Yhk 4 2 job hunting real choice or limited options

a quarterly journal from the hongkong federation of youth groups

June 2012

Volume 4 Number 2

Youth HONG

KONG

Job hunting Real choice or limited options

YOUTH SPEAK Earning, prospects, fulfilment INTERVIEWS Herman Chan Careers and Placement at HKU Stanley Ng Choosing paths, changing tracks Virginia Choi Matching expectations YOUTH WATCH Statistics on money and careers FEATURES Kara Chan on consumerism

YOUTH HONG KONG published quarterly

by The Hong Kong Federation of Youth Groups

CIRCULATION (unaudited) 12,000 in Hong Kong, throughout the region and overseas VIEWS EXPRESSED are the authors’ and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher

Going to work School Leavers Graduate Survival, prospects, fulfilment

Photo by tanjun

Rosanna Wong Elaine Morgan (Editor) Ada Chau (Assistant Editor) Angela Ngai Lakshmi Jacotă Veronica Pearson William Chung

Entrepreneurs

OVERVIEW 4 Choosing jobs: the factors

INTERVIEWS Elaine Morgan Ada Chau Jenny Liu

23-27

OTHER CONTRIBUTORS

INTERVIEWS Herman Chan Stanley Ng Virginia Choi

Gary Heilbronn Drama Hanson Datwani In the loop Jimin Kang, Serena Chow Arts & culture Lee Ming-yan, Sabrina Roberts Internetscope Antonia Heng On the agenda Ho King-yan City space Kevin Chan HKFYG, Going green ARTWORK

DESIGN, LAYOUT & PRINTING DG3 Asia Ltd ISSN 2071-3193

29

32

Kara Chan Consumerism in youth

TEL 3755 7084, 3755 7284 FAX 3755 7155 EMAIL youthhongkong@hkfyg.org.hk ADVERTISING enquiries to Ada Chau (3755 7108)

CORE SERVICES Counselling, Creativity Education & Youth Exchange, e-Services, Education Services, Leadership Training, Leisure, Cultural & Sports Services, Parent-child Mediation, Research & Publications, Services for Youth at Risk, Volunteer Services, Youth Employment, Youth SPOTs, www.hkfyg.org.hk, www.u21.hk

INTERVIEWS 23 Herman Chan

Careers: decisions, decisions, decisions 25 Stanley Ng

Choosing paths, changing tracks 27 Virginia Choi

Matching expectations

FEATURES 32 Kara Chan

Consumerism: driving youth’s spending 34 Familiar family: a one–act play

CORRESPONDENCE to The Editor, Youth Hong Kong, 21/F, The Hong Kong Federation of Youth Groups Building, 21 Pak Fuk Road, North Point, Hong Kong

YOUTH SPEAK 7 Going to work

Earning, prospects, fulfilment

Profiles and statistics 11 Graduates 17 Entrepreneurs

YOUTH WATCH 29 Money and careers

YOUTH WATCH Money and careers

WEB youthhongkong.hkfyg.org.hk

THE HONG KONG FEDERATION OF YOUTH GROUPS was founded in 1960 and is one of the city’s largest non-profit youth organizations. Its programmes and activities at over 60 locations are attended by 5 million participants every year

June 2012 Volume 4 Number 2

Contents

17

REPRODUCTION OF CONTENTS without written permission from the publisher is prohibited

Andrew Cheung, Dairy Leung (Interviews) Lok Choi (HKFYG photo bank) Suki Mak (image editing) Other artwork acknowledged as captioned or from public domain.

Youth Hong Kong

7 YOUTH SPEAK

EDITORIAL BOARD

IN THE LOOP 37 Critical thinking ARTS & CULTURE 39 Film review The Hunger Games 40 Gadget review The Kindle Fire INTERNETSCOPE 41 Online shopping: Etsy 42 Social media metrics: Klout vs Identified

34-44

ON THE AGENDA 43 Increased prosperity: growing imblances

Film Web Drama Ecology

CITY SPACE 44 Hong Kong nature: Ecobus night safari

45-51

Sai Kung and Summer Programme 15th Anniversary China Week Zhongshan

HKFYG 45 46 48 49 50 51

Going green today Outdoors in Sai Kung 15 years of the HKSAR China Week, Book Fair, M21 Summer Programme & Organic Farm Zhongshan Training Centre

June 2012 | Youth Hong Kong

Editorial

I

t is never easy finding the perfect job at the best of times, but when faced with a challenging economy, the quest seems that much more elusive.

For today’s potential employees, the job market is increasingly competitive and tight. Many young people, therefore, are forced to make certain compromises to their original preferences, ideals and aspirations. For them the job hunt results in being satisfied with the best option open to them, and finding a suitable balance between wages, prospects and satisfaction.

This issue of Youth Hong Kong looks at the issues confronting young people as they seek employment and asks whether there are real choices for them or are there simply limited options.

We speak with Human Resource specialists, career advisers, employers and academics to fill in the background against which young people make their decisions about jobs. We also make note of statistics and surveys to assess recent trends.

A range of feature articles, many of them written by young contributors provides us with a window into the world of young people, which we hope will interest our readers as well.

As ever, if you have anything to comment on, please do write to us.

 Dr Rosanna Wong, DBE, JP Executive Director, HKFYG June 2012

3

Youth Hong Kong | June 2012

Overview

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In 2011, there were 362,6402 15-24 year-olds at work, 9.7% of their age cohort. The proportion receiving Comprehensive Social Security Assistance decreased from 6.6% to 6.1%3 in the last decade but the number of those living in poverty, according to the Hong Kong Council of Social Service in 2011 is 1 in 54 and the percentage of youth in low-income families is rising.5 Family background is a strong determinant when deciding on jobs.

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Education and income About 100,000 students are leaving Hong Kong schools this summer. The transition to work and tertiary education is receiving special attention with the introduction of the new Diploma in Secondary Education which replaces the old public examinations.

The Diploma will mean an extra year in full-time education for those who would previously have left after Secondary 5. Among 20-24 year-olds, 80%+ have completed secondary education. Of these, at least 50% have begun sub-degree courses and 27% of all those over 15 had a post-secondary diploma, certificate or degree at the 2011 census.1

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The majority of secondary school pupils go straight into the workforce or into diploma, certificate or vocational skills training courses. Potential earning capacity is at the forefront of their minds. Income mobility for 15-29 year-olds without degrees has not changed significantly over the past decade according to a Central Policy Unit (CPU) survey published in 2011.6 A third of those who do not go on to university earn less than HK$6,000 a month and over half consider promotion unlikely. (See Figures 3 and 4). Approximately 20% earn HK$10,000-HK$14,000 a month whereas graduates can expect HK$14,000 upwards according to the 2012 Graduate Employment Survey.

Secondary school

5.0%

4.3%

Post-secondary diploma

Sub-degree course

Figure 1 Educational Attainment in 15+ age group 2011 Notes & Source The figures include diploma and certificate courses at the Institute of Vocational Education, former Polytechnics, commercial schools and industrial training centres of Vocational Training Council 2011 Population Census Office, Census and Statistics Department, HKSARG, February 2012.

15.0% 7.5%

Degree Course

0%

9.2%

10.3%

15-24 years old

25-34 years old Male

Figure 2 Youth in the workforce Source 2011 Population Census Office, Census and Statistics Department, HKSARG, February 2012.

Female

June 2012 | Youth Hong Kong

Overview

J

obs and income for young people everywhere depend largely on educational attainment. In Hong Kong, from a starting point on the minimum wage of approximately HK$5,000 per month, salaries climb for those with vocational

training, up to about HK$14,000. Those with degrees can expect a starting salary of about HK$15,000. We explore attitudes to money, aspirations and motivation for work, with job seekers, employers and the employed.

Earning and spending

Qualified prospects

A territory-wide survey by the Hong Kong Institute of Certified Public Accountants (CPA) asked a sample group of 400 15-18 year-olds about the importance of money.7 82% agreed money was important and 73% also believed they needed to earn a lot to be happy.

90% wished they saved more but nearly 85% wanted to choose how they spent their time, rather than working, even if it meant having less money to spend. When asked what amount represented wealth, the answer averaged over HK$10.85 million but the average salary expected by the time they were 27 was about HK$20,000.

For many young people, a prime reason for getting a degree is to improve their prospects or to go into a chosen profession. The number in tertiary vocational education has been growing steadily and 27% were engaged in some form of degree or diploma programme at the time of the census last year.

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Figure 3 Is it difficult to get promotion?

Notes and Source The survey excluded students and unemployed youth.

Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. Central Policy Unit.

A Study on Understanding Our Young Generation. University of Hong Kong, 2011.

Figure 4 How much do you earn?

Source Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. Central Policy Unit. A Study on Understanding Our Young Generation.

University of Hong Kong, 2011.

Note: US$1=HK$7.80

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The number of graduates with monthly salaries between HK$15,000 and $24,999 increased from about 29% in 2010 to nearly 40% in 2011, while graduate salaries under HK$15,000 reduced by nearly 10%. Vacancies in business services and financial institutions accounted for nearly 30% of the total. Hong Kong graduatesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; most popular employment sector is IT, followed by management, consulting and accounting, then banking, tourism and hospitality, then the civil service.9

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Energetic, dedicated employees often gain the most job satisfaction, although this depends on a number of factors, including a sense of autonomy. However, the CPU survey found that the younger generation as a whole is not very engaged with their work. Fewer than 20% said they actually felt like going to work when they got up in the morning. (See Figure 5).

According to the latest University of Hong Kong Graduate Employment Survey8, average gross graduate salaries increased by 5.8% between 2010 and 2011, from HK$17,336 to $18,350. The most significant increase, of over 11%, was in commerce and industry, followed by community, social and personal services, up by 8.0%.

-

Job satisfaction

20.0%

by Elaine Morgan

5

Youth Hong Kong | June 2012

Overview

Always

35.7% 34.8%

17.4% 0.9%

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Figure 5 How do you feel about work?

Source Extracts from Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. Central Policy Unit. A Study on Understanding Our Young Generation. University of Hong Kong, 2011. Table 9.

Matching employees and employers

Satisfaction and priorities

Money may not come first for those considering job offers. Indeed, a new survey10 of Hong Kong’s post-80s generation, born after 1980 shows that degree holders put interest and fun at work as a higher priority than salary.

Two-thirds of graduates at work say they only plan to stay for 2-3 years in their current jobs11 even though over 80% of graduates from the University of Hong Kong said they were satisfied with their first job and the number who actually changed jobs in first year of employment was under 12%.12

When asked about their strongest workplace characteristics, both those at work and those preparing for work considered creativity to be their strongest point. Post-80s* employees think of themselves as hard working and proactive, whereas their employers think they are self-centred and expect freedom at work.

When asked how they chose between prospective employers, the top priority was development and training followed by promotion prospects. Enjoying tasks and friendly colleagues were the next most important factors.

Many agreed on the importance of work-life balance.

All these priorities are reflected in answers given to us by participants in the next section, Youth speak.

*The post-80s, also known as Generation Y, were born after 1980.

1

2011 Population Census Office, Census and Statistics Department, HKSARG, February 2012.

Hong Kong Population Census 2011. http://www.statistics.gov.hk/publication/stat_report/population/B11200552011XXXXB0100.pdf ibid 4 Hong Kong Council of Social Service. South China Morning Post report http://topics.scmp.com/news/hk-news-watch/article/1-in-5-live-below-poverty-line-welfare-bodysays 5 University of Hong Kong. Social Sciences Research Centre for the Commission on Youth.

6 Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. Central Policy Unit. A Study on Understanding Our Young Generation. University of Hong Kong, 2011.

7 Hong Kong Certified Public Accountants. Teenagers and Money. 2005. [Powerpoint] 8 HKU Graduate Employment Survey 2011. http://www.hku.hk/cpaoesite/press/120510tables.pdf 9 Hong Kong’s 100 Leading Graduate Employers. GTI Media 2011.

10 Tamty McGill International. Survey on Generation Y: Characteristics and preferences at Workplace. Hong Kong, 2012.

11 Hong Kong’s 100 Leading Graduate Employers. op. cit.

12 HKU Graduate Employment Survey 2011. op. cit.

2 3

6

June 2012 | Youth Hong Kong

24% 23% 14%

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Figure 2 Factors when choosing a job

60%

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0% act er Wo istics rkin gp lac e

A common perception in Hong Kong is that the younger generation, especially those who are working or seeking employment, have money as their primary motivation. We found that the first priority of many was job satisfaction and a good working environment.

Another group wanted progress along a clear career path more than anything. Earning to survive was top priority for a minority.

30%

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Most of our sample group consisted of those leaving school to go to university, undergraduates towards the end of their degree courses, and add both graduates at work and those who had been to vocational training college. Their voices in the following pages put young peopleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s perceptions about life journeys into perspective. They also give us pause to think.

Figure 1 HK$ Salary expectations

30%

har

e talked to over twenty young people about jobs and perceptions of future working lives. They came from a variety of backgrounds and included school leavers and graduates, some who are in their first jobs, and some who are young professionals with several years of experience.

Many told us something quite unexpected.

s/ c

W

Going to work earning prospects fulfilment

Int ere st

Photo by Toban Black

Photo by tanjun

Youth speak

7

Youth Hong Kong | June 2012

Youth speak

Earning M

oney is a significant factor for those from low-income backgrounds, especially if they were under-achievers at school. Among our first group several had positive attitude, despite the diffcult working conditions they had known and the fact that their pay was low.

Franni (18) After leaving school I’m going into a Labour Department Youth Pre-employment Training Programme. Then I really need to get a job and contribute to household expenses. If necessary I’ll work in a café. There are always vacancies for waitresses but you are on your feet all day and it’s paid by the hour. At least I’ll get the minimum wage.

Lau-ming (19) I think I’ll work in a shop and I expect to make about HK$7,000. I’m not very ambitious but I think it would be better than working in a restaurant. There are plenty of shop jobs and even if I get a lower wage it will be a start. Perhaps I’ll be able to save enough for an IVE* course next year.

