The Society of Rehabilitation and Crime Prevention, Hong Kong

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Published: 12:00am, 2 Nov 2005

Where: 702 Duke of Windsor Social Service Building, 15 Hennessy Road, Wan Chai

What: Established in 1957, The Society of Rehabilitation and Crime Prevention (SRACP) provides services such as counselling, recreational activities, vocational training and hostels for former prison inmates so that they can be reintegrated into society. It also offers assistance to their family members.

How: Visit www.sracp.org.hk for more information. The organisation recruits volunteers to provide a wide variety of community services to rehabilitated ex-offenders and their families.

Volunteer: Mureen Mo Wai-ling has been doing volunteer services for Jockey Club Home Recruit - a branch of SRACP that supports family members of ex-offenders - for about two years. She is mainly involved in providing recreational and educational activities to children.

'Many ex-offenders have already learned from their mistakes, but society often fails to accept them or give them enough opportunities. It would be a mistake to assume that the children of ex-offenders are problematic. They are no different from other children and some of them are even more determined to do well in life.

It's true that some of the children may have lower self-esteem and might not make friends with their classmates easily. Their parents may be welfare recipients and don't have enough money to enable them to take part in recreational activities. Their social life is therefore quite limited.