Working on youth employment together

Unemployment among 15-19 year olds hit an unprecedented high of 37.6% last summer. Compare this with just 7.6% only ten years ago. The figures gradually improved over the year but are now climbing again. The Federation is acutely conscious of this problem so we established YEN, the Youth Employment Network, as our one-stop service centre for young job seekers. This wing of the Federation has launched a range of initiatives and takes a very active part in government run programmes which enhance the employability of youth. It also collaborates closely with the business sector to run Youth Career Expos regularly.

Now summer is here and another cohort of school leavers is in the job market. It’s time for the next expo. The Federation reached 13,000 young people last February and 2000 were offered jobs. This coming month we expect the figures to be even higher. Your help as mentors and employers will be invaluable. Our young people deserve to have access to decent work. The temptation of informal work in the grey economy is already stronger here than on the mainland or in neighbouring countries like Singapore. This is against the interests of Hong Kong’s economic recovery and the Federation is doing its level best to help young people find regular jobs.
We care and with your collaboration we can succeed. Join the network by participating in the Youth Career EXPO by on-site recruitment or by posting your job vacancies during the 2-day event. All interested parties please contact the Youth Employment Network at 3113 7999 without delay.

With unemployment rates for young people aged 15-19 in Hong Kong on the rise again for the period December 2003 through February 2004, the Federation continues to strengthen its services in support of employment for youth. Our Youth Employment Network (YEN) has launched a series of new initiatives to help try to resolve this pressing problem.

An Internet Platform to promote Youth Self-Employment
In January 2004, YEN and the Home Affairs Bureau jointly launched the "Future with Youth Creativity" project. The aim of the project is to provide training and support services for young people aged 18-30 who are interested in self -employment. It targets those who have talents in writing, stage production, the performing arts, information technology, graphic design or personal care. An Internet platform has been newly created for these young people, allowing them to upload their portfolios and market themselves to prospective employers. Check it out!

Providing training and support for Self-Employment
The Federation is one of the commissioned service-providers of the "Youth Self-Employment Support Scheme", launched by the Labour Department in late May this year. The Federation will offer training in skills such as fashion modeling, playing in a band, dancing and computer networking for young people aged 18-24 who are currently unemployed but sufficiently motivated to develop a self-employed career.

Youth Career EXPO in July 2004
The success of the Federation's earlier Youth Career EXPOs has encouraged us to join hands again with the Home Affairs Bureau to organize a third expo on July 14-15, at Stars Atrium, Level I, Plaza Hollywood, Diamond Hill. Exploring further the theme of career alternatives for young people, a series of activities are scheduled at the EXPO, including consultant services on career planning, on-site recruitment, career talks and a variety show which will focus on self-employment in the creative industries. Young people who are determined to develop self-employed careers will have the opportunity to demonstrate their talents at the variety show. We are confident that the EXPO will fulfill its purpose as a career planning tool for both employment and self-employment and that youngsters who attend will be able to benefit greatly from it.

Corporations and organizations are now cordially invited to participate in the Youth Career EXPO through on-site recruitment or by posting their job vacancies during the 2-day event. Interested parties please should not hesitate to contact the Youth Employment Network at 3113 7999.

Earnings of New University Graduates

Most new university graduates in Hong Kong are facing the transition from school to work right now and are probably having headaches with job hunting. What does the job market hold for the Class of 2004? According to the Joint Institution Job Information System Committee (JIJIS), a one-stop online career service for employers and university students offered by the career centers of universities in Hong Kong, the number of graduate level vacancies from March to July 2004 reached 3,066. This is a 73.6% rise compared to the figure of the same period last year. However, the monthly salaries for most new graduates' jobs (576) recorded by the JIJIS system fell into the $6,000 to $8,000 range. The number of graduate level vacancies with a monthly salary of $8,000 - $10,000 was only 197.

Further Promotion of the idea of Career Planning for Youth

On June 13 and 14, the Federation joined hands with JobMarket for the first time to provide counselling services at the JobMarket Career Planning and Education EXPO 2004 (求職廣場規劃事業及教育博覽2004). By completing various aptitude tests, young people visiting our booth reached a better understanding of their likely career bias. Our on-site career counsellors also offered analysis of market trends and helped individuals to set up interim career goals. Both services were well received.

On 22 May 2004, members of the Corporate Volunteer Team of CITIC Ka Wah Bank, together with 15 youth volunteers of the Federation's Youth Volunteer Network, gave up their free time for volunteer work at a nursery in Kowloon City. The volunteers played games with the young children and brought presents for them. All the children had a wonderful time and really enjoyed the care and attention given to them by the volunteers. Click here to look at the happy, smiling faces of the children.

The Federation's Family Life Education Unit and the Editorial Committee, "School and Family" of the Hong Kong Professional Teachers' Union are jointly organizing a family day camp on 8 August 2004 at the Federation's Jockey Club Sai Kung Outdoor Training Camp. A seminar will then be given on how to enhance children's incentive to learn. Participating families will also take part in educational games and outdoor activities at the Camp. Publicity for the event has been well received and the quota of places is already taken up.

14.9% of Secondary Students have Suicidal Thoughts

In January 2004, the Christian Family Service Centre commissioned the Social Sciences Research Centre of The University of Hong Kong to investigate the prevalence of suicidal thoughts and depression in Hong Kong secondary students. Of the 825 secondary students interviewed, 14.9% indicated that they had experienced suicidal thoughts, while 13% said that they had attempted to commit suicide. 58.9% of the respondents agreed that pressure of examinations and homework were major factors in adolescent suicide. The survey also revealed that 4.2% of the respondents showed signs of depression. Such signs are more prevalent among Form 5 and Form 7 student respondents facing the stress of public examinations.

A Worrying Upward trend in the Number of Young Female Smokers

In the period November 2002 to February 2003, the Census and Statistics Department conducted a survey of young people's smoking habits. Currently, about 3.8%, or 16,700 young people aged 15-19 habitually smoke daily. In addition, Hong Kong is observing a worrying up-trend in the number of young female smokers. The number of female smokers aged 15-19 has increased dramatically, from 900 in 1982 to 4900 in 2003. The government is planning to introduce a new law to ban smoking both indoors and outdoors at all schools in the coming legislative year.

Favourite Books of Primary Students

To investigate children's reading tastes and habits, the HKedCity made a random selection of 5,000 reading records submitted by 16,000 primary students who joined its summer reading scheme last year. "Harry Potter" was cited as their favourite book, having been read by 412 of the 5,000 primary students. The book featuring Japanese cartoon character "Doraemon" (多拉A夢) and the book entitled, "Tell Me Why" (十萬個為什麼) came second and third respectively. The Education and Manpower Bureau and the HKedCity will continue to carry out similar projects in order to cultivate the habit of reading among Hong Kong children this summer.