Our Impact and Policy Focus
We work across sectors to create lasting social change. Our focus areas reflect the themes and communities we are most committed to serving, grounded in years of research and partnership.
Education & Youth Development
We help partners collect evidence on what works in education and youth development programmes, from social-emotional learning to digital skills and inclusive employment pathways. Our research helps policymakers and funders understand how interventions build resilience, expand opportunity, and create lasting outcomes for young people.
We have led longitudinal studies, for example in collaboration with the Hong Kong Award for Young People and SEED Foundation, aimed to track outcomes over time, revealing the conditions under which interventions build confidence, competence, and resilience. Theory of Change studies, for example our collaboration with Pursuit of X and Matchbox, articulate pathways to impact for youth programmes, identifying both intended and unintended outcomes. Our impact assessment of the Compassionate School Programme generated evidence on social-emotional learning for primary school students, and a second phase is now tracking longer-term outcomes.
Housing
We generate evidence to inform housing policy and practice, with a focus on supporting vulnerable populations, promoting aging in place, and addressing inadequate housing conditions. Our research quantifies social value, maps systemic barriers, and identifies opportunities for policy and investment.
Our mixed-method approaches have helped surface the lived experiences of subdivided unit residents and the policy and market dynamics that perpetuate inadequate housing, informing policy responses to housing inequality. For example, our research on housing and community development with Habitat for Humanity applied service blueprint and Theory of Change methodologies to understand pathways to impact for housing interventions.
Labour
We generate evidence on employment, workforce development, and labour market inclusion. Our research supports policies and programmes that create equitable access to employment, address in-work poverty, and build inclusive workplaces.
Our review of different programmes assisting the working poor, conducted with Oxfam Hong Kong, generated insights on innovations in employment services, employment protection, and community economy, identifying promising approaches and gaps in the current policy landscape. Our research with CareER on corporate and member engagement strategies has examined pathways to diversity and inclusion in Hong Kong's workplaces, culminating in the publication of a Best Practices Manual. Our Theory of Change work with Generation Hong Kong and The "Jockey Club CLAP–TECH Pathway: Star" programme has mapped the journey for SEN youth from education to employment, identifying the systems created for employers, schools, and support organisations.
Social Innovation
& Ecosystem Building
We study and help partners shape the conditions that enable social innovation to thrive. Our research supports the development of ecosystems that are inclusive, resilient, and capable of driving lasting change. We bridge research directly to policy priorities around social innovation, cross-sector collaboration, and systemic change.
Our research has supported the impact assessment of the Hong Kong Social Enterprise Summit, demonstrating how convening and knowledge-sharing initiatives contribute to broader sectoral change. Our work on ecosystem change strategies for elderly housing with Happy Aging Lab Foundation examined institutional work that reshapes ecosystems towards an age-friendly housing industry.
Our collaboration with the LUI Che Woo Prize examined the role of large-scale prizes in catalysing social innovation, while our work on policy research on digital inclusion and digital transformation for HKBN developed an impact assessment framework and metrics to understand how digital initiatives affect access, opportunity, and equity. Similarly, our research with Clean Air Network on change management strategies demonstrated how evidence-based interventions at the school level can contribute to broader shifts in practice and policy.
