SPECIAL REPORT
APRIL 2017 yp.scmp.com
Corporate Social Responsibilty
CSR
GREEN
THE ARTS
MINORITIES
Giving youngsters a healthy outlook and better lifestyles
Summer programme inspires talented young artists
Language learning holds the key to future success
Fair play is the way It’s been a year since the Competition Ordinance - designed to prohibit practices that restrict competition in Hong Kong came into full effect. As the local business sphere becomes acclimatised to the Ordinance, the Competition Commission is now bringing forward another initiative to help young people get a better understanding of fair competition.
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he “Don’t Cheat. Compete” Advocacy Contest invites senior secondary students to enter by forming teacher-guided teams and tapping into their creativity to illustrate their grasp of the Ordinance through compelling storytelling. Engaging local youngsters is an effective way to promote understanding of the Ordinance among the general public, says Rasul Butt, Senior Executive Director of the Commission.
time to engage the younger generation which is another important group of stakeholders. Prevention is always better than cure. It’s important to instill the spirit of fair competition into their minds before they join the workforce.” He also thinks senior secondary students may have picked up the basics of the Ordinance from the HKDSE’s curricula of liberal studies and economics. Some recent interschool debates have also featured the Ordinance as one of the motions. The contest focuses on the Ordinance, which was fully implemented in Hong Kong in December 2015 when the city joined over 130 jurisdictions around the globe to adopt laws governing cross-sector competition matters. The Ordinance forbids businesses, regardless of their sizes, to adopt practices and agreements harmful to competition, thereby safeguarding a level playing field for the benefits of businesses and consumers.
"Engaging local youngsters is an effective way to promote understanding of the Ordinance among the general public," says Rasul Butt, Senior Executive Director of the Competition Commission.
“Within the school, students engage one another and their teachers, while they discuss their projects with families and friends outside school. This creates a ripple effect,” he adds. “While the business community, particularly the small to medium-sized enterprises, has always been and will continue to be the main target of our advocacy efforts, we believe it’s
Indeed, the Ordinance has been making encouraging progress in this regard. Before the Ordinance took full effect, over 20 trade associations and professional bodies had been identified with published practices that were on the verge of contravening the Ordinance. “Through our active engagement, 19 of these organisations have changed their practices and removed price restrictions or fee scales,” Butt notes, adding that the price of certain consumer electronic goods and sneakers also came down on the first day of implementation. Effective enforcement of the Ordinance is important and so is advocacy. Since the Ordinance is still relatively new, the Commission’s ongoing advocacy campaigns have been designed to deepen public understanding of competition issues, the Ordinance and the issues which the Commission addresses. Over 1,900 complaints were received last year. Given the increased public awareness of competition issues, there has been a growth in the number and depth of complaints and enquiries, leading to a number of investigations. “It is encouraging to see businesses
making efforts to introduce changes to be fully compliant,” Butt says. The initial stage of the advocacy initiatives focused on an overview of the Ordinance. In response to increased awareness of the public and business community, the Commission shifted its focus to more specific topics such as bid-rigging. The key problematic behaviours under the Ordinance which include price fixing, bid-rigging, market sharing, information exchange, resale price maintenance and abuse of market power therefore will be the main discussion points in the students’ entries for the contest, under the theme “A society with or without competition law”. Butt believes students will be able to have a good grasp of the Ordinance by understanding these six topics. A series of promotional and educational materials, including a dedicated website, features on the Ordinance’s key elements and special workshops, will be rolled out to drum up students’ interest in the topic while providing relevant information that allows them to come up with original ideas. Top three winning teams will have a chance to go on a study tour to Singapore to learn more about how competition law works there. “Hong Kong is a newcomer in terms of competition law implementation. It’ll be interesting for students to see how the law is executed by a more experienced enforcement authority,” Butt says. Catering for digital technology-savvy young people, the contest welcomes submissions of works not only in the form of writing and comic drawing, but also animations and videos. Youngsters can then explore different media to express their ideas. A thorough understanding of the competition topics is the key to impressing the judges who are respected professionals, he adds. Winning entries will be published on the Commission’s website and other appropriate platforms. The contest is now open for registration.