Samson (28) I left school when I was 15 to do a diploma in IT but I failed. My first job was taking photos at a theme park. They paid me HK$6,000 a month for working long hours in all weather. I don’t mind physical work because I’m strong but I do want reasonable time off.

That was the first of many jobs I’ve done, none of them earning me more than HK$7,000 until I got my present job in property management. My employers are different here and I’m not expected to work weekends or on public holidays. Having free time is now more important than money to me.

Bella (29) I wanted to be a hair stylist when I left school. It wasn’t easy to find a training course so I just went to a few local beauty salons and asked about work. I ended up sweeping the floor for a living. Occasionally I washed somebody’s hair. That was a bit better. They gave me tips if they liked it.

There was no minimum wage so I learned to get by on about HK$20 an hour to begin with. If I worked for all the 12 hours the salon was open it was just enough to pay for transport and a snack at lunchtime.

Maybe a bit of makeup. It’s easier now and I’ve saved enough to do a course as a stylist with the ERB.** Jeff (24) I’m doing a part-time degree while working in a bank. In Hong Kong, what you earn is often seen as a measure of success but I don’t entirely agree.

Earning gives me some self-esteem but there is only 10% of my salary left after all of my expenses.

survival shop assistant basic needs

food and shelter

job switching

minimum sweeping floors

harsh conditions

8

Notes: *IVE Institute of Vocational Education **ERB: Employees Retraining Board

US$1=HK$7.80

long

getting tips

June 2012 | Youth Hong Kong

wage low income

Photo by flickr.Marcus

hours

Photo by Bud_um_tiss

Photo by clv4nz

Photo by Magh

Photo by sirwiseowl

Youth speak

Blue collar work in manufacturing dropped in the last decade while office and retail work increased. By 2009, over 30% of those aged 15-24 at work were in the “public administration, social and personal services.” 27% were in “retail, accommodation and food services” and nearly 16% were in “financing, insurance, real estate, professional and business services.”

Source University of Hong Kong. Social Sciences Research Centre for the Commission on Youth. Youth in Hong Kong: a statistical profile. 2010.

9

Youth Hong Kong | June 2012

Youth speak

ambi

Prospects

I

n our second group, we met young people with specific goals and ambitions. Many of them wanted clear career prospects and expected their employers to offer a path to promotion and higher salaries.

When deciding on a profession, top of many young peoples’ list of priorities are prospects for promotion and a clear path to professional development. Money is important too, but they often say it takes second place, knowing that if they choose their first job well, their starting salary can be relatively low. The rungs of the progress ladder are relatively close together and these self-confessedly ambitious young people all know what they want in life.

Chun-wai (19) I’m good at maths and want to be a surveyor.

I hope to start on HK$13,000 a month but above all I want a clear career path. Like some of the others I want to make enough money to do as I choose but I value my family most in life.

Photo by by tr67

Siu-fung (20) I want to teach PE. Everyone I know thinks I’ll be good at it. The work itself is meaningful and stable, the salary would start at about HK$15,000.

I do think of myself as quite an ambitious person but the chance to educate the next generation is what attracts me most, rather than the money, plus the opportunity to maximize my potential.

10

Rita (18) I would really like to be a nurse. It’s a well paid job with good fringe benefits like holidays and welfare, plus a clear career path and good prospects.

Salary is quite important to me. I would like to make enough money to have freedom of choice.

Sui-yin (24) I know I have to get a degree to get on in life, even if it is costing me HK$42,000 a year. When I complete my BSc I expect to be able to follow a clear career path in biotechnology.

That’s why I chose the subject.

For now, I’m working part-time as a marketing assistant with an NGO. I earn enough for my university fees with some left over for my family and for savings. I want to buy my own home one day and maybe will be able to make enough to start up in business.

Wanger (20) I’d like to be a civil servant or a teacher. I think either of them would suit me because I’m good at communicating with others and leading groups of people. I expect I would to start on around HK$10,000 a month but I do want to make a lot of money eventually so that I can be free to choose what I do at some stage of my life.

career path

ition stability

promotion recognition focus

June 2012 | Youth Hong Kong

Youth speak

money

opportunities progress

saving

prospects

career path

Kwok Lai-yi, in her early 20s, will graduate

from the University of Hong Kong this year with a Major in Risk Management & Finance.

She embodies many of the characteristics of an ambitious, straightforward young executive, with a clear vision of her progression and opportunities.

Her future employer is PricewaterhouseCoopers.

Career path My main priority is to work for a top-notch company with plenty of employment opportunities. This means I can maximize my potential with on-the-job training, developing both hard and soft skills. A clear career path for me involves a 3D working environment: dynamic, democratic and down-to-earth. I want to be able to contribute, work with people for whom I have a lot of respect and who have high expectations of me.

For me, success is selfactualization, being the best I can be given all my strengths and weaknesses.

Money matters Initial salary is not very important. I expect I’ll get into a “Wooden Men Lane”* when I start, in a place for training, practice and self-growth. I feel optimistic about my prospects for promotion and development and I truly believe this is totally about work attitude. Having a positive work attitude lets you manage high stress levels and stay self-motivated.

Focus Different people have different perceptions of monetary reward and its connection with status and success. For me, success is self-actualization, being the best I can be given all my strengths and weaknesses. Status is recognition. Focusing on what you want is an important step to achieving success and earning status. But money needs not be the key element with which to measure success.

Influences My parents and teachers said I should ask myself what standard of living I expected in future, whether I could strike a balance between money and happiness and whether I could match my personal values with my career. Their final message was “You walk through life and take responsibility for it.”

I am a hard-working, ambitious person. To climb the ladder of success and reach my goals means continuous effort, a passionate heart, a focused mind and commitment to noble intentions. * 木人巷 Cantonese: muk yan hong; Mandarin: mu ren hang: wooden dummies used in Chinese martial arts training. (Wikipedia)

11

Youth Hong Kong | June 2012

Youth speak

Fulfilment

T

he third group included Hong Kong and mainland graduates at work who revealed idealism tempered with practicality. A significant feature shared by some was they believed work was to be enjoyed. We conclude this section with essays by four of them that reveal dedication, independence of mind and reluctance to adopt preconceived ideas.

Photo by thebmag

Cassidy (28) When I left school I was thinking of going into banking but I have low aptitude for figures and I tried a number of jobs instead.

Doing something to help society is my top work priority, followed by work/life balance. Money is important for a good life but it’s up to you to define what’s good.

Kwai (22) My main goal is to find something in which I have a passionate interest. I am in my final year of a degree in quantitative finance and expect to make a good living in this field, enough to enable me to save, invest and buy a flat.

Emma (28) I’m originally from Chengdu, did my first degree in Nanjing and then came to do a further degree in Hong Kong.

My current job is developing social work services in mainland China. Although my salary is low the work is meaningful and I learn something new every day.

12

Vivian (27) Vivian Wang Like Emma, I did my Master’s at the Chinese University of Hong Kong and am now a social worker with migrant children. This kind of work is a new in China and it’s exciting to be involved.

Wen Long (24) At the moment I’m a maintenance engineer with an electrical company in Hubei. I’d like to start up my own business.

Living a happy life in a good working environment with a free atmosphere is my top priority.

Suki (25) I did a secretarial course when I left school but I have always been really interested in design so I went back to college. When I got my first job I was 23 and earned HK$5,000. It wasn’t much but I loved the work so it didn’t matter.

Lizzy (25) I’m a primary school teacher and being respected is more important than a high salary for me. The environment suits me and it’s interesting work. Job security and feeling good about going to work are my top priorities.

June 2012 | Youth Hong Kong

fulfilment

calling

balance

ideals autonomy

realism

aspirations

Youth speak

freedom

well-being

satisfaction dreams

Kelvin Lai, 24, who has a Master’s degree in Sports and Leisure Management, has tried a variety of jobs, including playgroup trainer, part-time actor and freelance photographer. He is now a leather crafter.

Career trajectory I chose to be a freelancer because it gives me more freedom to control my time. My current occupations include an acting job with the police academy.

It’s very interesting and has taught me a lot about how the police force works. I am also a part-time photographer, taking photos for events and studios.

I was a playgroup trainer throughout my undergraduate years and found it was a joy to work with children, satisfying to see them smile and watch them grow.

Moreover, it was pretty well paid! Working as a leather crafter, as I do now, is something I never expected.

I would say that a successful person is someone who can write their autobiography, and after reading it, you would say, “Wow… what an interesting life.”

Money and focus For me, money has never been the first thing I look in a job or a career. Money is important for survival. I can earn up to HK$20,000 per month, but sometimes it’s less than HK$5,000. Sometimes I struggle when I see old school mates getting wealthier and wealthier, but experience of life and a meaningful occupation are what I seek most. The most important things for me are freedom and life experience.

13

Youth Hong Kong | June 2012

Youth speak

Joyee Chan, 23, is a journalist with the South China Morning Post “Young Post”.

Career path I went to the City University of Hong Kong to study media and communications. My ambition was to become an environmental journalist for National Geographic magazine because I loved writing and researching about animals, plants and ecology.

In fact it was quite hard to get a job after graduation.

I sent 20 or 30 applications and the Young Post offered me an interview – the first and only job interview with a media organization. I think it was a very good start.

It’s a small newspaper aimed at a younger audience, so I can write about all sorts of interesting topics and even suggest my own ideas for new columns.

Money matters I am paid reasonably well compared with my peers working in banks or as clerks and accountants. My job also offers a lot of scope. I get fringe benefits and was fortunate to go on work trips to Switzerland and the mainland last year. I can improve my writing then explore more opportunities in this industry.

14

I can write about all sorts of interesting topics and suggest my own ideas for new columns.

Influences My mother was thrilled when I landed a job as a news reporter. She always wanted a job like this but did not have the qualifications or the freedom to choose her own career. She says I have fulfilled her dreams. My family does not need my financial support so I did not need to worry too much about pay. The reputation of my employer and the opportunities offered by the job mattered more.

June 2012 | Youth Hong Kong

Youth speak

Michael Shen, 27, is a mainland journalist with wide experience in online and print media.

The dissatisfaction that comes from an empty conceptual and spiritual world is much greater than the dissatisfaction that comes from an empty pocket.

Career path I think journalism gives me the perfect opportunity to Of course, if you choose to focus on money rather explore the world, beginning with my own country. than other forms of satisfaction you can be successful too, but I believe the dissatisfaction that comes from an empty conceptual and spiritual world is much By talking to different people, I learn new things every day. That was the most attractive thing for greater than the dissatisfaction that comes from me when I chose my profession: being able to an empty pocket. Personally, I prefer idealism. satisfy my curiosity, and find out about things.

Whatever your dream is, you will gain respect if you persevere. And no doubt enough Money and focus money will come your way eventually.

There are those who want a job mainly for the money and those who want a job both for money and for ideals. However, compared to my fatherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s generation, which struggled to make a living, we not only have more opportunities, but also better chances of earning more.

Generational change: young and migrant As Michael says, his opportunities are far greater than his parentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; were. Re-locating to make the most of them is natural and the greatest voluntary migration in human history has taken place in China within the last generation. However, a National Bureau of Statistics survey* of young migrant workers reveals dissatisfaction and rapid job switching. Given the numbers, this is not surprising. The migrant population of Shanghai almost trebled from 2000-2010 and almost 60% of Shanghaiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 7.5m 20-34 yearolds are migrant workers. Competition for jobs is intense.

Sources * The Economist. 2 June 2012. p36.

15

Youth Hong Kong | June 2012

Youth speak

Alisa Kwan Hoi-lam, 27, is an English

teacher at Kowloon Tong School (Secondary Section)

Career path I wanted to be a teacher ever since I was in primary school. I find my job challenging and rewarding.

A good teacher can show a student how to become a better person. It is like being a farmer – we sow seeds and we take care of the seedlings.

Money won’t guarantee satisfaction, self-fulfilment or the respect of others.

Influences

Both my grandma and my dad were teachers and they had a lot of influence on me as I was growing up.

My principal has been a mentor too. He always says Money is important. It’s hard to live without it. However, that teaching is just the same as running your own money won’t guarantee satisfaction, self-fulfilment or business. A teacher has to use every means at his or the respect of others. I see having a good attitude, both her disposal to improve the quality of teaching and in and out of work, as essential for gaining “status.” enhance effective learning, just as a business proprietor uses different strategies to improve the business and raise profit margins. These strategies come from Focus autonomy and opportunities for self-expression, I believe in having a positive attitude. This keeps without which I doubt anyone can achieve their goal. me moving forward. I have always wanted to get things done in a better way. In that sense I am A successful person never gives up working for better ambitious. Future prospects and work-life balance results. A colleague shared her favourite quote with are both priorities with me. Everyone strives for a me, ‘at the moment that you think you are the best, better future, but no matter how successful one is at you have immediately lost the status of being the work, family and social life cannot be neglected. best.’ To be successful, you cannot just stand still.

Money matters

16

June 2012 | Youth Hong Kong

Youth speak

In business

ARCH Academy

a learning and consultation centre

J

ennifer Ma gave up a job with Goldman Sachs and founded the Arch Academy with a partner about three years ago. The Academy offers thinking skills and preparation for admission

There was a very strong sense of calling.

to preferred schools and universities in Britain and the US.

Crisis and change

Risk analysis

The career switch from banking to education meant taking a big risk.

It was just after the financial crisis and even though my job was not threatened, I was already in my late 20s. I didn’t want to wait any longer.

Of course, money is important to new enterprises. It makes the business sustainable. We did all our own teaching and produced original resources which reflected our vision. That helped keep overheads manageable. Knowing what the maximum loss could be, we gave ourselves a trial period of two years. After that, you can’t go back to banking. It changes too fast.

My business partner and I rapidly became immersed in the world of education and there was a very strong sense of calling. Creating something new and feeling that you can actually change lives, brings intense pressure but with it comes great job satisfaction.

I align personal values with work mission.

We consulted educators in the UK and Hong Kong and I completed a Master’s in Education at HKU while teaching in local schools.

One of our aims is to prepare children for the real world, where critical thinking is crucial. The teaching gave me the opportunity to observe what can discourage students from thinking critically. In Hong Kong schools, poor exposure, learning in big classes and being influenced by those who believe there is a “right” answer, can stifle.

