Organisation Introduction
Society Reference No.: CI 0468623 | IR No. (Tax Exemption): 91/1498
Formerly known as “Suicide Prevention Society”, The Samaritan Befrienders Hong Kong was founded by Mr. H.K. To in July, 1960. The name of the organisation was later changed to “The Samaritan Befrienders Hong Kong” in October, 1976, without religious stance, we follow the generosity and benevolence of the Good Samaritan in the Bible who always stretched forth a helping hand to the distressed and helpless. Through the giving of support and rendering emotional counselling to those in need, we help them to help themselves.
Mission and Ethos
Mission Statement
To bring out the benevolence in human nature and with love, patience and compassion, nurture the spirit of mutual aid, mutual support and mutual affection.
Our Mission
To befriend, on humanitarian grounds, people who are facing difficulties or are lonely and depressed, by helping them to regain confidence in life. To publicise and promote the spirit of our service in the community through talks, seminars, research and other means of community service. To help in the South East Asia and neighboring areas to set up organisations with a nature and mission similar to ours.
Our Ethos
- We establish ourselves as the Samaritan Befrienders Hong Kong to bring out in full the benevolence in human nature, and with love, patience and compassion, nurture the spirit of mutual aid, mutual support and mutual affection.
- We give the hopeless, the helpless and the suicidality inclined a listener when they need one so that they can relate their inner pain and distress.
- We let help seekers feel accepted and supported so as to enable them to overcome emotional distress and face up to their problems.
- We respect the right of help seekers in self-determination even if they decide to commit suicide, and also their right to discontinue contact with us at any time.
- We respect the privacy of help seekers and will not disclose their personal information to any outside party. Such information would only be kept by us for the purpose of providing effective service. Our Chairman and supervisory officers have the right to get access to details of cases. No service shall be provided should a help seeker find this unacceptable.
Our Milestones
Mr. H.K. To founded the Suicide Prevention Society in 1960, which was the first of its kind in Asia at that time. The picture shows Mr. H.K. To (right) at the 1978 annual meeting.
At the beginning of the establishment of the organisation, Mr. H.K. To and several teachers of Mu Kuang School adhered to the belief in the truth, the goodness and the beauty, and carried forward the Samaritans’ enthusiastic and helpful spirit in the Bible. They used love and patience to answer help-seekers in the form of letters.
The first emblem of the organisation in 1960 was a 7 storey pagoda on the sea, with a lifebuoy on the periphery. The design meant "saving one's life is more meritorious than building a seven-floor pagoda (idiom)". The emblem had been in use until 1981.
The organisation’s first salaried staff and volunteer, Mr. Zhao Konghuan (Zhao Bo), joined the organisation in the early 1960s and served in SBHK for more than 20 years.
Since 1962, SBHK has been a member of the International Association for Suicide Prevention and maintained close contact with international parties that provide similar services.
SBHK has been a member of The Community Chest of Hong Kong since November 1977,
The new (second) emblem was born in 1981. 2 people standing face to face and the blank space is a candle stand showing brightness. The symbolic meaning is to help, accompany and listen to each other and there will be light in the dark as stated in our ethos. The emblem had been used until 2015.
In July 1981, SBHK held the "Unemployed Students" charity premiere at Lee Theatre.
In July 1981, SBHK held the "Unemployed Students" charity premiere at Lee Theatre.
In 1982, in view of the differences in service concepts and ideas between foreigners in the English Department and the members of the Chinese Department, which violated the original service spirit of the organisation, the Wan Chai office was officially closed on June 1, and all services were moved to provide in the Lok Fu office.
Our office in Lok Fu Lo Fu Ngam in 1983.
Our office in Lok Fu Lo Fu Ngam in 1983.
On May 6, 1984, the organisation’s first charity walk was held at Shing Mun Reservoir to raise funds. With the efforts of members, a total of 304 people participated and raised about HK$100K.
On May 6, 1984, the organisation’s first charity walk was held at Shing Mun Reservoir to raise funds. With the efforts of members, a total of 304 people participated and raised about HK$100K.
With the continuous development of the organisation, the office space of the Lok Fu Lo Fu Ngam was not enough to meet the demand. In November 1985, the office was moved to Shun Lee Estate Lee Foo House. The office was more than twice the size of the old office and the facilities and equipment added accordingly, including conference room, staff operation space and four telephone rooms, etc.
With the continuous development of the organisation, the office space of the Lok Fu Lo Fu Ngam was not enough to meet the demand. In November 1985, the office was moved to Shun Lee Estate Lee Foo House. The office was more than twice the size of the old office and the facilities and equipment added accordingly, including conference room, staff operation space and four telephone rooms, etc.