April 2017
CONTENTS 6
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MEDIA Student movies put focus on green themes
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ARTS Summer programme inspires young artists
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MINORITIES Language learning holds the key to future success John Brennan
Account Manager Stella Chung (852) 2680 8377 stella.chung@scmp.com
Practical workshops help integrate minorities
FINANCE Comic books teach kids monetary concepts Chris Davis
32 ADVERTISING Assistant Sales Director Alex Wong (852) 2680 8984 alex.wong@scmp.com
COMMUNITY
John Brennan
Andrea Zavadszky
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Mentors help teenagers get on the right track Andrea Zavadszky
Chris Davis
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EDUCATION
GREEN Giving youngsters a healthy outlook Andrea Zavadszky
Account Manager Jacko Man (852) 2680 8702 jacko.man@scmp.com
CONTACT US Editorial: editor@educationpost.com.hk | Advertising: advertising@scmp.com | Reprint: reprint@scmp.com
Young Post’s Special Report on Corporate Social Responsibility is printed and published by South China Morning Post Publishers Limited, Morning Post Centre, 22 Dai Fat Street, Tai Po Industrial Estate, Tai Po, New Territories, Hong Kong. Tel: 2680 8888. Copyright ©2016 South China Morning Post Publishers Limited
APRIL 2017
CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY
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MEDIA
The Green Mini Movies Festival was first launched as an annual event in 2014.
Student movies put focus on green themes For participating students, the Green Mini Movies Competition held a very broad appeal, writes Chris Davis 6
CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY
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MEDIA
People turn on the air conditioning whether or not it is hot. This produces a lot of greenhouse gases, such as carbon dioxide KINGSON CHAN
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t let them express their creativity, have fun with their friends, and learn new skills. But first and foremost, it gave them a chance to raise public awareness about climate change and the nature of our carbon footprint. Open to all primary and secondary students in Hong Kong, the contest was part of the Green Mini Movies Festival 2017, one of the educational events under the Go Green Community – Jockey Club Carbon Reduction Partnership Scheme. “This is a partnership project engaging local non-governmental organisations and schools to reduce carbon emissions,” says Paulina Wong, programme manager, CUHK Jockey Club Initiative Gaia. “One of the movies has a scene about the sinking of the Maldives in 2046 due to rising sea levels caused by global warming. Another team’s showed people going bald in 2077 due to lack of drinkable water.” Wong notes that competition judges found it difficult to pick a winner, but 2046, which was produced jointly by students from CCC Fong Yun Wah Secondary School (FYWSS) and Yuen Long Public Secondary School (YLPSS), eventually came out on top.
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John Lau, a Form 4 student at YLPSS, acted in the film about global warming, playing a member of Legco, and worked on the script. He explained that the story is told in the form of a TV news show in 2046, complete with reports and interviews highlighting the long-term effects of today’s environmentally unsound practices. Kingson Chan, also in Form 4 at YLPSS, was cast as Hong Kong’s chief executive and felt strongly about the importance of the message being conveyed. “People turn on the air conditioning whether or not it is hot outside,” Chan says. “This produces a lot of greenhouse gases, such as carbon dioxide.” He hoped the film would persuade people to use electric fans instead. For Ivy Ng, a Form 2 student at FYWSS, her team’s unexpected victory was the icing on the cake. “I didn’t expect anything but a chance to gain experience, so I was shocked that we won the competition,” she says. Ng played a TV news anchor and found the most difficult aspect was memorising her lines. The harder she tried, the more mistakes she made.
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MEDIA
The winning team this year is formed by FYWSS and YLPSS students.