My father left one of the big accounting firms to set up his own business. His advice was to be cautious and start small. My mother has an eye for opportunity and is less conservative than my father. Both my parents supported and encouraged me when many would have said, “stick with the banking job: boring but safe.” They trusted me and believed it could work. That was very important.

As a founder with core teaching skills I now take responsibility for my work in a way that was not possible when I was in banking.

I can align personal values with my work mission. Above all, what is important to me is gaining the objective recognition of those I know and respect, while adding value to the educational process.

The ARCH Academy comprises the ARCH Learning Center, ARCH Education Consultants and ARCH Community Outreach (ACO). The ACO is a not-for-profit initiative run with the support of St James’ Settlement.

Its aims are to bring educational and career development programmes to under-resourced communities, providing opportunities and empowerment to bright young adults. For more on the ARCH Learning Center see pages 37-39. www.arch-academy.com Tel 3568 0406 3/F China Hong Kong Tower, 8-12 Hennessy Road, Wanchai, Hong Kong

Jennifer 對教育充滿熱誠及理想，希望 新一代學生能掌握獨立思考的能力， 並多關心全球發展。透過批判思考的 訓練，學生們都能把握快樂學習的要 訣。

17

Youth Hong Kong | June 2012

Youth speak In business

Bak Kut King Asian treats in up-and-coming areas

A

lex Liu has two Southeast Asian restaurants, in Tai Hang and

Aberdeen. He started out in catering and now operates his business as a social enterprise, sharing net profits with staff and charity.

Bat Kuk King, G/F, 1 Wun Sha Tower, 45 Wun Sha Street, Tai Hang

When I left school I worked in the catering industry for 20 years, as a chef, a waiter, and a bartender. Having your own restaurant is very different. It’s like having your own son.

Nanyang Restaurant, G/F, May Court, 56 Old Main Street, Aberdeen

Flexibility and independence I chose to specialize in Southeast Asian food, especially Singaporean, Nanyang and Malaysian dishes, because it’s easier to employ cooks and gives more flexibility. No matter whether you’re dining alone or with friends, it’s easy to order food, whereas with hot pot, for example, it’s more difficult.

Being my own boss meant I could make independent decisions. It also brings responsibilities and risks, but I really wanted to try it, and see if I could deal with the tension it can create.

Although my mom is very supportive, nobody else in my family is in business. She said the worst scenario would be losing all the money, and that it’s not really a big deal. She’d rather I tried now than wait till I’m old and full of regrets.

Support and satisfaction My initial capital came from a windfall on the property market, but I now have a partner who joined me after the success of the first restaurant in Tai Hang. Our aim is to branch out into shopping malls, with the next new restaurant opening in the coming year.

18

I may also diversify and already have an operation washing dishes, within the catering industry. I think I

can keep all my businesses in operation, although making money on the property market was much easier! Even if I made a lot I wouldn’t consider retirement. I’d get bored.

Like magic When customers praise the food it is a unique experience that you can’t get if you work for someone else. I also get great personal satisfaction from the people who work for me. I expect a lot from them and it’s been so rewarding to develop such good team spirit.

I think my employees’ personal growth is very important. I would like to offer them sponsorship to study and teach them myself about business.

I have employed some very young people and have a low staff turnover rate. I also share net profits, 30% for shareholders, 30% for restaurant development, 30% for employees, 10% for charity.

Starting something from zero is like magic.

My advice to other young people who want to be their own boss is not to over-plan. Nothing is 100% sure.

You really have to take risks. But on the other hand, you need to consider the details and know how you will deal with problems. So far it has been an amazing journey. Starting something from zero is like magic. 從事飲食業 20 多年的 Alex 透過青協「青年創業計劃」 的協助，開設「肉骨皇」東南亞餐廳。由於對行業十分 了解，Alex 有信心東南亞美食在香港將大受歡迎。

June 2012 | Youth Hong Kong

Youth speak

In business

Mr Taco Truck, the Mexican Taqueria

C

alvin Tse is an experienced, qualified accountant, and Vivian Wong used to work for an investment bank after doing finance at university. They decided they wanted a change and opened restaurants in Quarry Bay and Lan Kwai Fong.

VW People ask, “Why Mexican?” The answer is that we love it!

CT I wanted to build something of my own and Vivian

agreed. The capital came from our savings. It used to be just us two in the kitchen. Within a year or two we’d broken even and now we have 15 staff and a second branch.

Challenge and compatibility CT We’re not partners except in business. There are no dependents. That makes it easier.

VW We’re young so we can always go back if it doesn’t work out. Some people like stability. Others like challenge. I like scuba diving, high diving, trekking in South America. I also love cooking. At home, my mother cooks Chinese food better than I can ever find in restaurants. For me cooking comes naturally.

Influences and reactions CT My parents are in business. I used to help them a lot

and realized it could be both fun and risky. But they didn’t like me following in their footsteps. The first reaction was ten-tenths negative. Now it’s half-positive.

VW I was brought up by teachers and I used to think

you had to be careful with people in business! The big influence was an exchange year at Berkeley, in the Silicon Valley area. Everyone wanted to run a startup.

Nobody wanted to work in a bank. That kind of shocked me. Hardly anyone I know is like that here.

The bottom line CT The beauty of being an entrepreneur is that you’re never bored. There are always problems and always opportunities. We can’t give up, we can’t resign. We have to be responsible for ourselves.

VW What we have now is enough, but still far away from what we want eventually. Calvin and I dream about lying on the beach, knowing that the business is still bringing in money.

Mr Taco Truck, the Mexican Taqueria www.mrtacotruck.com tel 852 2590 6911 14-15 Wo On Lane, Lan Kwai Fong, Central HK and 22 Finnie Street, Quarry Bay, HK

Try not to think about money.

It will lead you to a dead end.

CT Our dream is to become a well-known brand, with branches throughout Asia, in mainland China, maybe Singapore. If we haven’t made progress in ten years’ time we’ll sell up and try something new. For now, we reinvest all we make to strengthen the business.

VW My advice is to try not to think about money. It will

lead you to a dead end. You’ll never know what is enough. Instead, you have to focus. Money will follow if you believe in the product.

Inaugural award winners of the HSBC Youth Business Award, Vivian and Calvin say it brought many useful connections and new customers. The awards recognize talent and innovative thinking, determination and creativity.

Organized annually by HKFYG’s Youth Business Hong Kong (YBHK), the sole sponsor is HSBC Business. http://ybhk.hkfyg.org.hk/ybaward2012

Vivian 及 Calvin 毅然放棄高薪厚職創立 Taco Truck， 就是緣於對墨西哥菜的熱愛。他們堅持保留正宗墨西 哥口味，並有信心將墨西哥菜繼續推廣至各亞洲城市。

19

Youth Hong Kong | June 2012

Youth speak In business

Vivian Luk: dress designer in Happy Valley

V

iv ia n Lu k, who

What’s intriguing is that the way people move can change, just by wearing one of my designs.

is in her 30s, makes glamorous

wedding gowns and evening wear. She is a former protégé of Vera Wang, designer for

works of art. Every piece of clothing we wear can reveal the role we want to play. What’s intriguing is how the way people feel and the way they move can change, just by wearing one of my designs.

many famous people such as Chelsea Clinton, Victoria Bec k ha m a nd M ichel le Obama.

I’ve always been in art and design.

My Hong Kong-born father is an interior designer who relocated to Toronto. I grew up there, going to the Fashion Institute of Technology and Parson’s School of Design to get qualified.

Natural steps

20

My parents were already back in Hong Kong when I set up my bespoke bridal and evening wear business. Everything fell into place.

It didn’t feel like jumping out of my comfort zone. People think being in fashion and going into business is risky and it’s true that in the beginning there was a lot of trial and error. But I knew what I was good at. I gained my expertise designing evening gowns with Vera Wang in New York, so this was a natural step.

All along, they were baby steps and I don’t think I ever wasted past experience. I did my research and knew there was demand in Hong Kong, and scope to expand. One reason I chose bespoke was because I didn’t need much capital to start up.

I found clients via word of mouth.

The first one I met at Starbucks, did my sketches, made the dress, and brought it back from New York on the plane!

Drive and motivation I’ve been in business 3-4 years now, reinvesting much of what I’ve made, doing much of the hands-on work myself with five seamstresses. Work is life at the moment but I need to go out and connect in order to give depth to my work. I want to make garments that are worn, not just

For me, success in life means good balance in everything you do, openness to explore without fearing sacrifice or losing touch with reality.

That means not going too fast, knowing the core skills of my industry and practicing them.

Most of all I want to maintain the drive, the motivation and the passion. It means I want to go to work when I get up in the morning.

You don’t need to be an artist to have this kind of drive, but to get to where you want to be in life, drive is essential.

Vivian Luk www.vivianluk.com tel 2891 8311 13-15 Yik Yam Street, Happy Valley, HK

曾經跟著名設計師 Vera Wang 工作 的 Vivian，不乏為名人設計晚裝的 經驗，創立自家品牌後，繼續實踐 自己的設計理想。

June 2012 | Youth Hong Kong

Speedy Group

Youth speak

In business

Web hosting at working velocity The co-founders of Speedy Group, Kelvin Woo and Johnny Luk, a web-hosting and technical support service for schools, talk about how their business started and how well it is now doing. Kelvin and Johnny were also winners of the inaugural HSBC Youth Business Award.

W

e started up in business in 2004 and it took us nine months to a year to achieve a balanced budget. Now we employ about 200 staff and most of them are young. Today’s young applicants ask less about promotion prospects than they did a few years ago. Perhaps this is because they lack confidence, even though we would say they have more choice in the job market. We believe that Hong Kong IT graduates still have competitive edge in many areas of the employment market.

Fresh IT graduates take note When we recruit, the skills we need most are networking, hardware and troubleshooting. Those with good organizational and communication skills as well will have a bright future in the IT industry. Nevertheless, the overall technical skills of fresh IT graduates have weakened noticeably in recent years. As a result, our technical team has to spend more time on training and support than they used to. If the trend continues, there will not only be a recruitment problem for us, but for the entire sector, thus hindering Hong Kong from becoming a leading data centre hub for the Asia-Pacific region.

Upbeat outlook Led by strong demand for both IT support in the education sector and for web hosting, our first quarter sales report for 2012 shows solid growth that exceeds our expectations. We are now targeting 45% revenue growth in the web hosting sector, and 25% revenue growth in education IT support for our company this year. 一般人都認為 IT 人不善溝通，然而， 匯豐青年創業大獎冠軍得主 Speedy Group 的 老 闆 Kelvin 及 Johnny 均 認為良好溝通技巧正是他們生意上 的致勝之道。

Recognition for young enterprises’ outstanding achievements, from HKFYG and HSBC Youth Business Award Organized by The Hong Kong Federation of Youth Groups and solely sponsored by HSBC Business, the HSBC Youth Business Award 2012 programme is now accepting applications from young entrepreneurs. This popular award enables a culture of entrepreneurship to flourish and offers a platform for start-ups to exchange business knowledge and enrich their experience.

• • • • • •

trophies and cash prizes totalling HK$200,000 free advertising participation in HKTDC outbound missions enhancement of company profile critical review of entrepreneurial business plan acclaim for entrepreneurial team members

Supported by Trade and Industry Department Hong Kong Trade Development Council Hong Kong Productivity Council Act NOW to be eligible for the 2012 award Go to ybhk.hkfyg.org.hk/ybaward2012 For online application form Further details from Miranda Wong ybaward@hkfyg.org.hk. Tel 3113 7999

21

Youth Hong Kong | June 2012

Youth speak

Pros and cons

of being your own boss

T

o conclude this section, we look at some statistics about entrepreneurship from a survey conducted jointly by the Federation and the Hong Kong Trade Development Council. Starting up a company is the dream of many young people, yet according to this researchi, only 6% actually put entrepreneurial plans into practice.

This may be because it takes skill, dedication, financial support, background knowledge and creativity to succeed, as the businesses described in the preceding pages illustrate.

1.7% 2.6% 0.9%

10.0%

4.1% 2.6% 5.4%

5.7% 7.0% 4.7%

20.0%

12.9% 13.8% 12.2%

25.0% 23.0% 26.7%

25.5% 24.7% 26.1%

30.0%

27.3% 30.4% 24.7%

40.0%

28.0% 26.3% 29.3%

50.0%

41.2% 42.0% 40.6%

42.4% 42.2% 42.6%

Figure 1 Reasons for starting a business

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Overall New entrepreneurs Would-be entrepreneurs

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0.0%

80% of would-be entrepreneurs say they have not put their plans into practice because they lack startup capital. Of all respondents in this survey, over 90% say their capital comes from their savings.

38% of new entrepreneurs say actual start-up capital required was HK$50,000 or less. To offer support, the Hong Kong Federation of Youth Groups’ Youth Business Hong Kong and the associated HSBC Youth Business Award programme have been set up.

Figure 2 Average monthly personal income derived from business in last 3 months

45.0%

Figure 3 Business sector chosen by new entrepreneurs

Business services

35.0% 20.1%

20.0% 15.0%

10.2%

10.0%

11.2%

Personal services 9.6%

Hotel and catering

7.0%

3.4%

5.0% 0.0%

No income

HK$5,000 or below

HK$5,001 to $10,000

HK$10,001 to $20,000

HK$20,001 to $30,000

22.3% 12.5%

Import-export trade

30.0% 25.0%

30.6%

Retail

38.5%

40.0%

HK$30,001 to $50,000

Above HK$50,000

7.2% 6.1%

Education

3.9%

Wholesale

3.9%

Finance and insurance Art, culture, entertainment and information media

3.1% 2.6%

創業帶來無限挑戰及成功感，但創業之路絕不平坦，知 己知彼才能百戰百勝。研究顯示，八成有創業理想的受 訪青年沒有實踐創業，最主要的原因是缺乏創業資本； 而接近 4 成的受訪新晉創業家表示，他們只需要少於港 幣 $50,000 作為創業資本。

22

i

Hong Kong Trade Development Council and HKFYG Unleashing Hong Kong’s Creative Youth.

