The Hong Kong Federation of Youth Groups

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Aimed at all those who are interested in young people, their problems and concerns, hopes and aspirations, Invest in Youth, share stories, information and news. We welcome you your suggestions and comments, but ask you also to take the time and see how you might be able to join us building up partnerships. Please show your support by joining our mailing list to receive Invest in Youth every week.

Christmas and New Year Message

As we come to the end of another year, The Hong Kong Federation of Youth Groups would like to thank all its partners and friends for their support and encouragement for our work and service towards young people. Without this support from the community, the Federation would not be able to fulfil its mission to the best of its ability. We are very grateful for your help and we look forward to renewing our partnerships in the New Year.

The end of the year is also a time to reflect on what has past. 2003 saw the Federation embarking on a wide range of programmes and services for youth in Hong Kong. Some of these were new and in response to various topical issues, while others were a continuation of what had been earlier carried out. These were not easy times for youth, with unemployment still high and opportunities scarce. In spite of this, the staff of the Federation rose to the challenges and always looked for new and interesting ways to assist, nurture and encourage the young people of Hong Kong. It gives me great pride to say that they have done a great job and I would like to take this opportunity to thank them for all their efforts.

Now, as we plan for the New Year, The Federation appeals to businesses and individuals to become involved in our work with young people and to be in touch with our Partnership Office at any time. We look forward to hearing from – but more importantly, working with – you towards the betterment of Hong Kong youth in 2004!

From all of us in The Hong Kong Federation of Youth Groups, please accept our wishes of joy, hope and prosperity for Christmas and the New Year.

The Creativity of Young People's Animation Designs

The Youth Project on "Creating a Healthy Cyber World" has now moved forward to its next phase. The short-listed entries for the Animation Design Competition are now posted on the Federation's youth website, u21, where the public is invited to rate them. "Creating a Healthy Cyber World" is a project organized by the Television and Entertainment Licensing Authority and the Federation; co-organized by the Hong Kong Police Force, Radio Television Hong Kong, the Education and Manpower Bureau, the Hong Kong Internet Service

Providers Association and the Committee on Home-School Co-operation and supported by PC Family. The aim is to encourage young people to actively participate in creating a healthy cyber world. Click here to pick the champion. If you act now, you will also have the opportunity to win a book coupon!

Young People's Habits when Listening to the Radio

The Youth Research Centre, along with Radio Television Hong Kong, will conduct a research project to gauge the radio listening habits of young people. The research will take the form of focus group interviews, along with a territory-wide telephone survey targeted at young people aged between 12 and 25 years old.

Hiking Sites for Young People
Hiking is not just good fun, but good for health too! The Federation is now working together with HKTraveler.com to promote hiking to young people Every week, HKTraveler.com will introduce two selected local hiking trails, along with short descriptions and beautiful pictures, on the Federation's youth website u21. Check it out! Enjoy the great outdoors with your family this coming holiday.

Falling Youth Unemployment Rate

The Hong Kong youth unemployment rate fell from 36.1% to 32.5% for the quarter August to October 2003. On 4 December, the Permanent Secretary of Economic Development and Labour, Mr. Matthew Cheung Kin-Chung, said that the number of unemployed 15- to 19-year-olds had dropped from 26,400 in the third quarter to the current 22,700. While overall this is good news, the numbers, however, are still high.

Hong Kong Students Exercise less frequently than their Canadian Counterparts
According to a research project conducted by the Department of Physical Education of the Hong Kong Baptist University in summer 2003, it was found that Hong Kong young people engaged in less physical activity than their Canadian counterparts. 66.6% of Hong Kong parents and students reported that they seldom participated in physical activities, while the number of the Canadians respondents was only 35.7%. However, students in both places preferred to use their

spare time playing video games, watching television and movies or visiting the homes of their friends, instead of exercising.

Inspiring Young People to follow Astronaut Yang's Example

The visit of China's first astronaut Lieutenant Colonel Yang Li-wei in October was met with overwhelming enthusiasm in Hong Kong. The affable astronaut made a very good impression on many young people in Hong Kong, providing them with great food for thought. The speeches, dialogues with students and photos of the national hero have now been placed on the Education and Manpower Bureau's resource net. A parents' page is also included, providing useful suggestions of how parents can inspire their children inculcate a similar commitment and dedication to following one's goals. Relive the experience!

Global Sports Festival
The Global Sports Festival was the fruit of intensive preparation by the part of young leaders from around the world. Establishing contact through letters, e-mails, web-cameras or video-conferencing, young leaders in the UK swapped ideas for games, music, dance and even recipes with their counterparts in other countries, enabling the festivities to have an international dimension. They all shared a wonderful experience. Click here to see what happened in Argentina, Egypt, Poland and South Africa.

University Blues on the Rise
According to the Director of Counselling Center at Texas State University, Greg Snodgrass, data from a 2001 Survey of College Mental-health Counsellors, showed that the percentage of students who had been diagnosed with psychological problems or who were taking psychotropic drugs, grew from 7% in 1992 to 18% in 2001. The Survey also discovered that over the previous five years, 85% of student counselling centres in North America reported an increase in students with "severe
psychological problems". View the full report.

Youth Unemployment Rate
As reported in the section on Spotlighting Hong Kong Youth, the unemployment rate of youth aged between 15 and 19 in Hong Kong has dropped slightly to 32.5% for the quarter August to October 2003. This is a welcome Christmas present for local highlights. However, in a global context, the youth unemployment problem remains quite severe. The International Labour Office estimates, that in 2003 about 74 million young women and men were unemployed, accounting for 41% of the 180 million unemployed persons globally. Below are some of the countries with serious youth
unemployment problem.

Top 10 Countries recorded in the Human Development Report with the Highest Youth
Unemployment Rate (% of labour force aged 15-24), 2001

	Country	Youth Unemployment Rate
1	Poland	41.0%
2	Slovakia	39.1%
3	Greece	28.0%
4	Italy	27.0%
5	Spain	20.8%
6	Finland	19.9%
6	Turkey	19.9%
8	France	18.7%
9	Czech Republic	16.6%
10	Belgium	15.3%

Source: Human Development Report 2003, United Nations Development Programme

***Christmas Giving***

Get into the Volunteer Spirit during Christmas Holidays
The Winter Volunteer Project for Young Persons Studying Overseas 2003 encourages both overseas students and local youth to get into the volunteer spirit during the Christmas holidays. From December 8 to January 15, around 50 Hong Kong young people who are currently studying overseas will join local youth volunteers to participate in a series of volunteer training and community services.

The Youth Volunteer Network of the Federation provides a

tailor made volunteer service project during the summer and winter vacation every year for those who are studying abroad. This year, the project is funded by the Committee on the
Promotion of Civic Education. Click here to learn more.

Caring at Christmas Time for the Less Fortunate
Christmas is a time of giving. Whilst we delight in the festivities of Christmas, we should not forget the many underprivileged young people in Hong Kong who need our care and concern. Some of these youngsters have problems with their families; others have not been able to cope well with school stress. Some, mildly mentally handicapped, need residential services, while some are new arrivals striving to adapt to the local community. Others are emotionally troubled, while some have suffered difficulties in finding jobs. All these young people need our support and guidance in tackling these challenges.

For the past 40 years, the Federation has taken a leading role in devising and providing different services to meet the needs of young people. We rely on the community's support to fulfill our mission. In this season of joy, we invite you to help spread holiday cheer and make a difference in the lives of so many young people by making a donation to the Federation. Click here to learn more about the work of the Federation.

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