The Great Outdoors - Playground and Classroom

Sports and outdoor activities play a unique role in the development of an individual and form a vital counterbalance to academic pursuits. Achievement in team sports in particular can teach people of all ages the rewards of cooperation. The Federation's conviction in this regard is reflected in its camps and outdoor activities centres at Sai Kung, Lamma Island, Tai Mei Tuk and Stanley. Here, we can introduce young people to the concept of the outdoor classroom and offer tailor made programmes of adventure-based training to groups from all walks of life.

The Jockey Club Sai Kung Outdoor Training Camp is the Federation's newest camp, with excellent recreational facilities for large residential groups. The camp is very well equipped with multi-media meeting rooms to back up the facilities and natural resources available out of doors. At all the centers and camps except Lamma a range of water sports such as dinghy sailing, rafting and kayaking are available as well as land-based activities. The Lamma Youth Camp, by contrast, concentrates on ecology and wildlife study whereas water sports feature prominently at both the Tai Mei Tuk and Stanley centres.

Sai Kung's comprehensive facilities including outdoor swimming pool, rock-climbing wall, mini-theatre, training, karaoke and table-tennis rooms are all open to the general public and make it an ideal venue for staff development training and corporate team building. The Federation provides custom-built programmes on request for public and private bodies, both commercial organizations and government departments, and we have held leadership training programmes for students, corporate executives and professionals alike.

With your collaboration we can further upgrade the services at our outdoor centres and camps, motivating young people to excel in physical pursuits and nurturing their self esteem and self discipline. We need your donations to improve camp facilities while your sponsorship will permit those from less advantaged backgrounds to experience the challenge and fulfilment of adventure-based training. Should you need further information about tailor made corporate training courses, please do contact the Camps Unit, tel 23955759, fax 25658345, email camp@hkfyg.org.hk. For full details on sponsorship and donations for the camps and centres, please contact the Partnership and Resource Development Office at 2123 9598.

In a recent promotional campaign, the Education and Manpower Bureau promulgated the message that the classroom is not the only place where children learn. "Start a New Teaching and Learning Culture," the message said, and was accompanied by the slogan, "Learning is more than scoring". It encouraged students to work for personal bests that could not be evaluated by conventional marking but which nonetheless confirmed and rewarded

their achievements. In harmony with this spirit, the Federation currently runs four camps and outdoor activity centres which aim to broaden young people's perceptions of learning by encouraging them to take part in sports and various forms of adventure-based based training.

Jockey Club Sai Kung Outdoor Training Camp
Since operations began in 2001, the Jockey Club Sai Kung Outdoor Training Camp has offered young people the opportunity to enjoy a wide range of recreational and educational experiences. The camp provides specially designed training programmes with various activities organized both on land and sea. Participants are encouraged to take on different challenges, test their abilities, develop a spirit of teamwork, learn how to respond in a crisis and enhance their leadership skills.

Located in Sai Kung West Country Park, the Camp also offers the rare chance for young people to experience at first hand Hong Kong's wetlands with their marine life and mangroves. Various ecological and environmental education programmes are organized for primary and secondary students so that they might learn how to appreciate and preserve the natural environment. The Camp, with its modern facilities, also offers tailor-made training programmes to meet the needs of the corporate world.

Lamma Youth Camp
Located on a hilltop, the Lamma Youth Camp offers different kinds of outdoor activities and ecological programmes from those of the other centres. Taking advantage of the unique natural environment, the Camp organizes absorbing tasks for its participants such as identifying edible plants that grow in the area and making use of these natural ingredients to prepare a meal over an open fire.

Tai Mei Tuk Outdoor Activities Centre
Water sports provide an arena for young people to take on the physical and mental challenge of seamanship. Located near the main dam of Plover Cove, the Tai Mei Tuk Outdoor Activities Centre concentrates on water sports including canoeing windsurfing and dinghy sailing. The Centre also runs adventure-based based training courses and has initiated a series of children's windsurfing programmes.

Stanley Outdoor Activities Centre
Situated along the beach in Stanley Bay, the Stanley Outdoor Activities Centre is an ideal place on Hong Kong Island to get involved in outdoor leisure pursuits. Apart from organizing canoeing activities, the Centre has developed a wide variety of ecological learning programmes for young people.

Physical Activity Levels of Children and Young People

Few Hong Kong Chinese children engage in the levels of physical activity needed to improve or maintain aerobic fitness or even those normally needed to stay healthy. According to a study conducted by Dr. Alison McManus, Assistant Professor at the University of Hong Kong's Institute of Human Performance, Hong Kong Chinese primary school children spend only 3.8% of their time undertaking moderate physical activity. Another study by Dr. McManus on Hong Kong Chinese girls revealed that none of the 8 to 9 year-old subjects monitored over a

Boosting Sports Talent in Underprivileged Young People

To boost the chances of underprivileged young people in the sports arena, the Federation has joined hands with Oregon Scientific in launching the "Oregon Scientific Youth Sports Scholarship Scheme 2004". Selected young people will be sponsored to receive coaching in golf, tennis, canoeing, wind-surfing, ice-skating or sport climbing. Nomination is open until 29 June 2004. All students aged under 21 who cannot afford professional sports training due to financial constraints are welcome to participate. Click here for further details.

Cathay Pacific Airways Limited has kindly sponsored discounted air-tickets for the Federation's," Youth in LegCo - Study Tour to Queensland Youth Parliament". This means that some of our budding leaders will have the opportunity to travel to Brisbane, Australia during the period June 26th to July 3rd to participate in mock sessions of Queensland Youth Parliament. There is no doubt that this experience can enhance their understanding of both the similarities and differences between the political systems in Australia and Hong Kong, thus broadening their view of the world.

Many Hong Kong students do very little career planning so the Federation has launched a new initiative at the beginning of the year called the "Life Banking Project". This new project, organised on demand with members, secondary schools and other organizations, has received the sponsorship of The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust and is expected to run till 2006. Through training sessions, seminars, one-to-one consultation services and

Increase in Drug Abuse among Young People

According to the statistics of the Central Registry of Drug Abuse, the number of young persons who are addicted to drugs increased from 668 in the first quarter of last year to 797 for the same period this year. The statistics also revealed an increased number of young people under the age of 21 addicted to ketamine (also known as "Special K" or "K"). The figure has risen dramatically from 323 persons in the first quarter last year to 581 persons for the same period this year. Professor LEE Kwing-chin of the School of Pharmacy of The Chinese University of Hong Kong pointed out that the increase to this highly addictive substance might be related to the growing trend of buying cheap illegal drugs in the mainland.

Establishment of Youth Councils in all 18 Districts

To create a channel for direct dialogue between young people in Hong Kong and the Government, the Commission on Youth plans to establish youth councils in all 18 districts across the territory. Each council will comprise 20 young people aged 15-24, recruited from youth organizations, schools and outreach teams. Members of the youth councils will debate and discuss public policies and give their opinions to the relevant government agencies. The Commission on Youth is to have trial run of the system this year in 5 districts including Sha Tin, Tai Po and Central and Western.

Youth Views on Smoking

In May 2004, the Committee on Youth Smoking Prevention interviewed over 32,000 students from 53 secondary schools in Hong Kong for their views on smoking. The survey revealed that 7% of the students, or approximately 2,000 young people, had smoked over the past three months. Around 86% of the respondents indicated that they particularly did not like their closest friends to smoke. Over 80% agreed that the Government should extend the statutory smoking ban to all schools. A spokesperson for the Committee criticized the tardiness of the government exercise in amending the Smoking (Public Health) Ordinance.