Learning for fun: summer activities at the Federation
Quality time for young people on holiday - that is the aim of the Summer Programme. There are 2,700 different activities which encompass leadership training, sports and health, volunteer work, creativity and digital technology. We have added 200 new courses since last year with the emphasis on positive and constructive activities for educational and leisure purposes.

For lucky parents who can have quality time with their children in the summer we have tailor made items which we hope will help build up the special parent-child relationship. These include cooking, bird-watching and sailing; hip-hop, digital photography and art therapy. Whatever is the flavour of the month at home or at school, we aim to provide supportive back-up, from the time school breaks up till term starts again.

"The Home Affairs Bureau has lent its support to summer youth programmes like this since 1969. They give Hong Kong's youth a chance to make best use of their free time during the summer vacation so as to cultivate knowledgeable and creative young people with good interpersonal skills who grow up to be responsible, civic-minded members of the community."

Ms Shelley Lee, JP, Permanent Secretary for Home Affairs

Congratulations to OMP delegates for great results Odyssey of the Mind World Finalists get great results this year. Report back session: Tsuen Wan Youth S.P.O.T. Thursday 9 June, 4:30 p.m Click here to look at their results.

Global Citizenship Programme 2005 Organizers: The Dragon Foundation and the Institute of International Education Commissioning Ceremony: Wednesday 15 June, 5:00pm – 6:00pm Venue: Lecture Theatre, Hong Kong Central Library Guest of Honour & Keynote Speaker: Professor Edward Chen, Lingnan University 30 undergraduates from Hong Kong universities then go to New York and Washington DC from June 17-25 on the Global Citizenship Programme 2005. Click here for more information...

Congratulations to all winners: Hong Kong Student Science Project Competition The 2005 final judging took place on 4 June. The 6 winning teams will go to the 2005 Shanghai International Youth Science & Technology Exhibition from 11 to 16 July....Click to see the list of the winning teams.

Action packed summer ahead
Mok Chi-ho and Cheung Man-lok are two of the thousands of energetic primary schoolchildren who love doing our summer programme activities. When we saw them at Heng Fa Chuen Youth S.P.O.T. this month with their parents, they seemed so full of zip and energy it was hard to imagine it being channelled into organized activity during the holidays.

Seven-year-old Mok Chi-ho, who is at SKH Tinwan Chi Nam Primary School, will join up for the second time this year. He has enrolled in 10 courses - at least one a day. We asked what he liked most:

"It's just like being at school but I can choose the classes I want to join".

Mok Chi-ho's mother said she has taken her little boy on overseas trips during previous school holidays but she much prefers having activities like these laid on close to home. There is something different for him to do every day:

"It isn't just a question of keeping him occupied. He loves doing the "DIY class" which involves him in making his own toys. He can be really creative and the toys really work too."

Cheung Man-lok, who is in Form 3 at Lingnan Primary School, will sign up for HKFYG summer classes for the third time this year at the Youth S.P.O.T. He remembers the "DIY class" too, and said he was really pleased with the model-making he did:

"I made a robot with Lego building blocks. It could make it move around and my lights flashed on and off," he said proudly.

What made them choose our summer programme? Both mothers found the location excellent and convenient, the classes good value at HK$400-500 per course and the options open enough to offer something for everyone. Mrs Cheung's youngest son, Ray, is only six but there was a drawing class for him. There are more academically inclined courses but the emphasis tends to be on creativity, people skills, fun and fitness. Mrs Cheung commented:

"I don't really want my lads to have to do more school work during the holidays. It's a time when they should be relaxing, making friends and having some fun rather than just studying. I always have the last word on their enrollment but I like to keep an open-mind about all the possibilities."

What about improvements or modifications to the existing programme? The parents and children agreed on one thing - they wanted the classes to last longer - there was never enough time to finish everything. Mrs Cheung also had a very constructive suggestion because Ray is about to leave kindergarten for primary school.

"Children often lose their old group of friends when they change schools. Sometimes they lose confidence and it would be very good if they could be coached to prepare for the new school environment. Their tutors on the Summer Programme are very thoughtful and kind and I'm sure it would help a lot."

Both Dominic and Helen would have liked that idea very much since they are about to leave primary for secondary school. Helen was involved as a volunteer on the summer programme last year:

"I found it a really happy, positive experience. Everything, including making rice dumplings to give away to the elderly and playing with young children at the Youth S.P.O.T, showed me how easy it is to please others if you make a small effort."

Dominic told us about the Cub Scout component he took part in which included first aid, leadership and interpersonal skills training:

"The training helps build up my self confidence and self-discipline. It was so good last year that I have enrolled again, as well as taking part in the Federation's all-year-round girl guide training programmes."

Activities for parents and children together are also on offer and the parents agreed that they would very much like to take part, difficult though it is for those with full-time jobs. Mrs Mok is one of the lucky ones. She is joining in the African Drumming class with her son Mok Chi-ho. Good for her.

For all of them it sounds like being a great summer this year.
www.u21.org.hk/syp05/index.html

Obsessed by the Net

The Hong Kong Paediatric Foundation interviewed 9,200 students in 25 primary and secondary schools about their Internet habits between April and October last year*. Although some of them were aware of the negative impact of Internet addiction, 15% of the 4,400 primary students are online for more than 3 hours every day and 75 said they stayed online for more than 11 hours per day. The rate is higher in secondary schools, with 35% online for 3 hours or more daily and 207 out of 4,700 interviewed spending more than 11 hours online each day. They said that most of the time was spent downloading and playing games or mp3 files and chatting with friends through ICQ.

Young support smoking ban

Amid heated debate over the smoking issue, Tai Po Environmental Association and The Boys' Brigade, Hong Kong have carried out a joint survey* of young people's views on the government-proposed smoking ban in public areas. 2,000 young people from 72 schools were interviewed and the findings were:
90% welcome the proposed smoking ban
97% feel sick when exposed to second-hand smoke
90% worry about family members' health if they work in areas where smoking is allowed
86% thought that a smoke-free environment is a citizen's basic right
43% choose smoke-free restaurants.

This year's World No Tobacco Day was on 31st May and anti-smoking activities took place throughout the world. In Hong Kong, the Department of Health supported the World No Tobacco Day by organizing an activity entitled "I Love Smoke-free Wong Tai Sin" for 3 days to raise public awareness of the hazards of smoking. Meantime a Mainland survey** of doctors revealed shocking findings:
44% of all surgeons smoke every day
25% of the doctors had no idea that smoking causes heart disease
97% had never prescribed nicotine replacement therapy.
Time to catch up and give up, China.
* Oriental Daily 22 May 2005
** South China Morning Post 1 June 2005A7