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EDUCATION

training and employment opportunities. The commission submitted its final report to the Chief Executive in March.

During the year, the commission organised the third Youth Summit with the objective of exploring ways to enhance the social participation of young people in Hong Kong. Youth delegates from Shanghai, Singapore, Seoul and Phnom Penh were also invited to attend the event. The proposals that arose from the Youth Summit were subsequently forwarded to the commission, the Government, and other concerned parties for consideration.

The commission also published the report Youth in Hong Kong - A Statistical Profile 2002, with commentary based on statistical data, which provided broad and useful references on six youth-related issues: poverty, substance abuse, unemployment, human capital, cultural capital and social capital.

The commission launched a first-ever benchmarking survey of civic engagement and social networks of youth in Hong Kong. This would establish a baseline for future studies and surveys on this subject, and develop a set of useful indicators for evaluating youth services.

The commission continued to implement youth development programmes that seek to realise the full potential of young people. These included the International Youth Exchange Programme that aimed at broadening the horizon and international perspective of young people. In 2003, four groups comprising 67 youth delegates visited Japan (twice), Britain and Ireland under the programme. The commission. also received 22 young people from Britain and Ireland making return visits to Hong Kong.

In addition, the commission continued to implement three funding schemes to encourage more youth groups and community organisations to participate in community-based projects. The Youth Leadership Training Funding Scheme aims to sponsor non-governmental organisations in organising leadership training programmes for youth. The Community Participation Scheme for Organising Study Tours to the Mainland enables young people to cultivate a sense of belonging among themselves and enhances their understanding of the history and culture of China. The Youth Community Service Funding Scheme encourages more young people to serve the community through voluntary work. In 2003, the commission sponsored 162 leadership training programmes, 205 study tours to the Mainland and 137 projects for voluntary work.

The Charter for Youth enunciates principles and ideals in youth development. To encourage more youth organisations and individuals to subscribe to the Charter, the commission continued to promote it through broadcasting an API in 2003.

Home Pages

Education and Manpower Bureau: http://www.emb.gov.hk

Home Affairs Bureau: http://www.hab.gov.hk