a child in a OneSky program and give them the best possible start to life. 

Next up, local charity Pathfinders has referred an additional class of parents to the site that employs a team of four Family Mentors which teaches positive parent-child interactions and early childhood best practices. OneSky continues to seek long-term partnerships with more local NGOs and community groups.

“Opening during a pandemic was, of course, far from ideal,” said Jasmina Wadhwani, OneSky Director of Global Programs, Hong Kong. “However, so many of the issues we faced as a community suddenly became worldwide topics of conversation.

“As the world committed to lockdown we saw how it badly it affected vulnerable families. The spotlight was suddenly on the need for safe spaces for children, the pressure on parents and importance of childcare and the value of caregivers as key workers.”

For the parents able to attend the OneSky Centre, it’s clear that the opportunity to get out, to learn, and share the challenges they faced, was extremely valuable. As was the supervised play for their children.

“The feedback we received from parents was extremely positive,” added Jasmina. “The center will continue to grow its services as the Covid-19 situation allows. The wider context is a world that’s being re-shaped and we’re learning to adjust quickly to existing limitations while also evolving to meet new needs.”

OneSkyHeroes: Why OneSky will always have my support – Karen Koh

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Broadcaster, journalist and media trainer Karen Koh believes love and care in a child’s early years is vital – that’s why, she tells us, she believes in OneSky.

Q. How did you first hear about OneSky and what was it about our cause that moved you enough to become a part of it?

“I actually heard about OneSky when it was still called Half the Sky and I think I originally heard about it through parents at my kids’ school. For me, what was most important was learning about the attention paid to those really early years. As a parent, you know that this kind of bonding and care makes such a big difference. You know how much those first few years help build a child’s confidence and self-esteem, independence and resilience.

“I like the way OneSky operates in terms of training others because really that’s the best way to become sustainable. So that was it, when I heard about the work you were doing I thought – wow! OneSky is doing a great job using the right kind of methods that will last and have a great impact.”

Q. You’ve long given your time and expertise to a number of causes and issues. Why is giving back so important to you?

“Firstly, I have the capacity. I feel like I’ve had a very fortunate life experience and have benefited from being able to do so many things. It’s important to give back to your community. Especially if you have the skills, or you just have a platform to give a voice to others.

“We can help people achieve something and that does make your life a little more meaningful. It is so much more satisfying than just working and doing everything entirely for yourself.”

Q. OneSky believes early childhood development is an investment in future adults who will benefit our global community. How do you think your upbringing impacted who you are now and what you do?

“My childhood absolutely did impact. Hugely. When I think back to when I was very little I was often apart from my parents who were new migrants to Australia. Both my parents worked, so when I was in preschool, there was someone I called my godmother who would pick me up and take me to their house. She’d feed me and I’d play with her dogs.

“She was English and was just so kind. I always felt safe and I was happy to go there every day. Knowing that there’s somebody there for you, who is not just going to take care of you but does it in a way that’s loving and connected and supportive is just such an important thing. I think it gave me confidence, helped me communicate and gave me the ability to talk to different people.

“All these things are so important and they’re not the type of things you learn in school. You learn these skills from being with people.”

Q. As an experienced presenter with the likes of CNN and the BBC, how did it feel to be working with OneSky colleagues in our first gala broadcast? How did they do?

“I have to say the OneSky team were amazing. I’ve been in many many TV studios over the years and of course this was a first-time, quite complicated, virtual event. Watching at home, you don’t really know what it’s like at the other end and there’s so much going on behind the scenes.

“In the control room, there were probably around 15 people. There were so many elements and it was complex because we had the green screen, we had several live studio guests, several more Zoom guests and the live pledge.

“But everything was so well organized. The rehearsal took twice as long as the actual show because we had to make sure everybody knew when to walk in, walk off, and where to look. But on the night it went really smoothly. It just felt very very professional and everyone was so supportive.”

Q.If you could make a wish come true for Hong Kong’s children, what would it be?

“I just wish there was a level playing field for everybody. I wish everyone could have the same opportunities. Obviously, we don’t live in a perfect world but I think whatever we can do to give every kid a chance, with great education, a great family life and great opportunities, we should do it.

“Hong Kong is a wealthy society with huge disparities. It’s not a simple thing to solve but there are definitely ways that we can all help to make Hong Kong more equitable for those less fortunate.”

