The Chief Secretary for Administration, Mr Chan Kwok-ki, convened the first meeting of the second-term Partners' Board under the Strive and Rise Programme today (March 1). The membership of the Board comprises the Chief Secretary for Administration, representatives of relevant government departments, and strategic partners providing the Programme with key support (see the list in the Annex). At the meeting, members were briefed by government officials on an overview of the first round of the Programme as well as the progress of the second round. They also exchanged views on the Programme.
Mr Chan extended his warm welcome to the enterprises and organisations serving as strategic partners in the new-term Partners' Board. He said he hoped that the board will continue to tap into the collective wisdom to enhance the Strive and Rise Programme and benefit more young people from disadvantaged backgrounds. He said that the smooth implementation of the Programme has rested upon the tripartite collaboration among the Government, the business sector and the community since its announcement in August 2022, and that the active participation and valuable advice of the strategic partners have played an important role.
Mr Chan added that, with the implementation of the first round of the Programme, as well as the advice tendered by the first-term Partners' Board and other stakeholders, fully taken into account, the second round of the Programme has introduced various new elements. They include extending target mentees to cover students of Secondary One to Secondary Four, increasing the number of mentees to 4 000, enriching the variety of group activity sessions (such as organising more Mainland study and exchange tours), and introducing mentorship groups. He encouraged young people from disadvantaged backgrounds to seize the diversified opportunities under the Programme to stand tall, look up and get ahead.
Members were pleased to learn that, for the second round of the Programme, over 200 enterprises and organisations have been offering various types of support, including nomination of mentors and arrangement of group activities, and 29 Star Mentors have joined in. With the joint efforts of the Government, Central Co-ordinator and District Co-ordinators, mentorship pairing and arrangement of orientation, training and group activity sessions are being taken forward in an orderly manner for mentees of the second round to help them broaden their horizons, reinforce their self-confidence and strive for upward mobility. Members shared their views about the contents and implementation of the second round of the Programme.
Members were also pleased to note that, upon the successful conclusion of the first round of the Programme at the end of last year, all graduates have automatically become members of the Strive and Rise Alumni Club. The Government is now working together with the alumni co-ordinator and internship organiser to line up various activities for the alumni. The activities cover areas such as financial education, career and life planning, and leadership development, to encourage mentees to continue their self-enhancement.
In addition, members noted that a Group Activity Advisory Committee has been newly established under the Programme. The Committee comprises experienced mentors and representatives of relevant government departments. It is responsible for collecting feedback from mentors on group activities, providing advice and recommendations on the organisation of group activities, and reviewing their implementation. The Committee has held the first meeting to exchange views on the group activities in the second round of the Programme.
The Strive and Rise Programme, the first initiative under the Government's targeted poverty alleviation strategy, was introduced in the second half of 2022. Through the tripartite collaboration among the Government, the business sector and the community, the Programme aims to help secondary school students from underprivileged families, particularly those living in subdivided units, to broaden their horizons, reinforce their self-confidence, develop a positive outlook on life, set goals for their future and strive for upward mobility. It comprises three elements, namely mentorship, personal development plans and financial support. The target of the Programme has been extended from junior secondary school students in the first round to Secondary One to Secondary Four students in the second round. The number of mentees has also been increased from 2 800 to 4 000.
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