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All young people above the age of nine are welcome to join the programme, which promotes personal development, but preference is given to disabled and underprivileged youths.
Jockey Club Huan went into service in April 2006. It can accommodate up to 60 people. The hull of this three-masted traditional-rig sailing junk is made of aluminum. The vessel is equipped with modern navigational devices in addition to a full range of amenities and various barriers-free training facilities tailored for trainees with disabilities.
More than 9 000 young people benefit from the programme each year. The junk plies within Hong Kong waters, and each training trip lasts between one and three days. 'Learning by experience' is the programme's main theme.
The training regime has been carefully designed to cope with different weather conditions and the special needs of young people with different aptitudes and backgrounds. Once on board, participants become members of the ship's supplementary crew and work alongside their peers. Instructors guide them and temper them to face challenges and to be self-reliant. The exercises also foster camaraderie and team spirit.
Hong Kong Youth Hostels Association
The Hong Kong Youth Hostels Association (HKYHA) is a non-profit-making organisation providing quality and economical hostel accommodation in Hong Kong and overseas. Its primary aim is to encourage healthy outdoor activities for young people and to promote travel, cultural and international youth exchange programmes. Hong Kong's Chief Executive is the association's patron.
Established in 1973, the HKYHA has 37 years of experience in running, planning and marketing hostels. The association is affiliated with Hostelling International, an organisation with over four million members around the world.
The HKYHA is currently operating seven youth hostels in Hong Kong, and has over 30 000 life members and 25 000 individual and corporate members.
The association organised the Ngong Ping Charity Walk at the scenic North Lantau Island Country Park in January during the year. It attracted over 1 500 participants and raised much needed funds for hostel improvement, environmental protection and conservation projects. During the year, the HKYHA worked closely with the Government to revitalise Mei Ho House, a seven-storey resettlement block in Shek Kip Mei, to be used as a city hostel, making it a landmark in Sham Shui Po. The hostel is expected to be opened in 2012.
Country and Marine Parks
Some 40 per cent of Hong Kong's total land area has been designated as country parks and special areas for nature conservation, outdoor recreation and nature education. The 24 country parks and 17 special areas provide extensive hiking trails, barbecue, picnic and camp sites and visitors' centres which attracted over 13 million visitors in 2010. To better preserve and manage the Hong Kong National Geopark, five geologically important sites will be designated as special areas in early 2011.