With the continuous development of the organisation, the office space of the Lok Fu Lo Fu Ngam was not enough to meet the demand. In November 1985, the office was moved to Shun Lee Estate Lee Foo House. The office was more than twice the size of the old office and the facilities and equipment added accordingly, including conference room, staff operation space and four telephone rooms, etc.
In February 1986, the opening ceremony of the Shun Lee Estate Lee Foo House office was held. At that time, Mr. Hui Yin-fat, the Executive Director of The Hong Kong Council of Social Service and a member of the Legislative Council, presided over the ribbon-cutting ceremony.
In February 1986, the opening ceremony of the Shun Lee Estate Lee Foo House office was held. At that time, Mr. Hui Yin-fat, the Executive Director of The Hong Kong Council of Social Service and a member of the Legislative Council, presided over the ribbon-cutting ceremony.
On January 3, 1988, the first suicide prevention organisation in China - Guangzhou Pei'ai Suicide Prevention Centre was established. At the end of October of the same year, a group of SBHK arrived in Guangzhou to visit the Centre under the leadership of the then Chairman Ms. Miao Guoling. They exchanged the methods and experiences of carrying out suicide prevention activities, and discussed related social suicide issues.
In 1996, SBHK officially moved into the Choi Hung Estate, and a grand opening ceremony was held in November. SBHK invited Mr. LEUNG Kin Pong, JP, the Director of Social Welfare, and Mr. Davie Auyeung Tsan Pong, Membership Department of Hong Kong Jockey Club, to present ribbon-cutting ceremony and the Hotline Centre was thus established.
In 1996, SBHK officially moved into the Choi Hung Estate, and a grand opening ceremony was held in November. SBHK invited Mr. LEUNG Kin Pong, JP, the Director of Social Welfare, and Mr. Davie Auyeung Tsan Pong, Membership Department of Hong Kong Jockey Club, to present ribbon-cutting ceremony and the Hotline Centre was thus established.
In 1996, SBHK officially moved into the Choi Hung Estate, and a grand opening ceremony was held in November. SBHK invited Mr. LEUNG Kin Pong, JP, the Director of Social Welfare, and Mr. Davie Auyeung Tsan Pong, Membership Department of Hong Kong Jockey Club, to present ribbon-cutting ceremony and the Hotline Centre was thus established.
In 1996, SBHK officially moved into the Choi Hung Estate, and a grand opening ceremony was held in November. SBHK invited Mr. LEUNG Kin Pong, JP, the Director of Social Welfare, and Mr. Davie Auyeung Tsan Pong, Membership Department of Hong Kong Jockey Club, to present ribbon-cutting ceremony and the Hotline Centre was thus established.
The Suicide Crisis Intervention Centre was established in March 2002 with funding from the Lotteries Fund. It is committed to providing counselling, consultation and group services for middle to high risk suicidal people, their concerners and relatives of the suicidal deaths, which rebuild their living faith and enhance their ability to deal with crises.
The Shun Lee Estate Lee Foo House office moved to Pak Tin Centre Block 3, an ceremony was held in December to announce the formal opening
The Shun Lee Estate Lee Foo House office moved to Pak Tin Centre Block 3, an ceremony was held in December to announce the formal opening
Seeing the service demand of the relatives and friends of the suicidal deaths, our Suicide Crisis Intervention Centre launched the Relatives and Friends of the Suicidal People Self-help Group in September 2004, hoping to help the group members get out of the predicament by gathering them together to gain mutual support, live a new live and ultimately achieve the goal of helping others to help themselves. The picture shows the 10th anniversary event of Live the Rainbow Service in 2014.
May 12, 2008 was known as the Great Sichuan earthquake, the Hotline Centre held a sharing at the Centre and and cooperated with Sichuan West China Hospital and Youth Development Fund to organise a three-day post-disaster suicide prevention tutoring session for the counsellors in Sichuan West China Hospital.
In April 2010, SBHK established the Hong Kong first online suicide prevention service Help4Suicide, this website even won the gold award in the non-commercial category of the 2012 Top 10 .hk Website Competition.
“Yout Life‧Your Choice” Life Education Drama is in the form of interactive theatre where audiences are allowed to try themselves in the characters’ shoes by replacing any character in the performance, it is suitable for secondary school students and the general public, where the audiences could interview and question, rewrite the lines and responses of the roles in the drama. These sparkle the audiences to introspect their life decisions, empower them to overcome challenges and develop a greater appreciation towards their lives.
To broaden our service target, another Life Drama Programme called "Fairytale REplay & WEplay" in 2017 for primary school students. This allowed our programme to cover primary school students, secondary school students and the general public.
