Levelling the playing field Judy Kong Ka-wai, Chief Executive of the InspiringHK Sports Foundation, talks about boosting social mobility and inclusion through sports in Hong Kong. Findings of a study they conduced with the University of Hong Kong show how physically inactive Hong Kong youth are, despite the many benefits of sports. Inspiring stories of young people who have enjoyed sports training and mentorship show that great strides can still be made despite inequalities and both gender and ethnic barriers.
What would you say are the main values of sport for the InspiringHK Sports Foundation (IHKSports)? We believe in the underlying spirit of sport. Quite apart from the health benefits of exercise, it encourages a positive mindset and teamwork. It also widens young people’s view of the world. They learn about their community too and that promotes social mobility and inclusion. One of our sports is running. It’s a great way to discover your neighbourhood!
Which other sports are included in your classes? We run 41 classes across 19 different sports. They include badminton, football, hockey, lacrosse, rope skipping and rugby. We also like to promote new or emerging sports like dodgebee, kabadi and Tchoukball. They need only simple equipment and have few rules so are more inclusive across all age groups.
Who can participate? We cater for both boys and girls from all backgrounds and nationalities and the fees are low: just HK$500 a year to join 40 one-hour sessions. Girls are underrepresented in sports in Hong Kong and we emphasize gender equality so we have a special focus on them. We are very inclusive, with minority and LGBT groups as well as special educational needs children.
How do you find venues? It’s not easy. We tend to offer training in sports that are easy to organize in multisport venues. Recently, because of success at the Olympics, fencing has become very popular. Demand is relatively easy to satisfy because we just need a suitable space. Although there are plenty of good facilities throughout Hong Kong, over-cautious attitudes about opening up school campuses to the general public mean they are underused. Even in Singapore and mainland China, there is less exclusivity than here.
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