For YLPSS Form 3 student Nathan Wong, who appears as a news reporter, found scheduling was the biggest headache. “It was hard to accommodate the different timetables of people from the two schools,” Wong says. However, answers were found and the cast and crew had a lot of fun along the way. “The whole film-making process was wonderful,” says cameraman Dennis Kong, a Form 2 student at FYWSS, who had the idea to team up. “We had a great time together.” Wilson Chow, a Form 5 at FYWSS, found it was sometimes difficult to focus on his role as a citizen. “I laughed a lot during the shoot because of the joking around with my teammates,” he says. FYWSS Form 2 student Christy Yung helped capture the action from be-
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hind her camera and was quick to credit the help received from her teachers, Mr Wong and Mr Chan. Wong says accomodating different schedules was the biggest challenge.
Henry Ho, in his first year at FYWSS, enjoyed making friends during the production and, having worked as a film editor on 2046, has now been bitten by the movie bug. “After this production my interest in filmmaking has increased,” he says. “I really want to share my ideas with other people.” The Green Mini Movies Festival was launched as an annual event in 2014. Besides the competition, other activities include a film-making workshop, a sharing session, and a visit to a green facility. Gaia is a five-year community engagement programme, launched in 2012 by the Chinese University of Hong Kong, with a generous donation of HK$70 million from The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities.
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ARTS
Summer programme inspires young artists Primary school students in To Kwa Wan had an exciting summer when the Sheraton Hotel teamed up with the Hong Kong Youth Arts Foundation (HKYAF), writes Andrea Zavadszky
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ARTS
Henry Cheung and Mazy Cheng were pleased with the enthusiasm of both the children and Sheraton staff.
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he eye-opening project taught participants to value Hong Kong’s traditions and precious but slowly disappearing heritage, as well as to appreciate their own talents and creativity.
On the second Saturday, Inkolize, a group specialising in artistic silk screen printing and photography, took the lead. Their members taught the children how to take good photos, and various examples were later used in an artwork project.
Regarding the summer programme, the intention is to make it different each year. It can feature dance, performances, photography, wood sculpture, painting, or other activities. The artists involved and the charities they represent also change accordingly.
Activities on the first Saturday were arranged by the House of To Kwa Wan Stories, a heritage preservation service supported by St James’ Settlement. It organises exhibitions and cultural walks to introduce and explain the district’s history.
On the other two days, the focus was on drawing and silk screen printing techniques taught by Inkolize and, afterwards, producing stencils to celebrate the traditional snacks of To Kwa Wan on T-shirts, tote bags and cushion covers.
“We usually work with primary school children and sometimes with teenagers, depending on the project,” Cheung says. “We reach out to different groups and districts, such as ethnic minorities or people in hospital with long-term illnesses. In recent years, we have focused on Sham Shui Po, Hung Hom and Quarry Bay.”
The 12 children taking part heard the stories behind certain types of local food. They learned that “ice rooms” were places selling ice-cream, shaved ice and other desserts and that “soy sauce western food” is a hybrid Cantonese-western dish. They visited a cha chaan teng and stalls selling local street food to try traditional Chinese snacks such as egg tarts, red bean pudding, pineapple buns, egg waffles, fish balls and siu mai.
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“We wanted to help children in the area create awareness of the district, and find out more about traditional local food,” says Henry Cheung, the Sheraton Hotel’s senior marketing communications manager. The hotel collects donations yearround for the Hong Kong Youth Arts Foundation by putting cards on tables in their restaurants. The message to diners is that “Just HK$3 could paint a very different picture”.
The HKYAF generally proposes the art form and format, with Sheraton volunteers then helping to work out programme details and arrange logistics. Hotel employees are invited to sign up as “art angels” and, last year, close to 40 stepped forward.
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ARTS
The programme exposed the children to different art forms and let them express themselves. It raised their self-esteem as they realised their own potential and creativity HENRY CHEUNG
The participants enjoyed visiting the unkown corners of the To Kwa Wan community.
“The programme exposed the children to different art forms and let them express themselves,” Cheung says. “It raised their self-esteem as they realised their own potential and creativity.” Everything culminated in the Tasty Hong Kong Print Art Exhibition. This saw the children’s artworks on display for two weeks at both the Cultural Centre and the Sheraton Hotel. There was also a ceremony to celebrate the success of the programme, with family members invited to attend. “I took part last year to do something fulfilling during the summer holiday,” says Primary 4 student Kwok Man-ki, who moved to To Kwa Wan when still in kindergarten. She learned to create her own pictures and print a silk screen image on a cushion cover. “I have deep feelings for the district and, through this extracurricular activity, hoped to get to know more about people and happenings around me.”