2011. 創富創智創意：香港青年創業概況

June 2012 | Youth Hong Kong

Interview

Careers

decisions, decisions, decisions

H

ong Kong’s university students have dedicated services to help them decide on careers and find jobs. The bustling University of Hong Kong Careers & Placement (CEDARS) is an excellent example. Director, Herman Chan, told Youth Hong Kong about the decision-making process and the relative importance of pay and prospects.

Choice of degree The first step towards a first job comes for matriculants when they choose a degree course.

Matching their abilities with subjects they are interested in and entrance requirements usually comes before looking at salary and career prospects.

“Vocational degrees in law, medicine, accounting, business and engineering almost invariably give a clear direction, whereas students in the Arts or Social Sciences faculties may take longer to decide on career direction.”

Good salary and fringe benefits are next after suitability, but decision-making doesn’t stop there.

happy, working 16-17 hours a day in the first year, 6 days a week; maybe 14-15 hours a day in year two, and by year five leading someone else in their footsteps. I told them not to consider money first, to think of all the factors and see the job as an investment of themselves.”

Figure 1 Average gross income of graduates 2008-2010 HK$19,000

HK$18,755

HK$18,500 HK$18,000 HK$17,500

HK$17,336

HK$17,000 HK$16,500

HK$16,625 “Job offers usually come with salaries that match market HK$16,000 rates. Although the average gross is about HK$16,000, excluding medical doctors and dentists, the majority of HK$15,500 2008 2009 HKU fresh graduates get HK$12,000-HK$14,000 a month. If starting pay falls below HK$10,000 graduates usually won’t stay long. It’s different in a very uncertain Compatibility and enjoyment economic environment. Employers in the business sector learn about the salary levels that can trigger instability.”

Every graduate wants a good job and CEDARS1 provides one-to-one consultations with advisers from a range of industries on a needs basis.

Conditions and investment

Since starting salaries may not meet expectations, other elements are important too. Foreseeing some of them requires imagination, self-knowledge and realism.

“I just talked to two students, both of whom were trying to choose between offers from two top investment banks. I suggested that they consider what working for those banks might be like over five years. Would they be

2010

“There are many questions when considering job offers.

I use imaginary scenarios. ‘How will you feel about spending 6 days a week with colleagues from that organization? Will you enjoy 4-day business trips travelling, eating, meeting and greeting?’ Fundamentally, it’s a question of enjoyment: enjoying the job, the teamwork and the satisfaction of using skills and insight to make successful business decisions.”

23

Youth Hong Kong | June 2012

Interview

Figure 2 Major industries entered by HKU graduates 2008-20102 Community, Social & Personal Services

Dilemmas

Business Services Financial Institutions Education

Sometimes graduates are unsure and seek an objective view but they may not always follow advice, as was the case for one potential high flyer whose expectations did not match reality.

Civil Service Engineering, Architectural & Technical Services Trading/ Marketing/ Retailing

2008

Transport, Storage & Communication

2009

Manufacturing Other

2010 9.1%

I tell them not to consider money first but to think of the other factors and see jobs as an investment of themselves.

“She had been offered a good post as a management trainee with a multinational conglomerate. And then came another offer, from the UN in Beijing doing development work on very low pay. I advised her to take the former, to build up her professional pathway and then later engage in community development. She could thus make a meaningful contribution while building her career. But she chose the UN job on the grounds that it would give good exposure in a cross-boundary zone involving North and South Korea, China and Russia. After six months she came back, disappointed, hoping the management trainee offer was still open, but you can’t turn back the clock, can you?”

18.7% 7.4%

9.9% 18.1% 6.9% 9.1%

4.2% 3.7% 4.2%

5.0%

20.8%

4.9% 5.2% 5.6%

14.5% 15.1%

6.7%

17.5% 8.5%

9.4%

8.6% 11.6%

12.4% 8.0%

13.5%

11.0%

10.8%

10.3% 9.4%

Aspirations and expectations

Some people know what they want to do in life long before they graduate. Others will remain indecisive for much of their lives. CEDARS does not only arrange If you are unhappy at work, the same questions have to internships and placements, it also offers valuable be faced, regardless of age. Albeit, the young are usually self-assessment tools, advice on the job market based on flexible enough not to burn their bridges. macro-economic trends and predictions about how those trends are moving. Information like this is “We don’t close our doors to recent graduates and always invaluable for graduates at the crossroads, weighing their try to help those who come back looking for career market value against aspirations, and their likely rewards advice. They are usually frustrated and need to against the work they must do to earn them. understand their own situation. This involves a lot of soul-searching, and predicting whether switching tracks will mean leaping from the frying pan into the fire.” 3

Frustrations and doubts

If starting pay falls below HK$10,000 graduates usually won’t stay in a job long.

24

香港大學學生發展及資源中心就業總監陳秉光表示，畢 業生找工作不應只著重於薪金，他們應整體考慮各種因 素，例如發展前景、工作模式等。同時，有畢業生於工 作一兩年後，發現自己並不適合身處工作崗位並想轉工； 陳秉光也會協助他們，透過各種評估工具，協助他們了 解自己的就業取向。

1

With thanks to staff of The University of Hong Kong’s Centre of Development and Resources for Students (CEDARS): Director of Careers & Placement, Mr Herman Chan, and Student Adviser (Careers), Ms Jacqueline Lloyd.

2

Data in tables is taken from The HKU Careers Guide 2012 with the kind permission of Careers & Placement, CEDARS, HKU.

3

About 15% (336 out of 2240 who responded to a question in the Graduate Employment Survey 2011; total respondents 3535) of employed graduates from HKU in 2011 changed within 6 months of graduation, mostly seeking better salaries or a more pleasant working environment.

, s h t a p g n i s o Cho s k c a r t g n i chang

June 2012 | Youth Hong Kong

Interview

M

r Stanley Ng, Executive Director of the Employees Retraining Board (ERB), knows about getting young people into the workforce, regardless of their academic level. He told Youth Hong Kong about the current situation for school leavers about to enter the job market.

The ERB emphasizes sustainability of development with career planning and retraining for employees.

We help young people get information about opportunities, obtain recognized professional qualifications, and map out progression ladders.

Various survey findings have indicated that over 80% of the young unemployed think their inability to earn and contribute to family expenses is the most pressured aspect of their lives. Even if they find a job it may do little more than cover basic expenses. Hoping for a better pay package is natural, especially in Hong Kong where one in five young people live in poverty.1 However, young people don’t only think of money.

Working conditions are also important, as are career prospects. One survey2 showed that many post 80s employees change jobs for lack of in-service development opportunities. A Hong Kong Playground Association survey3 revealed three main reasons for youth to change jobs: income, career prospects, and relationships with colleagues and supervisors.

Trial and error Switching jobs is understandable, especially among the academic under-achievers. Many of them are poorly informed when taking their first job. They don’t know what suits them and they usually find out by trial and error. Compared with their undergraduate counterparts, they know little about the job market and are not well prepared for joining the workforce.

Job-changing is generally more prevalent in the younger cohort. According to a 2010 Census & Statistics Department report4, 14.6% of 15-29 year-olds had changed jobs in the previous year and the Hong Kong Playground Association survey concluded that young people change jobs about once every 2 years.

Money talks The introduction of a HK$28 hourly minimum wage last year led to an income increase of 7-9% for the lowest income groups during the past 12 months.

The impact on standard of living and the wealth gap has yet to be assessed, but a change in job-seeking patterns can already be seen among young people.

The most vacancies are in frontline catering and retail, but some grass-roots workers have now shifted to property management jobs, where pay is roughly the same for shorter hours, less demanding work and a better work environment. The construction industry offers plentiful opportunities and attractive pay, but many young people are not interested because they consider the jobs risky and don’t want to work outdoors. If labour supply is shrinking, employers will have to offer better packages with clearer career pathways and salary prospects. Not an easy task, especially for the catering and retail sectors.

Notes: US$1=HK$7.80 “Post-80s” refers to those born after 1980.

25

Youth Hong Kong | June 2012

Interview

Learn and Leap: The Teen Action Initiative

Job skills training and retraining

What does it offer knowledge, experience, exposure for informed career choices

What school-leavers need most is a career plan, and then they need to acquire job skills. Hong Kong’s knowledgebased economy means employers usually look for workers with high-level, multiple skill sets, plus the certificates to prove their skills. ERB can equip them with vocational skills training, including courses leading to international qualifications such as accounting, business and office skills. ERB disseminates information via the mass media about programmes offered by 400+ training centres. We also have service centres in Tin Shui Wai, Sham Shui Po and Kwun Tong, where there is greater concentration of lower income groups.

Who is it for 2012 secondary school leavers Why because they need to know more about their opportunities How does it work career planning seminars help youth understand themselves and the job market and get a feel of working in industry Who teaches CEOs, celebrities, practitioners and social workers share experience

Interestingly, 75% of trainees of ERB courses are females.

Perhaps vocational training is not particularly appealing to boys, or perhaps they are simply too confident about the future. Young women today have more opportunities in the employment market. To give just one example, at ERB, we have about 200 permanent staff and 70% are female. Women are relatively more concerned about their careers, and know how to equip themselves for work. Some young men may have to pull their socks up.

Where at three 1-day Taster Courses, seminars and workshops When summer 2012 Organized by HKFYG, ERB and the Education Bureau How much Free of charge with Life Planning: a compulsory seminar

Pilot project

Event Co-ordinator HKFYG

For these youngsters, we have identified 100 sixhour, highly focused Taster Courses straddling different industries. These will prepare them for popular, non-graduate jobs such as wedding planning, wine tasting, coffee making, and IT. All of them have to attend a career planning seminar before they do three of the Taster Courses.

Getting informed Young people’s decisions about what to do when they leave school involve many steps, much deliberation and plenty of false starts. The message is that if they find it hard to find a suitable job, before signing a contract they can avail themselves of the many resources freely available to them.

26

Photo by World Bank Photo Collection

The primary targets of the ERB’s new programme, Learn and Leap: Teen Action 2012 (see box) are secondary school graduates who wish to enter the job market. There was overwhelming response when it was announced. 10,000 applied. We now have 3,000 places.

1

Hong Kong Council of Social Service. South China Morning Post report http://topics.scmp.com/news/hk-news-watch/article/1-in-5-live-below-poverty-line-welfare-body-says

2

http://wikisites.cityu.edu.hk/sites/newscentre/en/Pages/PrintStory.aspx?Story=201106071400.aspx

3

Hong Kong Playground Assocation. Survey on Work Pressure and Tolerance of Youth.

4

Hong Kong Census & Statistics Department, General Houshold Survey. Special Topics Report No. 58. Job Changes by Age and Sex. 2010.

June 2012 | Youth Hong Kong

Interview

Employer

and employee

matching expectations

M

s Virginia Choi, Managing Director at Tamty McGill Consultants International, has long experience in Human Resources. She mentors students, giving them employment preparation and interview skills and has a long-standing relationship with HKFYG. She talked about the characteristics of young workers from an employer’s perspective.

Hong Kong’s Generation Y, the under 30s, think differently from the older generation. They have great ideas and can be very creative in the workplace. Good at teamwork, they like to have an instant response from supportive supervisors and want to participate in decision-making.

“There can be a mismatch of expectations. Employers seek stability, eagerness to learn, good IT and language skills, and willingness to listen carefully to supervisors.”

Brought up with IT, they sometimes rely too much on the internet for communications. They are very hard-working, but they are also selfcentred and may forget that their seniors may not be quite so ‘connected’ and they are.

“They press the ‘Send’ button and go on to the next task instead of using the phone or face-to-face contact to check the message got through.”

Employers can’t rely on them to have practical, humdrum workplace skills, perhaps because so many have been brought up with home helpers. They expect everyday tasks to be done for them. They also switch jobs regularly.

“We do not expect a young employee to stay in one job for the rest of their lives, but a minimum of two years’ commitment will prove they are not too jumpy.”

Generation Y also has insecurities. That is why so many want civil service jobs. Those with associate degrees tend to feel inferior and non-degree holders especially rate the importance of monetary reward highly. They may suffer from labelling by classmates when, in reality, they can be better qualified, more mature, and much better prepared for the workplace.

Approximately 40% overall rate money and recognition as the most motivating factor at work according to our new survey.1 Hirers looking at past records want to see consistent extra-curricular interests and talent.

During job interviews, they check CVs for team players and capable problem-solvers. Mandarin is another invaluable asset if they are to compete with overseas and mainland counterparts.

“Every year, about 6 million mainlanders graduate. Some hunt for jobs in Hong Kong and we don’t mind employing them.”

27

Youth Hong Kong | June 2012

Photo by by Fräulein SchillerAnna Lena Schiller

Interview

Companies team up local trainees with those from overseas and the mainland. Young people here, 60% of whom have had overseas exchange experience, should be well prepared.

“Hong Kong is a cosmopolitan city which offers many chances to widen horizons.”

Communication is the essence of good employeremployee relationships. Most employers find members of the young workforce want to be in control and are not always good at following instructions. They may stay up late to complete a task but be unaware of others' working hours.

“The boss needs to appreciate young people, and young people need to learn from the boss.”

Assessment of personality is important and allows for analysis that can be linked with core competencies.

“The Chinese Personality at Work (CPW) Questionnaire2 we use is based on the internationally recognized Big Five Model3 but focuses on traits particularly relevant to Chinese work behaviour.”

These include deference to authority, tenacity, non-abrasiveness and modesty. Underlying traditional Chinese attitudes with which they have been brought up at home and at school and these are not measured by CPW. “Our conclusion is that the personalities of young people here differ little from those of their peers in the workforce elsewhere in the developed world.”

Another factor sought by hirers is willingness to understand and be part of the community. We encourage young people to do more voluntary work.

They need to show they have the heart to care. Through serving minority groups they can become more mature, sharpen social awareness and stay abreast of change.

“Common sense is often what concerns the employers most.”

Knowing what prospective employers are seeking is imperative for job candidates. They focus on a handful of skill-sets. Top of the list is communication skills. As Virginia Choi says “Communication is the essence of good employer-employee relationships.”

Written in collaboration with Jenny Liu, who is studying Government and Laws at HKU.

