Ava LAU, Dr

LAU, Siu-mei Ava

Ava Lau is a lecturer at the Department of Social Work, Hong Kong Baptist University. She teaches and researches on social policy and youth, gender, community development and young children. She serves on various committees in the University such as the Committee on Students with Special Educational Needs and the Committee on the Social Work Practice and Mental Health Centre (SWPMHC). Dr. Lau is one of the Judges of the world's leading academic award programme “The Global Undergraduate Awards”. She is known for her research and publications in the fields of social work and community-based research. For example, her upcoming publication on children with special education needs; and, research on young people social mobility commissioned by the Policy Innovation and Co-ordination Office, HKSAR.

Apart from her contribution to academia, Dr. Lau is an agency administrator working with a diverse population in the community. Dr. Lau is a registered social worker and board member of Angela Luk's Education Foundation. She has experience of organising experiential learning activities in local schools and communities. She is a co-director and Honorary Treasurer, Social Development Practice and Research Center (SDPRC). SDPRC is a charitable organisation that provides professional training and consultation to NGOs in Hong Kong and the mainland China. The service center “Family Mutual Hub” under SDPRC provides direct services to low-income families living in sub-divided flat in Sham Shui Po. In the past years, Dr Lau's community services include serving as a co-director of the Sham Shui Po Community Association, management committee of Trefoil Guild (Girl Guides of Hong Kong), and, honorary consultant of Read2kidHK.

Social policy and youth; Gender; Community development and young children; Critical discourse analysis