As the original headquarter of our Pak Tin Centre had to be handed over to the Housing Department because of demolition, it was then moved to Block B Shui Tin House Pak Tin Estate, on July 31, 2014. The new headquarter has received funding from the Hong Kong Jockey Club Charity Fund and the Lottery Fund for renovation and purchase of equipment to improve the environment in which we provide services.
"From Darkness to Sunrise" City Orienteering Competition held for the first time in 2014.
In 2015, Ms Carol YI, Director, Social Welfare Department and Ms. Imelda CHAN, Head of Charities, The Hong Kong Jockey Club officiated at the Opening Ceremony of Shui Tin House Pak Tin Estate Headquarter.
In 2015, the emblem of the organisation was updated again. Slogan added at the bottom of the previous (second) emblem to present our service mission and belief and to remind our staff and volunteers their very reason for joining the organisation.
Jockey Club Life-Connect Resource Network (Training for Teachers & Social Workers) was launched in October 2016, we provide professional training and coaching services to teachers and social workers in schools and youth service units. The content includes but not limited to the overview of student suicides in Hong Kong, signs of suicide crisis, identification of high risk cases, initial intervention of suicide crisis, and coaching them to handle youth suicidal cases.
In 2017, we organised McDull Charity Run for the first time.
Lifetube, the online life education resources network was launched on 15 October 2018.
In 2018, the long years online chat service HeartChat was further developed into ChatPoint. In addition to a website version, app versions on iOS and Android platforms are also available.
2011-2021
2020 – January, Launch of English Emotional Support Hotline
2019 – July, Life Angels Suicide Prevention Service – Online Message Support Scheme launched, service until March 2020
2018 – Launch of ChatPoint online chat service
2018 – October, launch of Lifetube (online life education resources network)
2017 – McDull Charity Run held for the first time
2016 – October, launch of The Jockey Club Life-Connect Resource Network
2015 – The third emblem of the institution was born and is still in use today
2015 – Opening ceremony of Headquarters, Shui Tin House Pak Tin Estate
2014 – “From Darkness to Sunrise” City Orienteering Competition held for the first time
2014 – Headquarter was moved from Block 3 Pak Tin Centre to Block B Shui Tin House Pak Tin Estate
2012 – Launch of Life Drama Programme
2001 - 2010
2010 – April, launch of Help4Suicide
2008 – Launch of Suicide Prevention on neT
2006 – Establishment of Ur-Link Professional Training & Development Centre
2004 – September, launch of Live the Rainbow Service the first support group in Hong Kong for the relatives and friends of the suicidal people
2003 – Establishment of Jockey Club Life Education Resource Library
2002年 – The Shun Lee Estate Lee Foo House office moved to Pak Tin Centre Block 3, an ceremony was held in December to announce the formal opening
2002 – March, establishment of Suicide Crisis Intervention Centre
2002 – May, establishment of Life Education Centre
1981 - 2000
1996 – Officially moved into the Choi Hung Estate office, the Hotline Center was thus established
1995 – With the support of the Social Welfare Department, the Housing Department allocated a Choi Hung Estate space (current site) for SBHK as an office base
1994 – The Samaritan Befrienders Hong Kong changed from organisation registration to company registration
1986 – February, an opening ceremony to announce the office in Shun Lee Estate Lee Foo House was officially in use
1985 – November, office in Lok Fu Lo Fu Ngam was moved to Shun Lee Estate Lee Foo House in November
1984 – May 6, organised the first charitable walk event
1981 – July, held the “Unemployed Student” charitable gala premiere
1981 – The organisation’s second emblem was born, it was in abstract graphic, and the emblem had been in use until 2015
1960 - 1980
1977 – November becoming a member of The Community Chest of Hong Kong
1976 – Organisation name changed to “The Samaritan Befrienders Hong Kong”
1975 – April organised the first Hotline Volunteer Training
1963 – Officially registered in Hong Kong Societies Registry named “The Hong Kong Samaritans”
1962 – Becoming a member of International Association of Suicide Prevention
1960 – The organisation’s first emblem that looked like a “life buoy” was born, and the emblem had been in use until 1981
1960 – Establishment of Suicide Prevention Society
Organisation Structure
Service Structure
Hotline Centre
24-Hour Emotional Support Hotline
2389 2222
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Letters and E-mails for Help
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Face-to-face Interview with Hotline Volunteers
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Volunteer Recruitment and Training
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Community Seminar and Activity
Suicide Crisis Intervention Centre
Suicide Crisis Intervention
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Live the Rainbow Service
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Online Suicide Prevention
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English Emotional Support Hotline
2389 2223
Life Education Centre
Suicide Prevention Education Project
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Lifetube
(Online Life Education Resource Network)
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Life Drama Programme
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Community Education
Ur-Link Professional Training & Development Centre
Public Course
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Organisation & Corporate Training & Seminar