28

1

Tamty McGill Consultants International Ltd. Who is our Generation Y? Characteristics and preferences at Workplace. 2012 http://www.tamtymcgill.com/products01.htm3 http:// en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Big_Five_personality_traits

2

http://www.tamtymcgill.com/products01.htm

3

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Big_Five_personality_traits

June 2012 | Youth Hong Kong

$

Youth watch

Money and careers opinions and trends Post-80s youth grew up since 1980 in a world which has seen huge shifts in attitudes, in technology and in the influence of globalization. Their attitudes to money have changed as a result, influencing its importance in their choice of work. We look at a sample of surveys, first from Hong Kong, and then from overseas.

HONG KONG : global influence

It would appear there is a new prudency among the The global financial crisis altered the way many young young. In the 2009 HKFYG survey cited above, nearly Hong Kong people think about financial security and 90% said they saved regularly. The majority (64.7%) said responsibilities. A survey conducted by HKFYG in it was mainly to contend with emergencies. According February 20091 showed that for 35% keeping their job to a survey5 commissioned by HSBC in 2010, 74% of was their priority, while over 26% said they would feel 800 post-80s interviewed had specific saving goals. On secure if they had a large amount of money saved. In a average, they started investing at 21, nine years earlier 2003 HKFYG survey2, by contrast, 58% said high salary than their parents had. Further education was a major would be the biggest draw, when looking for a job. saving goal for students, but once they started working Preferred type of work also changed dramatically between their main goal switched to purchasing property.

2003 and 2009. The number who wanted a government job almost doubled and those who wanted to work for a privately owned company dropped drastically.3 80.0%

64.7%

60.0% 40/0% 16.3%

20.0%

6.2%

5.4%

5.3%

1.9%

to ow /h ar d

ild ch ce

kn

in

Do

n' t

ts bi ha

te ll

r he Ot

ho

od

sa ve sh ou ld A

pe yp ro bu

On e

nc ge er em Fo r

r ty ,m ar ria ge

ie

s

et c.

0.0%

To

In 2011, a University of Hong Kong survey4 found young people were better educated that their parents, but their median income was lower. This study of 1529 year-olds found incomes ranged from HK$6,000HK$14,000 a month. Participants said they sometimes felt frustrated about facing a glass ceiling, and 50% believed promotions were hard to come by. However, more than 60% felt in control of their finances.

Saving for the future 50 .6 % 47 .8 % 9%

5.4%

%

bu ya pr o pa y t per t ui tio y To n ru fe n es ab To us in pa es To yo pa s ff yr To cre en d m t ak it ca e To an rd d bu eb in ve ye t st xp en me n s t W iv To he e ite go n in on ms te re ho st lid ra a te sa y re lo w No ne Ot ed he to r bo rro w

To

Source: HKFYG polls 117, 168, 183

To

.1

6% 9.

5%

2.

6 s he r Ot

7% 5.

7.

NG Os

11 Pr iv at e/ co m m er cia l

ts tm en ar ep td en Go ve r

nm

Figure 1 Priorities in job choice

2%

%

26 .

33

.2 % 35 .5 %

61

.0 %

Figure 2 Saving habits Source: HKFYG poll 183

Figure 3 Reasons for borrowing or living on credit Source: HKFYG poll 183

29

Youth Hong Kong | June 2012

Youth watch

Borrowing money

Moving on

HKFYG research6 found that most young people would only borrow to buy property (43.6%), pay tuition fees (26.6%) or run a business (17%).

Nearly two-thirds did not agree it was clever to borrow instead of earning and the majority did not think those who knew how to make money quickly deserved admiration or were particularly smart.

People will move for money. A survey conducted by the South China Morning Post’s Classified Post9 section, in conjunction with its sister Chinese-language publication Jiu Jik in July-September 2011, found that those most likely to leave their company over the next six months were those making less than HK$20,000 monthly (62.2%), indicating a strong belief among these respondents that they could boost their pay.

Doing it for themselves A joint Hong Kong Trade Development Council and HKFYG survey7 of more than 1,000 Hongkongers aged 18-35, was conducted from November 2010 to January 2011. It revealed that more than 80% had no interest in running their own businesses. This was mainly due to an abundance of jobs in the city that offered reasonable pay and a stable income. However, some 17% of respondents could be called Hong Kong’s “new class of entrepreneurs.” Among these, about 6% said they operated their own businesses, 4% said they planned to start a business in the coming three years, and 7% were generally interested in opening their own company, but had few, if any, concrete plans. Other HKFYG studies8 on entrepreneurship also found that only 7.5% had put their ideas about setting up in business into practice.

However, the financial crisis seemed to have little effect on those considering entrepreneurship. (See Figure 5).

Be self-employed

Source: HKFYG poll 183

30

Realise one's dreams

1.7% 2.6% 0.9%

0%

Figure 5 Have you ever thought of running your own business?

Source: HKFYG poll 141 and Youth Studies 46

Others

4.1% 2.6% 5.4%

10%

Would-be entrepreneurs

Contrubute to society

25.0% 23.0% 26.7%

not satisfied with previous job or career prospects

20%

12.9% 13.8% 12.2%

25.5% 24.7% 26.1%

New entrepreneurs

Have friend(s) sharing business start-up dream

27.3% 30.4% 24.7%

Wish to launch innocative, unique products onto the market

30%

Overall 28.0% 26.3% 29.3%

41.2% 42.0% 40.6%

Wish to enjoy more freedom

40%

Enjoy the challenge and sense of achievement

42.4% 42.2% 42.6%

50%

Wish to make more money

Figure 4 Choice of job during financial crisis

Local young people are keener today to find work outside Hong Kong. According to a 2003 HKFYG study10 only 15.5% entertained the idea, but by 2009 this had more than doubled to 34.6%. This is backed up by a study conducted by the School of Communication of Hong Kong Baptist University, Career Perspectives of Local and Non-local Tertiary Students,11 conducted online in June and July 2011. It polled 2,423 students (1,828 local and 595 non-local) in full time tertiary education.

80% of local students were keen to stay at home to start their careers, but 67% of the sample would consider working on the mainland and other countries. For those wishing to stay home, the majority (26%) were attracted by salaries in their home city, followed by abundant job opportunities (19%). A study by the Bauhina Foundation12 found nearly half of the respondents had considered relocating to other cities in the next 10 years.

Don’t know/ hard to say

5.7% 7.0% 4.7%

Run a business

Support family

Get a paid job

Mainland option

Figure 6 Why start your own business?

Source: HKTDC Research. Unleashing Hong Kong’s creative youth. Survey conducted with HKFYG. 2011.

Yes

No

Have never thought about it

Already worked in the YRD

Don't know

Figure 7 Careers on the mainland Source: HKFYG poll 133 and Youth Studies 29 & 46

June 2012 | Youth Hong Kong

Youth watch

OVERSEAS

India

Britain

Priorities for young people in India are changing and job security is no longer the deciding factor. According to research at Banaras Hindu University15, “Job satisfaction, personal growth, followed by money are high on the priority list with job security trailing.”

In Britain, salary, benefits and bonuses are graduates’ top career priorities. Research from the Hay Group13, a management consultancy, compared graduate level salaries from its remuneration database PayNet, with 400 UK graduates’ expectations for six key company functions: HR, finance, IT, sales and marketing, legal and engineering. Salary data is based on more than 10,000 graduate level wages in more than 600 midsized and large private sector organizations in the UK. The overwhelming majority (93%) of 2011 graduates described base pay as an important or very important factor in their career choice and their top three criteria after salary were financial benefits (51%), future earnings outlook (45%) and bonus potential (37%).

Passion for the job was only considered important by 16%, as were the values and beliefs of an organization.

United States In the US, money is also a significant factor in young adults’ decisions regarding their education and future careers. A study14 by Viacom of more than 1,100 US 18-24-year-olds, conducted from February-March 2011, found 44% of all respondents thought money was a big factor in choosing a career. They also expected their lives to be harder than their parents’, with 45% saying it would be harder to earn enough money to support the lifestyle they would like to lead, and 53% saying it would be harder to save money for their retirement. The study found education costs worried many students and among those who had seriously considered dropping out of college in the past three months, 58% said financial problems were a factor.

East Africa The Holla 2011 Youth Survey16 compared materialist priorities of Kenyan, Tanzanian and Ugandan youth.

36% of them preferred material wealth to anything else, especially in Uganda where 62% of 20-24 yearolds aspired to wealth. 18% of youth across all these East African nations wanted a comfortable life whereas career mattered most for only 10%.

International In the academic world, researchers said contentment with their chosen profession depended on more than pay, according to an international salary and career survey conducted by Nature in 201017. More than 10,500 post-doctoral scientists responded to the survey, which examined overall career satisfaction and contributory factors, by career stage, gender and geographical region. By comparing the average satisfaction scores, guidance from superiors or coworkers was the most important, followed by salary.

受全球化金融波動影響，香港青少年對工作及金錢的看法 在過去十年都出現明顯變化，他們對政府公務員工作的興 趣較十年前大增，而對在私人公司的工作興趣則下降超過 百分之五十，可見他們十分著重工作的穩定性。另外，由 於香港跟內地合作愈趨緊密，有興趣到內地工作的青少年 亦較過去增加。與此同時，世界各地的青年則相對較為著 重薪酬或累積資產。

1

HKFYG Youth Poll series 183. The Effects of the Financial Tsunami on Young People’s Views towards Money and Careers. 2009.

2

HKFYG Youth Poll series 117. Face the reality. 2003.

3

HKFYG Youth Poll series 117, 168, 183.

4

A Study on Understanding our Young Generation. Commissioned by the Central Policy Unit, HKSAR. University of Hong Kong. 2011.

5

http://www.hsbc.hk/1/2/about/media-releases/news?filename=n10jun07e&lang=en

6

HKFYG Youth Poll series 183.

7

HKTDC Research. Unleashing Hong Kong’s creative youth. Survey conducted with HKFYG. 2011.

8

Youth Poll series 141 Youth’s views on running business. Youth Poll Series 183; HKFYG Youth Study 46. Difficulties in starting a business. 2011.

9

South China Morning Post, Classified Post. 1 October 2011.

10

HKFYG Youth Study 29. Seeking Employment in the Pearl River Delta. 2003; HKFYG Youth poll 133 After the PRD. 2004; Youth Study 42. Study of Employment Opportunities and Attracting Young Talent. 2009.

11

http://www.comm.hkbu.edu.hk/hongCOMM/files/PressRelease_2011.10.26_CareerPerspective_Eng.pdf

12

Bauhinia Foundation. Diversity of Youth Aspirations. http://www.bauhinia.org/publications/Youth%20aspiration%20press%20release20101213-en.pdf

13

http://www.haygroup.com/uk/press/details.aspx?id=31100

14

http://www.schools.com/news/ap-viacom-money-factor-in-school-career-choices.html

15

Times of India, 5 September 2011 http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2011-09-05/work/29938612_1_job-security-job-satisfaction-priority-list

16

Consumer Insight Africa Survey 2011. http://www.trinityafer.com/en/index.php/news/6437-no-apologies-were-material-youth-in-a-material-world

17

http://www.nature.com/naturejobs/salary/survey/2010/index.html

31

Youth Hong Kong | June 2012

Interview

P

rof Kara Chan, Head of the Department of Communication Studies at Hong Kong Baptist University and specialist in consumer behaviour, offers insights into young people’s attitudes to money and spending.

32

The media provide other influences. As elsewhere in the world celebrities are used to advertise and endorse highend brands which appear attractive, especially to young consumers, as a result. “If Joey Yung or Eason Chan5 wears/uses/believes in the product, then I should too.”

Convinced by celebrity endorsement, young people use them as yardsticks of fashion, but are usually realistic enough about their limits to be influenced more by their Figure 1 Young People’s Attitudes to Money Agree

% 62 % 48

%

%

47

% 42

%

%

37

%

%

46

32

30%

48

56

50% 40%

Disagree

%

%

60%

53

70%

Neutral

%

6%

6%

5%

10%

6%

20% 7%

Most youngsters in Hong Kong are brought up within the Confucian tradition and their attitudes reveal the pragmatism that is typical of families here. Yet, they are often over-protected and viewed, paradoxically, as being “both vulnerable and needing guidance, but on the other hand competent and able to make independent choices.”3 The implications suggest that parents and their offspring are at the “crossroads of modernity and traditionalism.” Confucian family values prevalent in Hong Kong “oblige children to support their parents for life. This intensifies the pressure to achieve success.

Some young people may come to use consumption as a way to escape.” In such a context, materialistic values can become a threat, as in the following example from Prof Chan’s chapter on Consumerism and Materialistic Value Orientations. A Hong Kong TV commercial, condemned by the authorities for conveying the wrong message, “showed a working class father picking up his son after school. The son turned away from his father because of his lowly looks. When the father arrived dressed well, the boy returned to his arms.”

Young people want to buy and shops are open 12 hours a day, 7 days a week in Hong Kong. The young are influenced by advertising, parents and peers. Shopping has also become a form of entertainment. However, nearly 80% of young people polled in a survey4 about attitudes to money said their spending was motivated by practical need. The balance said they shopped because they wanted to be trendy, wanted well-known, brandname goods and peer approval, or were motivated by sheer vanity.

32

Converging values

Consumerist influences

64

Hong Kong’s youth grow up within a highly competitive education system, in a cramped urban environment, with families and friends who usually take a keen interest in conspicuous consumption. Many live in highrise buildings above shopping malls or close to shopping centres. Their schools are often nearby1 and they are bombarded with consumer products and advertisements.

Prof Kara Chan’s latest book, Youth and Consumption2, explores the effects this can have.

4%

$

Consumerism: driv

0% Money is not all powerful

Work is all about money

With money you have a better future

Money can buy happiness

The most important thing in the world is money

Money helps you make friends

Source: HKSKH Kowloon City Children and Youth Integrated Services – Jockey Club Youth Express 2007, referred to in Youth and Consumption.

