The project connects stakeholders from academia, community, and business sectors, employing the model of “co-creation,” “action,” “scaling–up,” and “diffusion of benefits” to leverage community resources to positively impact children living in sub–divided flats.
J.C.DISI played the role of knowledge transfer and project coordination throughout the project, driving collaboration with academic departments, community organisations, design teams, and furniture manufacturers. By integrating the opinions and needs of various stakeholders, they created a cross-disciplinary, cross-sector and innovative solutions. This collaborative platform greatly facilitated the exchange of professional knowledge from different fields and incorporated applied research from PolyU, bringing together the wisdom of society, business, and academia for more comprehensive benefits.
In the plan, each stakeholder has significantly contributed to their respective areas. The Hongkong Land HOME FUND actively funded and supported the “Furniture for Our Future” Project, aiming to improve disadvantaged communities’ housing environment and upward mobility, setting a great example for the business sector to practice Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). Moreover, the Hongkong Land HOME FUND has dispatched a volunteer service team named “HERE2HELP,” composed of its employees, to assist families living in sub–divided units by installing furniture and assessing their other needs, further enhancing the positive impact of the Hongkong Land HOME FUND on the community.
The PolyU School of Design continuously improved the furniture prototype design during the preliminary phase of the action project to ensure the finished products meet the established design criteria. After the project officially commenced, furniture manufacturers assisted in refining the prototype design, providing production solutions, and establishing supply chains to mass-produce 2,000 sets of furniture. They also offered post-delivery maintenance and repair services to ensure that the beneficiaries can enjoy safe and practical furniture for the long term.
Additionally, the PolyU Department of Biomedical Engineering (BME) and School of Optometry (SO) provided professional advice on lighting, visual elements, and ergonomic design during the prototyping stages, and assisted the J.C.DISI team in creating furniture components centred on children’s health and well-being. During the furniture distribution activities, scholars actively provided free health information to families in sub–divided units, helping children prevent or detect health issues such as scoliosis, hunchback, and myopia early on and offering referral, treatment, and follow-up services.
Community NGO partners were responsible for connecting and screening families eligible for the program. They also actively organised community showcases, acting as a crucial communication bridge between the J.C.DISI team, beneficiaries and their families. The logistic transport team helped deliver furniture to the beneficiaries door steps one by one to minimise the logistical burden on these families.
The long-term goal of the “Furniture for Our Future” project is to expand its positive impact, promoting collaboration among social, business, and academic sectors. It aims to gradually form an ecosystem that connects and utilise social resources through cross-sector innovation, creating shared value and continuously bringing positive effects to society. Families in sub–divided units still face long-term issues brought on by cramped living spaces. Therefore, further initiatives are proposed, including strengthening the support network for these families, improving living environments and facilities, and developing more spacious, comfortable, and community-connected extended living spaces to help families overcome the limitations brought by their unfavourable living environments.
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