Children and parents experience OneSky’s new Family Centre in Hong Kong

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It’s hard to say who lockdown has been hardest on — stressed parents or their young children stuck inside Hong Kong’s infamously compact homes.

But, 14 families recently had the chance to enjoy a special open space filled with educational toys, games, swings and climbing frames.

That space is the newly opened Family Centre at the P. C. Lee OneSky Global Centre for Early Childhood Development in Sham Shui Po. The event was a Community Day set up to promote OneSky Parenting Training workshops, launching to local families this month.

On this occasion, moms and dads joined a 15-minute parenting talk in English and Cantonese, then spent time enjoying a facilitated play session with their children and OneSky Family Mentors.

The brand-new Family Centre includes an indoor playground, wet room, access to books, videos and counselling services.

“This was just a brief taster of Parenting Training,” said Cordelia Au, OneSky Associate Director of Community Partnerships. “But we were able to talk about observing, interpreting and responding to children which is at the heart of the OneSky Approach.”

The Family Centre will also serve as a community gathering space where children (up to age six) and their caregivers can play and learn together.

Families with children of this age, living in a designated area of Sham Shui Po, can register as members. Registered members are able to book facilitated play sessions, participate in parenting skills workshops, and access consultation and referral services. Residents living outside the service boundary may attend parenting skills workshops.

For more information, please visit the centre or call 3598 9338 during office hours.

While 2020 has been a difficult year for all, parents and young children have suffered disproportionately. The pandemic has affected work availability as well as childcare and outlets for play.

But OneSky is determined to help.

“The centre is a safe, friendly space for children and parents where they can enjoy the space, access assistance and be a part of a community facing the same challenges,” said Cordelia.

“In the meantime, we have received so much positive feedback from our invited guests and watched the children have so much fun. Children need to play and that requires space – that’s a premium for so many in Hong Kong, particularly this year with public play spaces having been closed.”

 

OneSkyHeroes – Generali believes in the importance of families, that’s why it believes in OneSky

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A passionate partnership in Hong Kong – Generali finds a kindred spirit in OneSky

Generali’s reach is global with a presence in over 50 countries. But its Italian roots and culture are still evident. For Josi Chiang, Head of Generali’s The Human Safety Net program (THSN) in Hong Kong, that was why it first recognized OneSky for All Children (OneSky) as a potential partner.

“As an Italian company, Generali holds true to its roots. We value the importance of families and of the time they spend together,” said Josi.

“So, when we were looking to launch our local THSN program as part of Generali’s global movement, families were always at the forefront of our thinking.”

Josi Chiang, center

“We were looking for a local NGO that assists vulnerable families in Hong Kong with emphasis on very young children. The formative years are when children develop their social, cognitive and physical skills and that’s the time we think we can make the most difference.”

To this end, THSN has pledged to fund OneSky’s Family Centre in Sham Shui Po for children aged 0-6 and their Family Mentors who are essential to providing loving and responsive care to the children. The partnership will include supporting the development of OneSky’s program in the center and volunteering by local Generali employees.

Photo credit: Vicky Chan, Avoid Obvious Architects

For OneSky’s Director of Development in Hong Kong, Susanna Lee, Generali’s passion and energy has been very inspiring. It’s clear it will be an exciting partnership.

Susanna joined a two-day THSN workshop with Generali staff recently and left elated.

“I just felt so energized and moved by their commitment. It’s impossible not to look forward and imagine what we can achieve together,” said Susanna. “There was so much passion and creativity in the room.”

Susanna Lee

Also looking ahead, Josi believes the partnership will mean a better future for Hong Kong’s most vulnerable children.

“Hong Kong is a developed city, but at the same time, space is a problem and inequality is huge. One-fifth of the city’s population lives below the poverty line and many are living in cramped homes without any space to grow and play.”

It’s a huge challenge but Generali is keen to play their part in bringing lasting change.

Generali and OneSky staff.

“It is disheartening to see so many lacking opportunities and having such a difficult start in life,” added Josi. “We believe everyone should have a real chance. OneSky knows that they can help children by providing space to play and grow, and help develop skills with love and care.

“In doing so they are assisting families as well as our future communities. Hopefully, this vicious cycle of poverty can be broken.”