June 2012 | Youth Hong Kong

Interview

ving youth’s spending Figure 2 Material values Neutral

39 % 39 %

%

%

30

22

21

%

%

What I own says lots about me

21

%

Buying things gives me a lot of pleasure

16

%

28 12

20%

33 % 37 %

% 42

%

37

43

%

36

36

%

%

48

%

60

60% 40%

friends when it comes to buying. They are essentially “keeping up with the Joneses” or “yan yau ngor yau” in Cantonese or, “if others have it I want it too.” Whatever is hot fashion is a must, as the locals would say, “tsiu yan bip bei.”

Parents often use material goods as rewards. In turn, children compare their friends’ possessions with their own, and are burdened by a desire to “keep up” with them. As the table Material Values shows, the majority think that the more they can afford to buy, the happier they will be.

Disagree

%

Agree

%

…parents and their offspring are at the crossroads of modernity and traditionalism.

0% Buying more Life would be could make me better if I happier owned certain things

I admire people with expensive homes, cars, clothes

I like luxury

Source: Chan, Kara. Youth and Consumption, chapters 2 & 11.6

“Consumption plays a central role in social interaction among young people,” says Prof Chan, but they may not be equipped to judge the long-term effects. “Media literacy is badly needed….” to help them understand, “…how the media function (and) how media and advertising work together…” to create attitudes and demands that are good for vendors of consumer goods but not necessarily good for living a fulfilled life. 香港是一個商業都市，到處都是商場，學生課餘時間很 容易便可以跟朋友結伴購物。香港浸會大學傳播系教授 兼主任陳嘉華教授認為，要避免下一代過分受消費主義 影響，便要了解傳媒及廣告文化的作用，並讓青年人知 道，要獲得快樂人生，並非必定要靠物質。 1

For example, within a mile of one of Hong Kong’s premier shopping sites, Festival Walk in Kowloon Tong, there are 12 kindergartens, 17 primary schools, 24 secondary schools, 2 universities and a vocational training institute.

2

Chan, Kara. Youth and Consumption. City University of Hong Kong Press, 2011.

3

Youth and Consumption, p11. This confirms views published in: Central Policy Unit, HKSAR Government. A Study on Understanding our Young Generation. University of Hong Kong, 2011.

4

Excerpts from HKSKH Kowloon City Children and Youth Integrated Services – Jockey Club Youth Express 2007 in Youth and Consumption, p14ff.

5

Joey Yung and Eason Chan are singers. Moses Chan is a TV actor. Prof Kara Chan refers to them in a research paper in preparation (2012).

6

Survey of 685 secondary and post-secondary students by Hong Kong Baptist University and HKU SPACE. 2004. Over half the respondents were from households with an income of HK$10,000 – HK$30,000.

33

Youth Hong Kong | June 2012

Feature Drama

Familiar Family a one-act play

by Gary Heilbronn

This short play is a new departure for Youth Hong Kong. Intended to stimulate reflection and discussion, it depicts a family drama in a realistic setting, dealing with problems connected to the theme of this issue.

Setting

Characters

Apartment, Hong Kong private housing estate; Sunday evening

Lynda mother, primary school teacher, about 40, wearing leggings and t-shirt

Table laid for 5, fast food, dim sum, pot noodles, mango pudding

Door stage right

Tak father, (solicitor’s clerk), mid forties, wearing jeans and polo shirt Tim eldest son, 17, , slightly unkempt, wearing leather jacket

TV stage right, sound off, showing football match

Melia daughter, 15, attractive, wearing fashion clothes

Computer desk stage left, with, littered with technical equipment

Luke younger son, 13, a bit chubby, wearing shorts

Sofa middle stage Kitchen upstage

TAK seated on sofa, reading newspaper LUKE lying on floor watching TV LYNDA in kitchen MELIA sitting at computer with headphones, jiggling in seat to inaudible music LYNDA Dinner’s ready!

(TAK gets up from sofa and goes to table.

LUKE gets up from floor and follows TAK. Doorbell rings. MELIA opens door and grille.

Sound of grille opening. TIM pushes in past MELIA, slamming grille. MELIA closes door. TIM goes straight to computer.)

LUKE I’m hungry. Wah, dim sum!

(TIM fiddles with switches, loud rap music begins.)

TAK Tim? What are you doing there boy? It’s time to eat.

34

June 2012 | Youth Hong Kong

Feature

Drama

TIM (aggressively)

You know already! I’ve told you before. I want be a sound engineer.

My friends say it’s a cool job that really takes real talent. And they say some people make big money at it.

MELIA (Giggles)

LUKE Why do we always have to wait for Tim?

TAK How’s your studying going Tim?

LYNDA Where have you been Tim? …..Please tear yourself away from that computer, dear….and turn the music down so that we can talk.

(jerks his chin, grunts)

TIM All right, all right. I’m coming.

(TIM turns down sound, still faintly audible, walks upstage. Others now all seated at table.) (aside to audience)

I’ll come when I feel like. Why can’t they give me space. What do they want to talk about anyway?

(TIM turns and goes to sit at table.)

(MELIA chats to LYNDA. They eat hamburgers. Luke still watching football on TV while eating dim sum. TIM sits, puts in earphones, puts phone beside his bowl of noodles.TAK gets up and walks upstage without eating anything.)

TIM Hmm. OK. TAK You need good marks for university you know. Hong Kong’s expensive and life’s a lot easier if you’ve got good qualifications. How about doing law, or accounting?

TIM

TIM (Looks angrily at MELIA.)

You’re just jealous!

MELIA Come on. Only the guys who own the clubs make money.

Even the bands playing there are paid peanuts and the ‘techies’ are even poorer. They work all night for almost nothing.

(Looks down at food, stops slurping noodles, takes out earphones, obviously annoyed but trying not to show it.)

TIM

I’m doing all I need to do, all right? I’m not going to waste time on some useless stuff. I know what I want to do.

It’s all right for you. You were born with the brain of an accountant and it hasn’t developed since. Money’s the only thing you think about.

LYNDA

MELIA So what if I want to be rich?

(Kindly)

What’s that, dear?

(LYNDA stands and goes to kitchen with empty plate.)

TAK (aside to audience)

(aside to audience)

I’ve got to tackle Tim about the future… the exams are soon… can’t let him waste his chances.

I really need to defuse all this tension.

(Walks back to table. Places hand on TIM’s shoulder.)

You’ve gotta be joking! What do your geeky friends know? All those guys working the music clubs downtown barely make enough money to buy their own cigarettes!

(spitefully)

(LYNDA walking back to the table carrying dessert, draws a breath and visibly winces.)

Dad works his butt off but he’s never going to be rich. And look at Mum, spending all her life with snotty-nosed kids!

(Throws up her arms in gesture of disgust.)

MELIA (Draws a breath and rolls her eyes.)

You don’t wanna know mum.

35

Youth Hong Kong | June 2012

Feature Drama

LYNDA That’s unfair, love. (pleading, hurt)

Teaching is good for the world.

Money’s not everything you know.

I get satisfaction from what I do with the children at school.

TAK Your mother’s right. I’m interested in what I do too and it helps other people. Making a worthwhile contribution is important.

MELIA It may be important to you. But Tim over there just wants to work for some sort of seedy night-club owner. And look at Luke. He wants to be a professional footballer! At least he might make enough to keep us in noodles when you two retire.

LYNDA I think you could be a bit kinder, Melia love, don’t you?

TIM I’m off out now. Got band practice ... won’t be late.

(Serving dessert in silence.)

(Walks towards door, takes packet of cigarettes out; puts cigarette in mouth.)

TIM Her heart’s just a money-box.

(They eat dessert in silence.

MELIA smiles to herself.)

TAK (Sighs and coughs to break the silence)

Melia, my dear, lots of people don’t really know what they want to do with their lives. They just have to try to do the best they can. A few are lucky and know just what they want. Then there are those like your mother who want to make the world a better place.

MELIA

(Melia smiling victoriously, wide eyes sparkling cheekily. TAK and LYNDA look shocked.)

(Looks uncomprehendingly at her father and slurps her dessert.)

(LYNDA gets up and walks stage left.)

MELIA

LYNDA

(aside to audience)

(aside to audience)

I really know how to press their buttons! Look at them.

They’re so obvious….

I wish I could eat as much as Melia.

It’s unfair. But I’d better start thinking about school tomorrow.

LYNDA Tim darling, you’ll ruin your health with those things.

(TIM ignores her; starts whistling tunelessly as he opens the door. LYNDA sits down again at table, heavily, looking hopeless.)

MELIA Please don’t turn up the TV Luke.

I want to Skype that student I met at the party last weekend.

He’s gone back to New York.

(MELIA walks to computer, sits, takes mirror and mascara from pocket; starts applying makeup.)

TAK All right my dear, but don’t monopolize the computer….

Tim, have you finished your homework? Tim…?...

(TIM is already closing the door; grille slams; LUKE sits on floor in front of TV; TAK goes to do washing up in kitchen; LYNDA sits at table, head in hands; rap music continues.)

(LYNDA walks back to table.)

LUKE What d’you know about anything!

All you can do is buy clothes.

(Returns his gaze to the TV).

MELIA (aside to audience)

I can just see myself in a flashy boardroom at a big corporation in Central. Maybe even London.

THE END LUKE Can I have some more pudding please?

LYNDA Well you shouldn’t really, dear.

Anyway, it’s nearly all gone. Have you got your schoolbag ready?

(Sits again, preening.)

Readers: Please let us know if you found this dramatic treatment useful or stimulating. We suggest that it could be used for role-play in the classroom or as material for liberal studies. Your feedback would be most welcome and would encourage us to use the thematic genre again.

36

June 2012 | Youth Hong Kong

In the loop

Critical thinking for school, university and beyond

T

he term “critical thinking” is sometimes misunderstood. It does not mean being argumentative, or being critical of others, although critical thinking skills can be used to expose fallacies and bad reasoning. This article explains how they may be acquired.

Most people would agree that critical thinking is important, but improving one’s own thinking is notoriously difficult. It requires “meta-thinking”, careful reflection on one’s own principles of reasoning, a deliberate effort to internalize those principles and apply them in daily life. This often requires training. With an educator and her students we explore some ways to achieve this.

What does critical thinking involve?

• thinking independently • interpreting and evaluating information to infer logical meaning • approaching issues from multiple perspectives on various levels • analysing and integrating information • examining beliefs; detecting inconsistencies • synthesizing information, making judgments and coming up with solutions • structuring thoughts in order to relay ideas clearly in written and spoken form

How can critical thinking be taught?

Making critical thinking a habit that’s transferrable across school, university, and beyond is a challenge for learners, educators and parents. Teaching critical thinking means teaching how to think effectively in order to find possible solutions to difficult questions.

This entails a paradox because it means thinking about thinking.

Educators use a number of strategies to achieve this. A teacher called it Thinking Skills + Contents = Application or the Three Es.

• Engage students with interesting questions to open discussion • Entertain by making it fun and thought-provoking • Empower through application to essays, debates, impromptu presentations Three students explain how to start on page 38.

Antonia, Sabrina and Hanson

37

Youth Hong Kong | June 2012

In the loop

What are the first steps?

Sabrina You need background information first.

You can use Wikipedia for this but you have to use the references at the end of the main articles and check that they agree on the facts. If so, I would trust them. At school we also use Newsbank to search by keywords and compare newspaper articles.

Past experience helps you judge trustworthiness too.

Hanson You have to be logical. Don’t just listen to others and take what they say for granted. Question them; think actively; look for solid facts; then reach your own conclusions. For example, if you were choosing a new computer, first you need to decide on your budget, the features you need and the functions you want it to perform. Listen to other people but remember that older doesn’t always mean wiser!

Antonia Everyone uses the web but it is not that trustworthy. You have to cross-check and it is timeconsuming. Think about the issue at different levels: personal, political, social, economical, societal and global. Try to analyze and not be too influenced by others’ opinions. Focus on facts instead. Ask people, but be aware of possible bias, listen to several people not just one.

How are language and communication skills involved?

If language skills are weak, students have problems comprehending and trying to think about complex topics at the same time. This may mean they lose motivation or revert to rote learning. With requisite language skills, exposure to good thinking and interesting questions will inspire students. They will want to learn and will develop the ability to see their own strengths and weaknesses. This prompts them to look beyond text books. It helps further language development and leads to life-long learning.

What are the benefits?

Students who think critically become better impromptu thinkers. They are good at brainstorming, exchanging ideas and structuring arguments. Hence, they will have better presentation and communication skills. Good critical thinking might be seen as the foundation of a liberal, democratic society, the proper functioning of which needs citizens who can think critically about social issues and overcome biases and prejudice. The essay below is an example of this approach.

Sources http://philosophy.hku.hk/think/critical/ct.php http://faculty.ed.uiuc.edu/rhennis/SSConcCTApr3.html http://www.canberra.edu.au/studyskills/learning/critical http://www.webpages.uidaho.edu/crit_think/Critical%20Spirit.htm

Integrity, trust and the law by Hanson Datwani In Hong Kong, we have a strong sense of the law. I believe that the law should affect everyone equally. No one should be above it and nobody should be sheltered beneath it.

Over the years, the people of Hong Kong have built up trust for the law, but recent news has undermined that trust. Scandals concerning people in positions of leadership have raised doubts about the core values of the Hong Kong system and the integrity of our leaders. Trust, not only in the law but also in the judgment of those leaders is shaken.

Leaders’ are constantly under public scrutiny. This is a great responsibility to bear and a leader should do nothing that can cause suspicion to be raised. It will

38

* With thanks to Jennifer Ma, Founder and Director, ARCH Academy, for information about the Socrates Program.

damage their credibility and the authority they need to lead. By committing suspicious, rash or impulsive acts, a leader will cause the public to doubt him or her.

Hong Kong used to have a business advantage because of the Rule of Law, the integrity of its leaders and its free market. But how will international business leaders trust the Hong Kong system in the future? How are we, Hong Kong people, supposed to have faith in our legal system when we have seen its potential weaknesses?

Hanson Datwani is 14 and goes to St Paul’s Co-educational College. He enjoys debating and attends the ARCH Academy Socrates Program, as do Antonia and Sabrina.