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She particularly liked visiting unknown corners of To Kwa Wan and having the chance to learn about different kinds of food and shop design.
“Our associates like to reach out to the community,” she says. “Sometimes the participation is really beyond our expectations.”
Sheraton Hotel also backs a host of other fundraising and volunteer programmes, from beach clean-ups to charity runs.
There is also a bi-annual “Go Beyond for Community Service Award” to recognise staff who clock up the highest number of hours as volunteers.
As part of a longstanding group tieup with Unicef, the Check Out for Children initiative has arranged talent shows, parties and sports days. And staff volunteers have done maintenance work for the Hong Chi Association, visited the Cheshire Home in Chung Hom Kok, and spent time with patients suffering from chronic illness. An annual Run to Give event raises funds for St James’ Settlement.
“Not that we have to force them, they are very enthusiastic about these kinds of activities,” says Cheng, adding that the aim is to make programmes and contributions both sustainable and continuous.
Mazy Cheng, the hotel’s director of human resources, commends staff enthusiasm in answering these various calls to action.
YOUNG POST
Guests and participants shared the happy moment and celebrated the success of the Student of the Year.
CSR initiatives come in different shapes and sizes, but what links them is a shared intention to make a positive difference in the community. That can be through direct action, fundraising or, as in the case of Hong Kong’s Student of the Year Awards, by recognising outstanding commitment and achievement and, thereby, inspiring others. For the past 36 years, awards have been presented to the top secondary school students nominated in specific categories. These include languages, science and mathematics, sports, visual arts, performing arts, and best improvement, with a grand prize also available for the year’s overall winner. Importantly, though, the judges are not just looking for excellence or great talent in one particular area. When assessing the candidates, they are also asked to take account of each student’s all-round academic record, involvement in school activities, and contributions to the wider community. To emphasise the importance of getting out and helping others, there is even a separate award category for work in the community.
In this way, the event’s organiser the South China Morning Post and the event’s sole sponsor The Hong Kong Jockey Club, with significant support from the Education Bureau, have been able to achieve two key objectives. One, of course, is to draw deserved attention to the skills and accomplishments of today’s best students. The other, reflecting their own commitment to the diverse aspects of CSR, is to encourage the younger generation to understand the importance of helping others whether as a volunteer, coach, mentor, or simply as a good role model. Speakers at this year’s presentation ceremony, which took place on February 25, were quick to make that point. Scarlette Leung, Executive Director, Corporate Planning, Communications and Membership, The Hong Kong Jockey Club, addressed the students at the ceremony, “The Student of the Year Awards are about much more than winning honours. They are about passion for excellence - about students improving both themselves and their community. Youth has always been a high priority for the Jockey Club and we have launched many initiatives to support their development. We want to help young people become stronger in mind and spirit, to better themselves, and to encourage them to contribute towards the betterment of the community. So to every
Dr Edmund Lee was presenting the prizes to the Visual Artist finalists. He encouraged students to enjoy the process of learning.
young person I would say - explore your passion for excellence, engage with your potential, be mindful of the needs of others, and always seek to be the best that you can be.” Echoing those sentiments, Gary Liu, Chief Executive officer of the SCMP, noted that the level of excellence seen in each category was truly impressive. This time though, the theme of the awards was “The Future in our Hands”. It was deliberately chosen to get candidates thinking about what changes they would like to see over the next 10 year and to express those ideas in the essays and artwork they submitted. And, because of that, it was a chance for them to show the imagination, insight, awareness and idealism needed to shape Hong Kong and overcome large-scale challenges in the decades ahead.
