The Jockey Club SMART Family-Link Project is hosting a three-day project finale and international conference which started today (26 August) under the theme of “Empowering Families in the Digital Age”. The conference is showcasing the project’s best practices, with expert speakers from Hong Kong and overseas sharing insights on the use of information and communications technology (ICT) in family services.

The project, initiated and funded by The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust with a donation of nearly HK$330 million, supports 26 Integrated Family Service Centres (IFSCs) and Integrated Services Centres (ISCs) operated by NGOs across the city, in collaboration with The University of Hong Kong and Hong Kong Baptist University. Its aim is to leverage ICT to enhance family services. The project also provides training and service data analytics to drive innovation and digital transformation in the family service sector, with the ultimate goal of fostering family well-being. The project has benefited over 340,000 service users since it was launched in 2018.

An opening ceremony for the Jockey Club SMART Family-Link Project Finale cum International Conference 2025 was held today, officiated by Chris Sun, Secretary for Labour and Welfare of the HKSAR Government; Jackson Woo, Steward of The Hong Kong Jockey Club; Professor Alexander Wai, President and Vice-Chancellor of Hong Kong Baptist University; and Professor Yang Wang, Vice-President and Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Institutional Advancement) of The University of Hong Kong.

Club Steward Jackson Woo remarked: “As one of the world’s leading charitable donors, the Club is committed to promoting innovation through technology and enhancing the capabilities of social welfare organisations. It also encourages cross-sector collaboration to address evolving social needs and support Hong Kong’s long-term development. The Jockey Club SMART Family-Link Project has brought together muliti-disciplinary partnerships to improve the efficiency and quality of family services and drive digital transformation across the social service sector. The results achieved over the past seven years have been truly encouraging.”

In addition to a thematic forum titled “Mapping the Way Forward for Greater Impact: Digital Innovation for Next-Generation Family Services”, the Jockey Club SMART Family-Link Project Finale cum International Conference 2025 features a series of keynote and plenary presentations, showcasing successful practices from the Jockey Club SMART Family-Link Project as well as examples of local experience. These sessions are intended to facilitate knowledge sharing among local and international experts, professionals, NGOs and academics on the use of technology and data to enhance innovation and service efficiency in family services. They also serve as a platform for building networks and partnerships among local and international field experts for future collaboration and the sector’s sustainable development. The conference has attracted some 300 in-person participants, with more than 300 joining online from the Greater Bay Area and overseas.

The Jockey Club SMART Family-Link Project enhances the effectiveness of services provided by IFSCs and ISCs by supporting their application of ICT across four key areas. Its i-Connect is the first cross-organisational service management system specifically designed for family services in Hong Kong, helping to reduce manual input and administrative work. It also assists in the early identification of high-risk cases. The Data Analytics System enables centre supervisors and front-line staff to analyse data — including from i-Connect — to strengthen service planning and risk assessment. The project also assists centres in developing innovative blended modes of services tailored to their specific needs, combining face-to-face and online services, and provides them with training and support. In addition, the project enhances the sector’s ICT capacity by providing training for social workers. It has also developed a digital resource hub, offering a wide range of practical reference materials to support the advancement of family services in Hong Kong.

Since its launch, the i-Connect system has handled over 47,000 cases. More than 90% of centre supervisors indicated that technology and data analytics have improved service efficiency, supported informed decision making and enhanced service quality. Thirteen innovative blended mode intervention models have been developed in reponse to localised family needs.  The project has also organised over 4,800 tech-assisted activities and 150 capacity-building training sessions, benefiting over 340,000 service users and more than 3,400 social workers.

The Club’s support for Jockey Club SMART Family-Link Project, like all its charity and community contributions, is made possible by its unique integrated business model through which racing and responsible sports wagering generate substantial tax contributions, charity support and employment opportunities for Hong Kong.

The Hong Kong Jockey Club

Founded in 1884, The Hong Kong Jockey Club is a world-class racing club that acts continuously for the betterment of society. The Club has a unique integrated business model comprising racing and racecourse entertainment, a membership club, responsible sports wagering and lottery, and charities and community contribution. Through this model, the Club generates economic and social value for the community and supports the HKSAR Government in combatting illegal gambling. In 2023/24, the Club returned a total of HK$40.1 billion to the community. This included HK$29.9 billion to the HKSAR Government in duty, profits tax and Lotteries Fund contributions and HK$10.2 billion in approved charity donations. The Club is Hong Kong’s largest single taxpayer and one of the city’s major employers. Its Charities Trust is one of the world’s leading charity donors.