June 2012 | Youth Hong Kong

Arts & culture

THE HUNGER GAMES Directed by Gary Ross Starring Jennifer Lawrence (as Katniss Everdeen) and Josh Hutcherson (as Peeta) Genre Adventure science fiction Original language English Target audience Teenagers and young adults Rating by commenters

reviewed by Jimin Kang This film has been taking the world by storm. Set in post-apocalyptic Panem, once North America, where the country’s Capitol, a highly advanced metropolis, holds hegemony. A boy and girl aged 12-18 are selected by lottery from the 12 districts surrounding the Capitol annually to compete in the “Hunger Games,” a televised battle to the death.

The Hunger Games book series achieved huge success before being transformed into this very successful major motion picture. What makes it so entertaining?

Are people attracted to the notion of a totalitarian regime led by a cruel leader? Or are they drawn by the complicated yet beautiful relationship between the two main protagonists, Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark?

If you ask me, there is one simple answer: the characters.

First on my list is, of course, Katniss. Being a 16 year-old whose family depends on you definitely makes you a tough character! Katniss is brave, rebellious and strong, totally reminiscent of other famously feisty females like Joan of Arc. And just like many of them, she is fiercely loyal.

The DVD release date for this film is 18 August 2012.

With thanks to UA Films and Emperor Motion Pictures for artwork

Second, Katniss’s eventual lover, Peeta. He is the exact opposite of Katniss, with his thoughtful demeanour, outgoing disposition, and a heart as soft as the bread he makes. Peeta is portrayed as an extremely likable character. He is also a cogent speaker.

Jimin Kang,

Last but not least is Cinna, Katniss’s stylist. He is quiet, but has amazing ideas. His designs make the dullest things shimmer with life. He is creative, imaginative and trustworthy. Not to mention, extremely supportive.

is in Year 9 at South Island School.

Her hobbies are writing, reading and playing musical instruments.

There are many other characters in The Hunger Games you might relate to. The way author Suzanne Collins uses diversity among the characters really enables you to bond with them in a way that leaves an impact on you forever.

Comments Eileen My daughters liked The Hunger Games very much and are now reading the books. The younger one may not have understood all of the film but she did say that she appreciated people were really dying. I think reading the books will help her understand the plot better.

Ada I read the three books before I saw the film. Although I enjoyed the movie, the books had far more complex characterization based on moral choices. The topical themes of poverty, starvation, oppression, the effects of war and defiance of authoritarian leaders, were also explored in much more depth.

Ed The film is based on a trilogy by Suzanne Collins which draws on Roman gladiatorial games, reality TV and the Iraq War for its inspiration. The author adapted her story for the screen. A sequel film, The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, is due later this year.

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Youth Hong Kong | June 2012

Arts & culture

Time to Kindle the Fire…

or is it?

by Serena Chow

People in the electronic publishing market have been hyped up about Amazon’s latest brainchild – the Kindle Fire. An avid book lover and proud owner of a Kindle Classic, I got my hands on one and compared it to my Kindle Classic and other tablets currently in the market.

Downsides and delights Physically, the Fire is half the size of Apple’s iPad2, making it easier to hold. The downside is its weight and bulk. On the plus side, it has a 7-inch LCD with backlight, enabling reading in darkness. Book lovers will also be delighted by the choice of eight fonts and if you are bored with the black on white, you can change to white on black, or even brown on yellow.

magazines and websites cannot be automatically resized, so words are tightly packed together.

Not so silky but has email and apps The Fire uses the Silk browser, which does not really live up to its smooth-sounding name. Users may also be disappointed by lack of 3G connectivity and the clumsy positioning of the arrow that unlocks the screen – right in the middle, unlike the conventional bottom-of-screen slide key. Users cannot customize their locked screen wallpapers either.

The screen is gratifyingly ultra touch-sensitive. Just a simple tap can take you where you want to go.

However, readers may be dismayed by the fact that they cannot tap on the bezel to turn the pages – a major let down as the bezel takes up quite a lot of space.

The Fire certainly has advantages. Unlike the Classic, it has parental controls, allowing for password protecting purchases, disabling of access to specific content libraries, and blocking access to the Silk web browser. In addition, the Fire has a simple email app which users can sync with their Gmail accounts.

What’s more, Fire users can enjoy one paid app free every day, mixing fun with business on their Fire!

Fortunately, the Fire makes up by having excellent screen quality, rivaling even the iPad2. It has a 1024X600 pixel resolution with 169 pixels per inch (ppi), compared with 132 ppi on the iPad2. Coupled with clear, vibrant colours, the Fire makes reading comics marvellous, except for the cramped text.

Readers cannot even pinch-zoom the pages. Similarly,

At about HK$1,560, the Fire has the edge over other tablets on the market despite its chunky interface and comparatively sluggish performance, especially when similar tablets are two or three times its price.

But personally, for old-fashioned readers like me who use the Kindle solely for reading pleasure, the Kindle Classic is good enough – for now.

Serena Chow is in S5 at St Paul’s Convent School.

She loves reading and music.

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June 2012 | Youth Hong Kong

The hip, the forward-looking and the up-to-date have all turned to the new big thing: online shopping.

From 2007 to 2010, Hong Kong’s online shopping population leapt from 2.4 million to 3.5 million. But the hippest of all have discovered a fresh, up-and-coming type of shopping: online artisan markets.

Handmade and social

accounts. It is most used by 18-34 year-old females, but is becoming more and more popular with younger buyers. I am certainly under Etsy’s spell, to the detriment of my school grades. I have whiled away many an hour, gazing at the Etsy front page, that beautiful front page filled with artistically photographed jewellery, airy bucolic paintings and charming vintage dresses.

As the name suggests, these websites focus on artisanship and handmade objects. Simply put, they are online venues where craft vendors set up virtual stores. Most of them are “social shopping marketplaces,” so instead of focusing only on individual sellers, there is also a sense of community. (Contentious chat forums, anyone?). They combine two of women’s favourite activities – talking and shopping... so no wonder this novel concept is rapidly gaining momentum!

Reflecting Hong Kong arts

A popular example is Etsy.com.

Only merchandise that is handmade or vintage can be sold there, plus the supplies for making such goods.

From Etsy’s humble startup in 2005, it has already grown to over 800,000 seller accounts and 12 million buyer

Among my own classmates, there has been a newfound hunger for the arts, whether it be photography, fashion or painting. Furthermore, today’s teens pride themselves on their individual identities, on being “hipster.” The uniqueness of the

Etsy’s increasing global popularity extends to Hong Kong youth and can be taken as a reflection of our budding arts scene and growing interest in the arts. Clockenflap, the music festival, was established in 2007 and is one of a kind. M+,

by HK standards a herculean contemporary art museum, is scheduled to open by 2018. Scores of secondary schools are embracing student-hosted fashion shows.

by Lee Ming-yan

Photo by by Salihan

Online Shopping: The Artisan Spell

Photo by by heatherknitz

Photo by by sewsewnsew

Internetscope

“handmade” has therefore become much more appealing than the generic pull of the mass-produced.

These culture shifts in Hong Kong are exemplified by the growing popularity among youth of online artisan marketplaces such as Etsy.

Importantly, they not only reflect, but continue to promote a reappreciation of individuality while cultivating growth of art forms that can be fuelled by the internet.

Lee Ming-yan is a 15 year-old

So go check it out. Besides, it’s just shopping. How hard can that be?

student at the Chinese International School.

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Youth Hong Kong | June 2012

Internetscope

Social media metrics

Klout vs Identified

by Sabrina Roberts

All social media sites have a way of making users feel they can boost status through effort. Twitter uses a follower count. LinkedIn displays the number of your connections. Facebook shows how many ‘likes’ you have, and so on. One new app to add to this effect is Klout.

Klout is basically a way to create your online reputation. You connect it to all your social media accounts and it gives you an overall rating from 1 to 100. This rating is based on the number of accounts you have, how active you are, who comments on your posts and whether you are making a positive difference in the world. Klout looks at your overall picture across different social media platforms.

Strategic social media There are several differences between Klout and Identified. The former does not have a specific purpose.

It was developed two years ago and is flexible, working across social media websites such as Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, WordPress and Blogger. Identified works only on Facebook and is new. Overall, I think that neither Klout nor Identified is perfect on its own and using both applications is the solution. You can start with Klout to broaden your social circle and then use Identified to focus on specific areas on interest.

Addictive counting

Sabrina Roberts is in Grade 8 at the Canadian International School. She attends

Photo by allisoncrow

This kind of competitive counting game can lead to addiction. Because so many people are obsessed with scoring 100, they ignore tasks and duties.

Students fail at school, adults cannot concentrate at work and waste lots of time checking and updating social media. Many people are also adding Klout scores to resumés because businesses use them to assess the personality of job candidates.

Identified is a similar but newer app that is built on Facebook and has a more specific purpose than Klout. It shows what your Facebook page looks like to job recruiters, taking all the information from

your Facebook page and giving you a score according to the breadth and depth of that information. You can increase your score by making connections with influential people. Identified is still experimental, so only time will tell if it can attract the right businesses and become a professional search service.

the ARCH Academy Socrates Program and enjoys extra curricular sports.

42

Ed Klout is at http://klout.com/home. More comment at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Klout. The beta version of Identified can be found at http://www.identified.com/. Similar metrics are Kred, see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kred_Influence_Measurement, and Peerindex, see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PeerIndex

June 2012 | Youth Hong Kong

On the agenda

Increased prosperity and growing imbalances

by Antonia Heng

A

Childhood obesity The controversial one-child policy, introduced in China in 1978, was supposed to limit population growth but has resulted in many socioeconomic issues. Excessive feeding of children and child obesity is one of them. Poor health and low efficiency among the obese may mean they become unemployable as adults and thus will be dependent on government welfare. Obese people are also more likely to suffer from diabetes, high blood pressure and heart problems requiring, long term medication, hence contributing another burden on the state.

Gender imbalance Chinese culture has favoured boys over girls, perhaps due to their physical strength which was important for farming. There is also the tradition that boys carry on the family name. Girls, by contrast are often abandoned at birth and China’s boy-girl ratio is now 59:50.2 As those born during the one-child policy era reach marriageable age so it has become more difficult for men to find wives. While China builds more factories, girls are increasingly leaving rural roots to find jobs in cities. Therefore, farmers find it even more difficult to find wives. The rural birth rate has fallen and so has productivity.

Photo by Digitalnative

ccording to surveys of wealth growth, the number of affluent people in China has grown faster than anywhere in Asia.1 Behind this glamorous high growth and a seemingly successful country, there are a lot of problems including child obesity, gender imbalance and a widening wealth gap.

Increased wealth gap While China’s economy continues to grow quickly, the rich consume higher quality foods and more luxury goods, creating increased demand for crops. Meanwhile productivity of farmers is falling and so prices of produce are rising. As more people move into cities, so property prices also increase and inflation results. The poor are less able to afford basic necessities and the middle class cannot buy property. A bigger wealth gap results, the crime rate and demonstrations increase, eventually leading to social unrest.

The one-child-policy contributes to the burdens of the mainland government, while imbalance reduces productivity and causes social unrest.

Will policy change or will the problems be ignored as China gets richer?

Antonia Heng is in S2 at St Paul’s Co-educational College.

She attends the ARCH Academy Socrates Program and enjoys debating.

1

Ed A year on year increase of 16% in the number of high net worth individuals in China has been recorded since 2008. The number has doubled during this period. http://www.bain.com/Images/2011_China_wealth_management_report.pdfii

2

Ed This figure is backed up by a report in People’s Daily 29 March 2012, reported at http://topics.scmp.com/news/china-news-watch/article/Boy-girl-ratio-improves-but-isstill-among-worlds-worst The report goes on to say that in rural areas the sex ratio at birth could be 150:100. The natural newborn sex ratio is 103-107 boys to every 100 girls.

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Youth Hong Kong | June 2012

City Space

Experiencing nature in Hong Kong

C

an you imagine hearing a frog in the city centre? It’s not impossible, as a group from a

by Ho King-yan

secondary school discovered on an Ecobus tour. Fish Chan, a volunteer, and Tang Chin-

School of Biological Science, University of Hong Kong

Po

Sh

ek

W u

Rd

cheung, Chairman of Ecobus, explained to Ho King-yan.

Ch

oi

Yin Kong Playground

Long Valley

Tsung Pak Long

Yu e

Hakka Wai

n

Tai Tau Lan Fan ling Hig hw ay

Sheung Shui

Fa

nK

am

Rd

Kam Tsin

Gunther’s Frog

Photo by motnworb

Asian Toad

44

Paddy Frog 1

Night Safari

Controlling human impact

Hong Kong is a city with exceptionally high biological diversity. Located on the fringe of the tropics, it has habitats including woodlands, wetlands and mangroves, which support more than 500 species of bird and 250 species of butterfly.

“The area is still facing a lot of challenges, with government proposing to develop a new town next to it which will undoubtedly affect the environment. The birds, for example, may be scared away by the noise and a lot of farmland may be removed,” Fish said.

Rd

On a night safari in Long Valley near Sheung Shui, a group of Macau Nevertheless, she firmly believes that students discovered the wildlife. once students have been inspired by the experience of real contact with Local wildlife nature, they will think critically about human pressure on the environment and evaluate its impact.

“The frogs started to come out after the heavy rain. The most common one here is the Paddy Passing the message Frog, which, as its name indicates lives around cultivated paddy Tang Chin-cheung, the Chairman fields,” said Fish Chan, who is of Ecobus2 phylogenetics, said, majoring in Ecology and “It is a pity that nowadays the Biodiversity at HKU. younger generation has so little chance to go out of the classroom Long Valley is one of the few and interact with nature. We let relatively pristine areas in Hong them appreciate the beauty of Kong where you can still observe nature and how diverse can be. quite a range of wildlife, although it was threatened by the proposed “Then they will start loving construction of the Lok Ma Chau and protecting natural life.

Spur Line of the KCRC1 in 2000. Eventually they will tell their Luckily, the proposal was rejected friends and families, and they will because of the great diversity of do likewise. That is our vision birds and amphibians in the area. of environmental education: to enjoy, care and share!”