“The South China Morning Post continues to be proud of the small part we play each year in discovering and encouraging young people who represent the future of this city,” Liu said. Grand prize winner Belinda Ng Tian-wing is clearly one such person. The 17-year-old from South Island School expressed thanks for all the support received from her teachers and parents, but also highlighted the need for young people to work hard and keep improving. “If you don’t push yourself, you end up plateauing,” Ng said. “I put a lot of pressure on myself to take the initiative and try new things, even if I know it is not my strong suit. You learn a lot from the process and from reaching out to new people.”
Winners of the two new Awards – Best Improvement and Best Devotion to School.
The Hon. Rimsky Yuen was giving a speech to enlighten students on their career path.
Grand Prize Winner First runner-up Second runner-up
Ng Belinda Tian Wing Yu Ngar Yeuk Lotus Lam Tin Yan Grace
Grade 12 Form 6 Form 5
South Island School Good Hope School Belilios Public School
Form 6 Grade 11 Grade 11 Form 6 Form 6
Diocesan Girls’ School The Harbour School Victoria Shanghai Academy PLK Tang Yuk Tien College Good Hope School
Form 6 Form 4 Form 6 Form 6 Form 6
The Society of Boys’ Centres Hui Chung Sing Memorial School Hong Kong Red Cross Princess Alexandra School Buddhist Fat Ho Memorial College Buddhist Wong Wan Tin College PAOC Ka Chi Secondary School
Form 6 Form 5 Form 5
Madam Lau Kam Lung Secondary School of M.F.B.M. Renaissance College Maryknoll Convent School (Secondary Section)
Form 4 Form 5 Form 6
Holy Family Canossian College NTYHK Yuen Long District Secondary School SKH Tang Shiu Kin Secondary School
Form 6 Grade 12 Form 5
Chinese International School Renaissance College Sing Yin Secondary School
Form 6 Form 5 Form 4
Heep Yunn School Diocesan Girls' School Singapore International School
Form 4 Form 4 Form 5
St. Paul's Convent School (Secondary Section) Good Hope School Tak Oi Secondary School
Jia Jim Syn Tsang Tsz Ying Lin Hin Wang
Form 5 Form 6 Form 6
Diocesan Girls' School St. Paul's Convent School (Secondary Section) Yuen Long Merchants Association Secondary School
Yeung Sum Yee Tang Tsoi Lam Katii Wong Kwan To Toto
Form 6 Grade 10 Form 6
Heep Yunn School Victoria Shanghai Academy Diocesan Girls’ School
Ng Chung Hei Lam Lai Ki Grace Wong
Form 6 Form 6 Form 6
Jockey Club Ti-I College STFA Yung Yau College Munsang College
Best Devotion to School Winner Winner Winner Winner Winner
Chan Lok San Kate Hui Buoy Hymn Ignacio Mario Lam Tsz Long Noxx Lau Suet Ying Yu Ngar Yeuk Lotus
Best Improvement Winner Winner Winner Winner Winner st, ing Artist finali , the Perform e. Beatrice Mak nc da ry ra po ing a contem was perform
Winner of the award for best contribution to the community was Shiu Cheuk-wing, an 18-year-old from Madam Lau Kam Lung Secondary School of MFBM. She is an active member of the Girl Guides, the Hong Kong Federation of Youth Groups, and a number of school societies and service groups. From a less than privileged background, she has nevertheless devoted countless hours to volunteer work assisting the needy. “The award recognises what I have done for the community and will boost my confidence and desire to help even more people,” Shiu said. “My next plan is to go to Cambodia or mainland China in the
Chan Ming Pui Kwok Hui Ming Lau Lai Hin Luk Chun Sultan Basha Mohamed Afser
Community Contributor Winner First runner-up Second runner-up
summer to understand the situation for underprivileged people in the poorer areas.” To support such efforts and give past award winners the chance to stay involved, the Student of the Year Alumni Association was launched in 2015. On a voluntary basis, the members now act as mentors to advise and inspire the younger generation. They arrange school visits, development programmes and discussion sessions to help students achieve their personal goals. And through active involvement in various charity campaigns, they are also continuing to contribute to society in other practical ways.