OneSkyHeroes – Generali believes in the importance of families, that’s why it believes in OneSky

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A passionate partnership in Hong Kong – Generali finds a kindred spirit in OneSky

Generali’s reach is global with a presence in over 50 countries. But its Italian roots and culture are still evident. For Josi Chiang, Head of Generali’s The Human Safety Net program (THSN) in Hong Kong, that was why it first recognized OneSky for All Children (OneSky) as a potential partner.

“As an Italian company, Generali holds true to its roots. We value the importance of families and of the time they spend together,” said Josi.

“So, when we were looking to launch our local THSN program as part of Generali’s global movement, families were always at the forefront of our thinking.”

Josi Chiang, center

“We were looking for a local NGO that assists vulnerable families in Hong Kong with emphasis on very young children. The formative years are when children develop their social, cognitive and physical skills and that’s the time we think we can make the most difference.”

To this end, THSN has pledged to fund OneSky’s Family Centre in Sham Shui Po for children aged 0-6 and their Family Mentors who are essential to providing loving and responsive care to the children. The partnership will include supporting the development of OneSky’s program in the center and volunteering by local Generali employees.

Photo credit: Vicky Chan, Avoid Obvious Architects

For OneSky’s Director of Development in Hong Kong, Susanna Lee, Generali’s passion and energy has been very inspiring. It’s clear it will be an exciting partnership.

Susanna joined a two-day THSN workshop with Generali staff recently and left elated.

“I just felt so energized and moved by their commitment. It’s impossible not to look forward and imagine what we can achieve together,” said Susanna. “There was so much passion and creativity in the room.”

Susanna Lee

Also looking ahead, Josi believes the partnership will mean a better future for Hong Kong’s most vulnerable children.

“Hong Kong is a developed city, but at the same time, space is a problem and inequality is huge. One-fifth of the city’s population lives below the poverty line and many are living in cramped homes without any space to grow and play.”

It’s a huge challenge but Generali is keen to play their part in bringing lasting change.

Generali and OneSky staff.

“It is disheartening to see so many lacking opportunities and having such a difficult start in life,” added Josi. “We believe everyone should have a real chance. OneSky knows that they can help children by providing space to play and grow, and help develop skills with love and care.

“In doing so they are assisting families as well as our future communities. Hopefully, this vicious cycle of poverty can be broken.”

Even before social distancing, Hong Kong kids needed more safe space

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In 2018, when my son was two, we began this project for OneSky in Sham Shui Po and he helped color in the floor plans. A year later he saw the plans animated and even visited the site.

Of course, he was excited about the play equipment but he especially loved the big windows.

In 2020, aged four, he finally got to attend the opening. My decision to share the process with him had been spontaneous but it turned out to be very special, not least because our world has changed so much in this short time.

Now, in July 2020, Hong Kong is experiencing another Covid-19 surge. Public spaces have proven to be highly important to maintain social distance. In Sham Shui Po, subdivided flats suffer their own lack of space with all the physical and emotional stress that entails.

WATCH: See architect Vicky Chan visit the OneSky Global Centre with his son and his friend.

In the meantime, schools have closed early for summer vacation. K-1 students have been stuck at home since January. Keeping children engaged until school opens again is vital for their own development. It also helps parents and reduces conflict. I know it is not easy to deal with a very active child 24/7.

Pandemic preparation is not something we had planned in 2018 when we started out, but surface treatments in the center were designed with wellbeing in mind. Its large play area with big open windows will keep children in the neighborhood engaged, safe and healthy.

When children finally entered the site, it was so much fun for them to explore. They loved the windows. They let in so much light and allowed the child to build their own relationship with the space.

For me the site is special. Among my memories are the many human touches that make it work. During construction, the contractor had difficulty attempting to create the curvy line along both sides of the stairs. My team and I went and hand painted the guiding line for them to trace. It worked beautifully. Being hands-on made it feel very different to the digital approach of modern architecture.

Recently I climbed the nearby mountain and looked back down onto the OneSky building on its historical corner of Sham Shui Po. The neighborhood is changing.  Newly developed private residences mean space is further consumed while others are displaced.

My wish for the OneSky building is for it to remain humble and continue to serve as the guardian. I believe it will transform the neighborhood in a positive way for all.

Find out more about the P. C. Lee OneSky Global Centre for Early Childhood Development and how it brings together children, families and caregivers to play, learn and train while creating a better future for vulnerable children in Hong Kong.