The Chief Secretary for Administration, Mr John Lee, chaired the ninth meeting of the Youth Development Commission (YDC) today (October 25).
Members welcomed the new youth development initiatives and the direction of re-organising the Government structure to foster and support youth development in the "Chief Executive's 2021 Policy Address". The YDC will actively follow up on the Chief Executive’s invitation to explore the introduction of a new funding scheme to subsidise eligible non-governmental organisations (NGOs) to organise projects that are conducive to nurturing young people's positive thinking, particularly those projects which involve cross-sectoral efforts or are youth-led and could drive community building. Besides, subject to the outcome of the pilot scheme launched in July 2021, the YDC will roll out a brand-new thematic funding scheme on outdoor adventure training activities for more NGOs to provide systematic and quality outdoor adventure training activities for young people. Members were also briefed on the latest progress of the Funding Scheme for Youth Entrepreneurship in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and the Greater Bay Area Youth Employment Scheme, as well as the details of relevant Policy Address initiatives on education and nurturing innovation and technology talents.
Mr Lee said, "The Policy Address sets out a number of youth-related new initiatives to respond to young people's needs in education, career pursuit and home ownership, as well as participation in politics and public policy discussion and debate. Looking ahead, the YDC will proactively drive forward youth work in two broad directions: firstly, we hope to promote young people's positive thinking and put more emphasis on their diversified development through different initiatives. Secondly, we will deepen various schemes for youth exchange, internship, entrepreneurship and employment, and more, to facilitate young people to better grasp the opportunities brought about by the National 14th Five-Year Plan and development of the Greater Bay Area."
Members were also briefed on the youth development work of the Security Bureau together with its six disciplined services and two auxiliary services departments. Apart from working with other departments or organisations to promote youth development, the disciplined and auxiliary services departments also organise youth programmes relating to their areas of work. Most of them have set up their own youth uniformed groups, with a view to nurturing young people's positive thinking, law-abiding awareness, discipline, team spirit and aspirations to serve the community, as well as helping young people understand the country and enhance their sense of national identity through a series of lectures and different forms of training and activities. The YDC praised the youth work of the disciplined and auxiliary services, and agreed to strengthen its co-operation with them, including letting the disciplined and auxiliary services make good use of the YDC's platform to reach and benefit more young people.
Members noted the progress of various youth development projects under the YDC. Of note, the Home Affairs Bureau (HAB) has partnered with the Hong Kong Cyberport Management Company Limited (Cyberport) to launch the new Youth Start-up Internship Programme (YSIP) on a pilot basis, with a view to providing young people with internship opportunities at Cyberport's affiliated start-ups. Apart from internship placements, Cyberport will arrange a series of training and entrepreneurship activities for the interns. More than 440 internship placements have been offered by 170 Cyberport's affiliated start-ups, including 30 placements to be offered during the initial phase across various disciplines, such as data analysis, programming, corporate governance, marketing, design and digital marketing. Since its launch in late September, the YSIP has received more than 500 applications from young people, reflecting their keen demand for internship opportunities at start-ups. The HAB will liaise with Cyberport to expedite the rolling out of more internship placements. Interested young people may visit the YDC's website (www.ydc.gov.hk/en/programmes/ip/ip_ysip.html).
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