KCRC: Kowloon-Canton Railway Corporation

2

Ecobus is a not-for-profit green group focusing on environmental education for the public and the younger generation. www.ecobus.org.hk

Greenreen vision vision G

We are firmly committed to sustainable development and a cleaner environment for everyone who uses our facilities. Our vision is: • to become a green youth organization • to train green trainers • to cultivate green awareness in youth

inspiration G Greenreen inspiration

We are investing in environmentally responsible practice and will provide environmental education services for young people. Initiatives include: • Signature green advocacy Annual environmental awards • District activity programmes Youth SPOTs events including neighbourhood green teams and community green living initiatives • Youth exchange Overseas youth study tours on best environmental practice

June 2012 | Youth Hong Kong

HKFYG

Going Green TODAY

By Kevin Chan

A

s a youth work organization, we are highly aware that it is our vital duty to promote environmental protection and green education. This makes green initiatives a key priority in long-term strategy.

Youth Staff

Greenreen practice practice G

HKFYG

HKFYG news

facilities Greenreen facilities G • HKFYG Organic Farm Compost manure for organic farming; encourage young people to understand organic processes • Eco Camps Provide energy-saving and latest green facilities at HKFYG Outdoor Training Camps with low-carbon eco-education • Create green campuses Raise awareness and improve understanding of importance of greening community in HKFYG schools’

goals Greenreen goals G

• Boost efficiency and reduce energy consumed by 10% • Increase waste recycling and reduce waste generation by 10% • recruit 10,000 youth for green education programmes • Identify carbon footprint and lower carbon emissions by 5%

• Carbon audit Energy-cum-carbon audit at HKFYG by 2013 • Energy efficiency Upgrade energy-efficient lighting and air-conditioning Contact Kevin Chan, HKFYG Environmental Officer, tel 3755 7110, for more details. in offices and Youth SPOTs • Waste management Proactive recycling of office equipment and waste paper • Clean air programme Participation in Indoor Air Quality Certification Scheme • Green procurement Migrate to Forest Stewardship Council certified paper for printing notepaper and name cards

CO2

5%

10%

10%

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Youth Hong Kong | June 2012

HKFYG

Outdoors in Sai Kung

HKFYG Jockey Club Sai Kung Outdoor Training Camp

S

o many youngsters in Hong Kong have never gone barefoot on grass, never looked at the seabed, or let earth trickle through their fingers. Their lives are insulated from the natural world, by shopping malls and air conditioning. The Federationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Sai Kung camp gives them a window on nature.

From Wikipedia

Camps like the HKFYG Jockey Club Sai Kung Outdoor Training Camp bring a breath of fresh air. Young people paddle kayaks gently through mangrove beds, hike, orienteer, snorkel, and observe the galaxies at the Sky Observatory in a breathtaking setting.

The premises are currently being upgraded to provide extra accommodation for up to 460 people but the existing facilities are still open.

Photo by annamatic 3000

Natural beauty and tranquility: the HKFYG Jockey Club Sai Kung Outdoor Training Camp

46

Artistâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s impression of upgraded facilities.

Chinese Hwamei

June 2012 | Youth Hong Kong

HKFYG

Photo by omega9

Appreciation and respect for the countryside comes from knowing it, watching the seasons, touching the leaves, smelling the flowers, hearing the birds. The camp’s premises borders on habitats of scores of beautiful species of flora and fauna.

Photo by Chong Fat

Protecting the environment

Blue Pansy butterfly (Junonia Orithya)

Some of these species are rare and protected, others are shy, fragile and delicate. It’s a priority to conserve all of them, to leave rare ecology undisturbed, and to teach young people why that is important.

Transplantation, replanting and landscaping by young volunteers and campers within the nearby Country Park will emphasize the need to ensure the future regeneration of trees, ferns, creepers and undergrowth.

Incense Tree (Aquilaria Sinensis)

Photo by Saleem Hameed

Photo by JM Garg

Photo by Wikipedia image

The legendary Vegetable Lamb of Tartary Fern (Cibotium barometz)

Blue Whistling Thrush (Myophonus caeruleus)

Brown Fish Owl (Bubo zeylonensis)

Widening eyes, building confidence Above all, the mission of the Sai Kung camp is to provide access to Hong Kong’s natural resources for children and families, to give them the chance to experience adventure challenges and activities, afloat and on land. Our live-in camp base offers environmental learning, an observatory deck, a gym, swimming pool and boardwalk trails, and far, far more.

Experience the most beautiful campsite in Hong Kong.

Contact HKFYG Jockey Club Sai Kung Outdoor Training Camp Tel 2792 2727 | email otc@hkfyg.org.hk | www.hkfyg.org.hk/camp

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Youth Hong Kong | June 2012

HKFYG news

慶祝中華人民共和國 香港特別行政區 成立十五周年活動

Celebrating fifteen years of the HKSAR

official commemorative event

1

st July 2012 marks the HKSAR’s 15th anniversary. In 2002 and 2007 HKFYG celebrated the 5th and 10th anniversaries and this year will be fêted by 8,000 young people at the Hong Kong Coliseum.

Enthusiasm and energy are characteristics of Hong Kong. To celebrate 15 years of the HKSAR in style, a mass youth multimedia performance has been organized on Monday 2 July at the Hong Kong Coliseum. The theme is Hong Kong’s most significant features and its future in the hands of youth.

Hong Kong Characteristics what we are  resilient in the face of turmoil or financial crisis  caring and supportive in adversity: SARS what we show  freedom and diversity: core values upheld  charity and generosity: for victims of natural disasters what we do  preserve our heritage  young people

Our 15 Years:

A Cappella Singing

Venue Hong Kong Coliseum Date Monday 2 July 2012 Time 11.00am-12.30pm

by the mass audience and school choirs from Belilios Public School Wah Yan Kowloon College

Youth Musical Performance

Featuring

Guinness Record Breaking Attempt

for the Largest Body Percussion Ensemble

Conducted by Dr Lung Heung Wing

“Young people are at the heart of our community. As Hong Kong celebrates the 15th anniversary of its establishment, they also show that they are the heart and spirit of the future.”

Conducted by Mr Chiu Tsang Hei Starring Eason Chan Kay Tse Joey Yung Lam Fung Jonathan Wong

Major Sponsor The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust

48

Dr Rosanna Wong Yick-ming, Executive Director, HKFYG

Organizers Hong Kong Federation of Youth Groups Radio Television Hong Kong Supporting organization Education Bureau Co-organizers Home Affairs Bureau The Dragon Foundation Venue sponsor Leisure and Cultural Services Department

Call 3755 7134 for more information

June 2012 | Youth Hong Kong

HKFYG news

2012 China Week:

The Heritage of Chinese Ink

HKFYG has two events taking place in the first week of July this year to celebrate China Week.

First, sixty students from the Hong Kong Design Institute will demonstrate animations of selected paintings. They involve combining several original paintings into one, as in the illustration. Second, a marathon of Chinese painting will be held to stimulate interest in this popular art form.

Exhibition of Masterpieces by Xu Beihong In cooperation with the Hong Kong Design Institute and the Xu Beihong Art Community, the Federation is showing paintings by the celebrated artist Xu Beihong at the Hong Kong City Hall Exhibition Hall, on 4 July from 10am-6pm and on 5 July from 10am-5pm. A ceremony at the official launch of the event takes place on Wednesday 4 July at 2.30pm. Admission to the exhibition free of charge..

Call 3755 7021 for more information.

Chinese Painting Marathon The second China Week event is a marathon of Chinese paintings in acrylics at Megabox, Kowloon Bay on 7 July 2012 10am-8pm. All the paintings will be transformed into a digital mosaic animation with a "dragon" logo designed by Dr Dominic Lam Mankit. This event is for people of all ages. A ceremony at the official launch of the event takes place on Saturday 7 July from 2pm-3pm. Admission to the marathon free of charge.

Call 3755 7188 for more information.

Visit www.chinaweek.hkfyg.org.hk for more details of these events

HKFYG Hong Kong Jockey Club Media 21 Media 21, popularly known as M21, is holding its first summer programme in July this year.

The new media centre’s goals are:

Highlights for coming months

 to nourish talent and build young people’s interest in media production  to enhance the level of media literacy in the community  to provide access to media and equipment for children and youth from deprived families  to connect youth and the communities through digital media network

M21 school network :  to receive video productions directly from youth  to share students’ own productions M21 youth film festival:  to create an outlet for youthful creativity  to provide a platform for screening independent youth productions

M21 is at Shek Pai Wan Shopping Centre, Shek Pai Wan Estate, Aberdeen, Hong Kong.

Contact Katy Lok tel 2831 9183 for more details.

Also this July DON’T MISS HKFYG at the 2012 Hong Kong Book Fair Wednesday 18 July-Tuesday 24 July at Booth 1C-E22 1F Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre. Call Ada Chau, tel 3755 7108 for details.

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Youth Hong Kong | June 2012

HKFYG news

Organic Farm and

Snake

Gourd

!

HKFYG Summer Youth Programme

V

isiting the HKFYG Organic Farm this summer is an item for your diary and there is a wide range of other activities in the Federation’s annual Summer Youth Programme. Here are some of the highlights.

You can find all these special seasonal crops at the HKFYG Organic Farm. Spend a cool afternoon learning how to grow them and getting some hands-on experience preparing herbal drinks and doing dried-gourd hand crafts.

Join us for Fun Day for H erbs and Melons On Sunday 19 August 2012 1:30pm-4:30pm For 16+ year-olds unaccompanied, younger participants with adults Quota 50 persons Cost HK$150 (transport and programme materials included; individual farm members 20% discount) Tel 2838 4808 Fax 2488 9034 Email organicfarm@hkfyg.org.hk Website organicfarm.hkfyg.org.hk

Other highlights for Summer Youth Programme Summer Learning Master English enrichment courses of seven sessions for primary students taught by experienced English teachers.

Experiential learning and NLP workshop included.

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Skin Yellow lon !!!!

Me Water Experience Tour: Tai O stilt-house culture

At HKFYG Felix Wong Youth SPOT On 18 July-15 August, 2pm-3.15pm And at the HKFYG Organic Farm on 24 August For primary school pupils Cost for registered u21 members: HK$530 PS Café Participants will learn in 15 classroom sessions about running a café. They will also form teams to serve customers and gain firsthand experience of menu design, catering and customer service.

At HKFYG Jockey Club Ping Shek Youth SPOT Dates mid-July to mid-August For secondary school pupils Cost HK$120

Tai O is famous for its traditional fishing village and picturesque stilthouses built over the water. This 2-day1-night camp tour in Tai O includes a variety of activities including visits to handcrafted souvenir makers and tasting of traditional Tai O cuisine.

Participants will learn about making fishing nets and may take a sightseeing boat to see the Chinese White Dolphin.

On Thursday 23 to Friday 24 August For 14-25 year-olds Cost HK$180

Form Your Own Band (FYOB) This project provides an exchange platform for young people who are passionate about playing in a band. Participants will have the chance for self-expression through their favourite sounds.

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In Tin Shui Wai District and at HKFYG Tin Shui Youth SPOT From mid-July to mid-August For 13-25 year-olds Cost HK$10 to participate Online registration at uportal.hk Tel 3755 7072 for further information or visit syp.u21.hk

June 2012 | Youth Hong Kong

HKFYG news

HKFYG Zhongshan Sanxiang Youth Training Centre now open A mansion in Sanxiang Town, Zhongshan City has been donated by Mr Chui Pui Kun for conversion into a Youth Training Centre. Accommodating over 40 for overnight stays, it also has 2 multi-function rooms, a canteen and free WiFi. Bookings for a minimum of 16 participants, from schools and other organizations in Hong Kong, can be made up to one year in advance. Programmes include volunteering with migrant children, cultural visits to the nearby museum of Dr. Sun Yat-sen, factory, photography and cycling tours.

Tailor-made programmes and packages for schools and organizations Check it out http://www.facebook.com/ytc.zhongshan | Tel 2395 5759, | email camp@hkfyg.org.hk, for more information.

Address No. 2 Mansion, 21 Xuetang Lane, Yongmo Village, Sanxiang Town, Zhongshan City

Tuesday 26 June 2012 in 3D at AMC Pacific Place Cinema Dragon Foundation Charity Premiere The story behind this movie, to be released in the US on the same day as our charity premiere, features Peter Parker, alias Spiderman, a teenage social outcast with super powers. He is at high school, trying to unravel the mystery of his parents’ disappearance, when a mysterious briefcase belonging to his father is discovered. It is the key with which his destiny is revealed. Directed by Marc Webb and starring Andrew Garfield & Emma Stone.

Proceeds of the charity showing will go towards Dragon Foundation Chinese youth development programmes which support networking and community-building worldwide.

Tel 2811 2779 to find out how to sponsor or donate. * Spider-Man, the Character™ & ©2012 Marvel Characters, Inc. The Amazing Spider-Man, the Movie ©2012 Columbia Pictures Industries, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Title Sponsors Bucherer Hong Kong Limited Prince Jewellery and Watch Company Diamond Sponsor EK Immigration Consulting Limited Gold Sponsors Mr Kiang Ping Fai Ng Teng Fong Charitable Foundation Sa Sa International Holdings Limited The Verdant Foundation Silver Sponsors Mrs Rita T Liu, SBS Mr Albert Wong, MH Gracious Glory Buddhism Foundation Milan Station Pacific Power Development (NZ) Limited Partners Edko Films Limited Fine Art Film (HK) Limited Kingmart Advertising Company Sony Pictures Releasing International

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Monday 2 July 2012 11:00am

Hong Kong Coliseum Organizers

Publisher The Hong Kong Federation of Youth Groups 香港青年協會 www.hkfyg.org.hk • www.u21.hk

Address Youth Hong Kong 21/F, The Hong Kong Federation of Youth Groups Building, 21 Pak Fuk Road, North Point, Hong Kong Tel: 3755 7084 • 3755 7108 • Fax: 3755 7155 Email: youthhongkong@hkfyg.org.hk • Website: youthhongkong.hkfyg.org.hk The title of this journal in Chinese is Xiang Gang Qing Nian 香港青年