The Hong Kong Federation of Youth Groups (HKFYG) is the city’s largest youth service organisation. Since its establishment in 1960, the HKFYG has been providing opportunities and facilities for the social, educational, cultural, emotional and physical development of young people. Income is obtained primarily from government subvention, as well as grants from the Community Chest of Hong Kong, the Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust, other trust funds, programme fees, and both private and corporate donations.
The HKFYG, through its youth membership network, provides quality services that address the issues and concerns of young people and promotes healthy all-round development. Over 90 service units organise more than 25,000 activities annually, with attendance to the various programmes nearly six million a year. Over 500,000 registered members are engaged through the online platform, easymember.hk and the HKFYG app.
Youth S.P.O.Ts
The HKFYG has 22 Youth S.P.O.Ts. These youth centres provide space and opportunity to learn and develop. They focus on Strengthening Classroom Learning, Continuous Learning Opportunities and Experiential Learning in a Societal Context, offering tailor-made programmes in combination with other provided services. Each S.P.O.T. is equipped with an M21 community studio to facilitate development in creativity and enhance interaction with the community through social media; a LEAD Lab for learning through engineering, art and design, as well as an uKitchen to cook for the community. The NEIGHBOURHOOD First project has become a core component of community-based services through the S.P.O.Ts, while the Community Team Sports project encourages young people to get physical by participating in sporting activities and learning the values that come with team play. PH2 is Hong Kong’s first all-purpose Youth Hostel. It aims to create an enabling residential community for working young people, nurturing competencies in life skills, social networking and financial planning.
M21 Multimedia Services
By using the Internet, social and new media, the HKFYG connects with young people on their terms and through their chosen mode of communication. M21 is a multimedia centre with the slogan, “It’s all about YOUth” and is comprised of the Media Lab, the Media Academy and Media Broadcast. The M21 Youth Production Team gives young people a wide platform for imagination and innovation, and offers them hands-on operational experience in production, which is then screened through the M21 Internet Radio and TV, a broadcast network linked up with campus TV and community channels for the public.
Counselling Services
The HKFYG Wellness Mind Centre has consolidated the services of the School Social Work Unit, the Student Guidance Team, the Media Counselling Centre and the Youth Wellness Centre. Service delivery is thus enhanced by leveraging Youthline 2777 8899, uTouch online outreach, stationing school social work teams and student support services to comprehensively address issues related to emotional health, relationships and sex, learning difficulties, as well as media literacy.
Youth at Risk Services
Through existing Outreaching Social Work Teams, Extended Service for Young Night Drifters and the Youth Support Scheme, the HKFYG Youth Crime Prevention Centre (YCPC) provides five categories of service: prevention and education, crisis intervention and professional assessment, counselling and treatment, multi-disciplinary collaboration and advocacy. There are innovative and effective services for youth at risk, young offenders, victims and all family members in three main areas: youth crime and deviance, sex-related crises and drug abuse. The YouthLaw website and App, along with the YCPC Hotline 8100 9669, provide information on youth deviance and delinquency and ways to seek help. The WL Residence provides short term residential service for youth.
Employment Services
The HKFYG promotes the concept of “life and career planning” for young people and as a result, the Youth Employment Network (YEN) organises diversified activities that include career counselling services to assist and support the transition from school to work. Since 2002, the Federation encourages pioneering entrepreneurial opportunities through Youth Business Hong Kong (YBHK), The HKFYG Jockey Club Social Innovation Centre and the Young Entrepreneurial Course. Incubation services, seed money, co-working spaces, networking platforms and mentee-centric business mentorships are also provided. Through the Qianhai Shenzhen-Hong Kong Youth Innovation and Entrepreneur Hub (E Hub) and the Global Youth Entrepreneurs Forum, local start-ups can develop business networks outside Hong Kong.
Leadership Training
The HKFYG has provided comprehensive leadership training for over 150,000 student leaders since 2000. Building on this solid foundation, the HKFYG has revitalised the former Fanling Magistracy and established the HKFYG Leadership Institute with a new lodge. The programmes of the Institute are targeted at secondary and tertiary students and young executives, which are under five Schools. Each school places importance on instilling Leadership Skills, developing Communication Abilities, enhancing an Understanding of China, ensuring Global Exchanges and encouraging Public Engagement. One such programme is “Hong Kong 200”, which nurtures student leaders with competency and commitment. There are also partnerships with some renowned global organisations, all of which enable local young leaders to learn from international peers.
Volunteer Services
The Youth Volunteer Network (VNET) is the city’s largest youth volunteer network, and currently has more than 250,000 registered volunteers who contribute nearly 900,000 service hours per year. The all-in-one online portal, easyvolunteer.hk, matches volunteers’ preferences with diverse service opportunities in a user-centric way and digitalises the service portfolio, thus encouraging the spirit of “letting love fill life”. The Heart to Heart Project is a unique programme that brings students and corporate volunteers together to serve the needy through sponsored community services.
Parenting Services
The HKFYG’s Parent Support Network (PSN) provides a wide range of parental information, including free mediation services, as well as training courses, talks, support groups, workshops and family activities in community and online. The Parent-Child Ambassadors Scheme enables peer to peer support to promote family harmony.
Education Services
The HKFYG runs two non-profit kindergartens-cum-nurseries, a non-profit kindergarten, an aided primary school and a Direct Subsidy Scheme EMI (English as a Medium of Instruction) secondary school. Each institution has a stimulating learning environment so that each child receives a well-rounded, holistic education. The HKFYG LIVING Life Academy (LLA) encourages lifelong learning through less formal platforms. The LLA provides a wide range of life-related courses which emphasise interests, hobbies, skills and experience to improve the quality of life.
Creativity Education and Youth Exchange
STEM education is provided by the cutting edge, one-stop learning model of “Lead‧Apply‧Exchange”, a key component of the LEAD (Learning through Engineering, Art and Design) Project. This is delivered through The LEAD Lab and the Centre for Creative Science and Technology (CCST). There are many diversified science and creativity competitions, including The Hong Kong Student Science Project Competition, The Hong Kong FIRST Robotics Tournament, The Hong Kong GreenMech Contest and The Creative Coder Competition. The Youth Exchange Unit organises experiential study tours on different themes to the Mainland and overseas, which help shape a deeper understanding of the country, and develop a global perspective.
Leisure, Cultural and Sports Services
The HKFYG has four camps and outdoor activities centres, which offer diversified training programmes to enhance resiliency and self-confidence, strengthen teamwork and improve communication skills. The HKFYG Zhongshan Sanxiang Youth Training Centre provides experiential learning opportunities on Chinese history, culture and the socio-economic development of villages and towns. Platforms for music and the performing arts include the Hong Kong Melody Makers a cappella choir, the Hong Kong Youth Dance troupe, the Hong Kong Youth Band and the Hong Kong Youth Percussion.
Research and Publications
For the past 25 years, the Youth Research Centre (YRC) conducts evidence-based research and analysis to look into the challenges, concerns, needs and development of young people. Youth I.D.E.A.S. (Ideals, Dedication, Engagement, Aspirations and Service) is a local youth think tank, who with the support of YRC, conducts research in the areas of the (1) Economy; (2) Governance; (3) Education; and (4) Livelihood, and advocates policy alternatives for the betterment of Hong Kong. The Professional Publications Unit is responsible for Federation books and promoting reading and writing among young people. There are two magazines, the English quarterly, Youth Hong Kong, for local and international audiences and the bi-monthly Chinese Youth S.P.O.T. magazine which provides a platform for young people to share their stories and experiences.
