According to a study conducted by Hong Kong University at the request of the Social Welfare Department, dole recipients in the area also have the lowest employment rate.

In the study of about 1,800 of 11,857 qualified participants between November and March, university researchers found that the 213 dole recipients from Tin Shui Wai had the lowest employment and highest project refusal rate.

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Wong Yu-cheung, from the Department of Social Work and Social Administration, which conducted the study, said the average employment rate of dole recipients in other districts was 39 percent, compared with 24 percent in Tin Shui Wai.

Wong said 90 people, or about 42 percent in Tin Shui Wai, refused to participate in the project, while the average refusal rate in other districts was only 25 percent.

"The study was not designed to accurately tell why the behavior of Tin Shui Wai's recipients stood out from those in other districts," Wong said.

He suggested the government increase penalties to encourage dole recipients to seek work and to reduce exceptions for solo parents with children aged 12 to 14 to those whose kids are six or above.

Fernando Cheung Chiu-hung, the Civic Party lawmaker representing the welfare sector, said the simple reason why Tin Shui Wai dole recipients had fewer jobs was because there were no jobs available in the area.

"Money and time spent on transportation to other areas to work are holding them back," Cheung said.

He said the transport subsidy was of little help as these were for a limited period of six months.

"The government needs to replan the job supply in the area. The low employment rate reflects the lack of opportunities even though the labor supply is there," Cheung said.

The New Dawn Project was heavily criticized when first proposed as it required families with children aged six or above to seek work or face a cut in their dole payments.

It was modified over the past 18 months, but the changes were not sufficient to quell criticism, with one women's group saying it was discriminatory to solo parents.

According to social welfare data, a total of 7,886 dole recipients territory- wide had participated in the project up to the end of March, while 3,971 had refused from out of a total of 11,857 who qualified for the project.

About 28 percent, or 2,215, had secured jobs, with 836 taking up full- time employment and 1,379 working part time.

Nearly 160 participants had earned enough to leave the social security assistance system, according to acting Director of Social Welfare Nancy Law Tak-yin.

Social Welfare Advisory Committee chairman Wilfred Wong Ying- wai recommended the government continue with the New Dawn Project for another 2 years without changing its current scope.

"The committee felt the project is effective in helping solo parents receiving Comprehensive Social Security Assistance to walk that first step towards self-reliance," Wong said.

He added the scheme was a good investment in solving the cross-generational poverty problem, as children today could learn from their parents how to become self-reliant.

Deputy Secretary for Health, Welfare and Food Carol Yip Man-kuen said the government had yet to decide whether to adopt the recommendations in the university study.

"The government hasn't decided to adopt any particular suggestion. But we do need more time to collect more data for an in-depth analysis to further improve the project,"Yip said.

The pilot project will expire in September, meaning the government would need to approach legislators for further funding to continue.