British Council Hong Kong has a Community Involvement programme to create opportunities for staff to work with charities and community organisations in the local community.

The first British Council team ran in the Hong Kong Matilda Sedan Chair Race in 2006 to raise funds for a wide range of charities in Hong Kong.  The team finished the 2.1 km course in 19 minutes, carrying the rather heavy Sedan Chair decorated by the team as a phone box. The effort was well supported by British Council staff and suppliers and we raised a total of $19K and won an award for the best fund raising effort by a non-corporation running team. Our team was easily recognisable by the many members of the public who watched the race at this fun event.

British Council Hong Kong has the biggest English teaching centre in the worldwide network and our expertise in English teaching exerted to across our community involvement.  Teachers in Hong Kong have been teaching groups of refugees for the last few years.  There have been a record number of students and teachers involved in 2006-2007 which is a great reflection on our teachers.  The refugee students come from Bangladesh, Congo, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Guinea, Iran, Ivory Coast, Liberia, Nepal, Pakistan, Somalia, Sri Lanka, Togo and Uganda.  Classes take place at lunchtimes.  Teachers volunteer their free time to teach while the Council supports by providing a classroom.

For several years now some of our staff have been mentors in Hong Kong's mentorship scheme for undergraduates (師友計劃). The scheme is run by Hong Kong University from October to September each year, providing mentors for about 500 students annually.

Earlier in the year staff had the opportunity to volunteer to help at the Enlighten for Epilepsy charity by helping to sell raffle tickets at a fundraising dinner. Enlighten have visited the Council several times to lead sessions with staff about epilepsy awareness.

As part of our celebrations marking the 70th anniversary of the British Council worldwide, in 2004, staff at the British Council Hong Kong were offered an opportunity to work for community organisations or charities in Hong Kong during working hours or with pay. Under this scheme British Council staff were able to contribute to projects and activities such as teaching English to refugees and migrant workers, playing music in hospitals and prisons, and raising public awareness of children's right in assisting in the Children's Forum held in 2004.

The English Adventure Bus is a mobile classroom funded by Prudential and staffed by British Council teachers provides an English language resource for schools all over Hong Kong. It continues to be in great demand with schools and students alike and buses are now being planned for other East Asian countries. The Bus partnership came about as a result of our membership of Community Business.

English Adventure is on the road four days a week.  Schools can sign up for a visit of two consecutive days.  During the day it is available for use by the school’s students and teachers.

We regularly provide work experience for school children and students. We take part in the Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce/Association of English Medium Schools Internship Placement Scheme and the University of Hong Kong Career Exposure Project.

Our staff have taken the lead in voluntary charity events such as 'Dress Down Friday' and 'Skip Lunch Day' for the Hong Kong Community Chest.

As a follow-up to the Soul of the City – International Symposium on Art and Public Space, British Council Hong Kong collaborated with Wanchai District Council in a project on public art in the Wanchai district. Commissioning internationally recognised British designer Thomas Heatherwick and regeneration specialist Fred Manson, the project applied the UK community participatory approach in public art to a design proposal with various options for Southorn Playground in Wanchai.