Shiu Cheuk Wing Purohit Anushka Chan Yin Hei Rosaline
Linguist (Cantonese) Winner First runner-up Second runner-up
Yue Hang Chi Lam Ho Ying Chiu Yin Chun
Linguist (English) Winner First runner-up Second runner-up
Catherine Wang Sarika Mahbubani Li Ho Yeung
Linguist (Putonghua) Winner First runner-up Second runner-up
Man Angel Ka Yee Wu Yee Goh Kai Xin Gwyneth
Performing Artist Winner First runner-up Second runner-up
Lam Chi Tung Rachel Lo Sin Yan Katie Beatrice Mak
Scientist & Mathematican Winner First runner-up Second runner-up
Sportsperson Winner First runner-up Second runner-up
Visual Artist Winner First runner-up Second runner-up From left, Dr Allan Zeman, Gary Liu, Scarlette Leung, The Hon. Rimsky Yuen, and Lau Ming-wai
MINORITIES
Language learning holds the key to future success Early intervention can ensure children from ethnic minority families don’t start off at a disadvantage, writes John Brennan
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MINORITIES
It is important to integrate children from minority communities and give them just as many opportunities as other kids in Hong Kong DAVID FONG
David Fong believes that more can be done to help children of different ethnic backgrounds.
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ccording to the government’s 2011 population census, about 451,000 local residents, or roughly 6 per cent of the population identify themselves as non-Chinese. Ten-year-old Joelle Gabatino, whose family hails from the Philippines, attends TKDS Fong Shu Chuen Primary School and, because the medium of instruction is Chinese, she receives extra learning support as a non-native speaker. “We have some teaching assistants who can speak our language and support our activities,” she says. She has not had major problems, but recognising a widespread concern, Hong Kong-based property developer Hip Shing Hong has initiated a special CSR programme to assist children with roots in the Philippines, Nepal, India, Thailand and Pakistan. Not all children from one of Hong Kong’s ethnic minority groups have the good fortune to attend the “right” school, with the result that they struggle to fit in and may fall behind with their studies. As a first step, the company held a Christmas party last year, which proved a big success.
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“I enjoyed the games and had a warm feeling when I received Christmas gifts from the organiser,” Gabatino says. David Fong, managing director of Hip Shing Hong, was delighted with the response. But as a board member of a primary school with a relatively large number of ethnic minority students, he is well aware of the challenges children encounter and that more can be done to help. The company’s plan is to engage more closely with relevant schools and communities to establish a well targeted programme able to deliver long-term results. “It is important to integrate children from minority communities and give them just as many opportunities as other kids in Hong Kong,” Fong says. “Our CSR project will try to give them a sense of belonging, so they feel they are cared about.” For non-Chinese children, the initial language barrier obviously makes it that much harder to make friends and keep up in class. Their mother tongue and perhaps some words of English don’t really help in a school environment where lessons are in Cantonese or Putonghua.
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MINORITIES
The adverse effects of this difficult start can extend well beyond school days, eventually harming prospects at university or job interviews. “Perhaps the government and NGOs can encourage schools to employ more teachers who know ethnic minority languages,” Fong says. “They could also teach them to speak Putonghua and Cantonese well.” This would also show that Hong Kong cares about the needs of all parts of society and is prepared to make the necessary effort to integrate families from other countries. Fong believes that promoting social inclusivity is in the interests of Hongkongers from a Chinese background. A divided society, where certain groups feel disadvantaged and discriminated against, can lead
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to increased levels of discontent and other social problems. “In the long term, we need to integrate children from minority communities so they too can climb the income ladder,” he says. “If not, the challenges are only going to grow.” On a positive note, Fong suggests that China’s “Belt and Road” initiative, designed to improve trade and economic ties with countries across Asia, can create new kinds of opportunities. “This opens up the possibility of upward mobility for ethnic minorities in Hong Kong,” he says. “If, say, a company has a project in Pakistan or India and someone based in Hong Kong has the qualifications and knows the language and culture, that person would probably be a better candidate.”
