ENG-2015 — Page 377

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Recreation, Sport, Culture and the Arts

Adventure Ship

Adventure Ship, a registered charity established in 1977, is the first charitable programme of its kind in Hong Kong. It operates Jockey Club Huan, a 34.5-metre sailing junk which provides educational training and recreation at sea for young people. Funded mainly by the Community Chest and the Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust, Adventure Ship is a member of the Hong Kong Council of Social Service.

All young people above the age of nine are welcome to join the programme, which promotes personal development with its theme of 'learning by experience; but preference is given to disabled and underprivileged youths.

Jockey Club Huan went into service in April 2006. The aluminium-hulled three-masted traditional-rig sailing junk can accommodate up to 60 people and 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.

About 10,000 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. 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. Guided by instructors, participants become members of the ship's supplementary crew and work alongside their peers, learning 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 safe, good-quality and affordable hostel accommodation in Hong Kong. Its primary aim is to encourage young people to take part in outdoor activities and promote travel and international exchange programmes.

Established in 1973, HKYHA plans, runs and markets youth hostels. HKYHA has more than 30,000 individual members and 1,600 corporate members. It is also an affiliate of Hostelling International, an organisation with over four million members worldwide.

HKYHA operates seven hostels, with different characteristics and located in different areas of Hong Kong. YHA Mei Ho House Youth Hostel, transformed from a six-storey resettlement block in Shek Kip Mei which formed part of Hong Kong's first public housing, is the flagship hostel and welcomes backpackers from all over the world. In September, it was awarded an Honourable Mention in the 2015 Unesco Asia-Pacific Heritage Awards for Cultural Heritage Conservation.

In January 2015, HKYHA's annual Ngong Ping Charity Walk at North Lantau Island Country Park attracted more than 1,000 participants and raised much needed funds for hostel enhancement, environmental protection and HKYHA's conservation projects.

In August, HKYHA nominated four tertiary education students for a trip to Singapore and to share their backpacking experiences online.

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