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EDUCATION
Mentors help teenagers get on the right track Teens often have issues they don’t necessarily want to discuss at home. And if they are too shy to have a supportive social circle, it is a sign that other people may need to help, writes Andrea Zavadszky
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EDUCATION
From left: Vanessa Wo, Fanny Leung and Ken Chow.
W
anting to play a positive role in teenage lives, Shui On set up a mentorship programme in 2012, which has now evolved into a complex and far-reaching project. Run by staff volunteers in cooperation with Po Leung Kuk, the basic framework is a government subsidised programme which encourages youngsters to save HK$200 every month. A matching donation from Po Leung Kuk helps participating teens reach a savings target of HK$7,000, which can then be spent on a trip, a special purchase, or something else long dreamt of. Along the way, the programme also teaches the value of money, the importance of saving, and the fundamentals of good financial planning. Shui On employees act as mentors, not just explaining the financial aspects, but also offering more general support and taking part in “ice-breakers”, workshops and seminars. “Our ultimate objective is to influence lives for the better and help mentees achieve their potential,” says Vanessa Wo, assistant general manager for corporate communications at Socam
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Development, a member of the Shui On Group. Mentors look to become friends and role models, offering companionship and advice. They also help to broaden horizons by giving career advice and arranging social gatherings and outings. Some may assume this role entails a three-year commitment, but more than 30 Shui On employees signed up in 2012 and the level of commitment has remained high. “One major challenge in mentoring is building strong relationships,” says Fanny Leung, assistant HR manager for Socam Development. “We worry about how to enter a teenager’s world. I first tried through WhatsApp and then invite my mentee to join some activities and workshops organised by Po Leung Kuk. The key is to show mentees you really care for them and will be by their side during difficult times.” In meetings with mentee Phoebe Chan, a Form 6 student, Leung has shared her own experiences in the world of work, explained different industries, and given practical advice on choosing a career. They also enjoy each other’s company and Leung feels she now has the “younger sister” she always wanted.
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EDUCATION
Our ultimate objective is to influence lives for the better and help mentees achieve their potential VANESSA WO
“I enjoy meeting with Fanny,” Chan says. “She is very outgoing and always invites me to join her in activities like city orienteering and hiking. These activities help me relax. She invites her friends too, so I get to know people from different fields and learn from them.”
“It gives me a warm feeling,” Zhu says.
Ken Chow, a senior site clerk, likes helping teenagers build positive values and realise their dreams. At first, it can be hard for two strangers to establish trust and, in fact, it took about six months for his protégé Zhu Tong to talk about school and family life.
“As mentors, we can discover our own strengths and weaknesses,” Wo says. “We find the process of nurturing young people highly rewarding.”
“Now we are friends,” Chow says. “The whole process is very challenging, yet touching. The best moment was after a year when he opened his heart and told me about his dreams. I was really touched.” Tong, a Form 5 student, says Chow has given him clear direction on setting and achieving goals and how to realise those dreams. He appreciates the encouragement, which has made him more confident and positive.
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Ken Chow and Zhu Tong
Chow notes that the rewards of mentoring make it worth the time commitment. The experience has taught him important skills such as patience, perserverence and having a positive impart on others.
Shui On’s CSR activities focus on youth and the elderly. For example, they support an exchange programme for the Hong Kong Cadet Corps and a scholarship for Chinese University of Hong Kong students to learn about CSR practices in other countries. The company also sponsors Po Leung Kuk’s Yuen Long Youth Hostel Project for local youngsters and ethnic minorities, as well as the “Energetic Youth Club”, which promotes initiative, creativity and healthy lifestyles in the Yuen Long area.
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COMMUNITY
Practical workshops help integrate minorities Tung Chung is the “base camp” for the Ngong Ping 360 cable car, and the company behind the popular tourist attraction is also making a mark in the local community, writes John Brennan
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YOUNG POST
COMMUNITY
A volunteer team of “sharing ambassadors” was formed last July to help foster a more caring culture within the company.
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n view of its location, it is no surprise that the Ngong Ping 360 company focuses its CSR efforts on the area in and around Tung Chung.
The company’s volunteer team of “sharing ambassadors” was formed last July to serve the community and encourage a more caring culture. It is open to employees, family members and friends. “We have organised volunteer activities with target groups in the community including the elderly, low-income families, and local
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students,” says Vicky Lau, the firm’s head of corporate affairs. “Our aim is to interact and develop trusting relationships with diverse parties.”
“Using only natural ingredients matches our company theme and helps to promote a green culture among staff and the wider community,” Lau says.
In October, ten of the ambassadors got together with the Neighbourhood Advice-Action Council Tung Chung Integrated Services Centre. They showed 30-plus primary and secondary school students from ethnic minority groups how to make natural mosquito repellent. Most commercially available repellents contain DEET, a chemical that can cause unpleasant side-effects.
Primary 6 student Alaine Vacunawa, who has been studying in Hong Kong for 18 months, was keen to get involved. “When I came here, I really had no clue about the lifestyle in Hong Kong. But after my parents enrolled me at the Touch Centre, I had the chance to take part in a lot of different activities and interact with people of many different ethnicities.”
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COMMUNITY
The Neighbourhood Advice-Action Council’s Touch Centre in Tung Chung played host to the workshop, where Vacunawa learned to make mosquito repellent cream, as well as natural lip balm. She sold the latter to raise money for charity and help people in need.
In order to encourage staff participation, the company “incentivises” volunteer activities. They tally the total number of volunteer hours contributed during the year, multiply it according to an in-house formula, and arrive at a dollar figure to donate to a recognised charity.
“Doing this has made me feel I belong to the community,” she says. “In addition, it has given me the opportunity to gain experience and discover skills which I can use to help society.”
The annual Ngong Ping Charity Walk has been raising funds for the Hong Kong Youth Hostels Association for several years. The event features courses of differing degrees of difficulty, and the money raised is used to promote environmental protection and support youth development.
For the sharing ambassadors, the first step in the project was learning how to make natural repellent from a professional instructor at Greenpeopleworkshop. “The process is safe and simple,” says Bobo Chan, member of Ngong Ping 360’s human resources and corporate services team. “I will make it with my family and friends in the future.”
At the Green Lantau Tree Planting Event, seedlings of trees native to Hong Kong were planted to enhance the biodiversity of Lantau Island. Participants were offered free cable-car rides from Tung Chung to Ngong Ping Village in a bid to promote awareness of nature conservation and encourage participation in environmental work.
Using only natural ingredients matches our company theme and helps to promote a green culture among staff and the wider community VICKY LAU
Ngong Ping 360 staff are incentivised to embark in charitable activities.
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YOUNG POST
FINANCE
Comic books teach kids monetary concepts For young students, making sound wealth management decisions may seem far off, but Citi Hong Kong believes it’s best to start early, writes Chris Davis
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A dramatic performance of “The Adventures of Agent Penny, featuring Will Power”.
A
s a leading bank, Citi also has a tradition of involvement in corporate social responsibility (CSR) through activities designed to benefit the wider community. A prime example is the Agent Penny and Will Power Series, the first-ever comic book to introduce key concepts of financial literacy to primary school students aged 10 to 12. Launched 10-plus years ago and funded by the Citi Foundation, “The Adventures of the Agent Penny, featuring Will Power” covers a range of relevant topics; including spending wisely, money management and budgeting and go on to explain credit cards, long-term savings and online purchases. The bank believes it makes good sense to give primary school students the basics of what is an important life skill. The advice is easy to remember and is
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relevant to daily life. The stories are written in a way that makes learning about finance fun, with hints about how to manage weekly expenses, cut spending on unnecessary items, and start saving. “Agent Penny has taught me why it is important to save and how to differentiate between needing and just wanting something,” one student noted. The comic books feature superheroes and drawings in a Japanese manga style. This helps to stimulate interest, while teaching the principles of good financial practice. Citi’s thinking is that good habits should start early. In this case, that means the age at which children begin receiving pocket money, receiving lai see gifts at Chinese New Year, and using an Octopus card to make electronic payments.
Thanks to a long-standing partnership with Po Leung Kuk and the support of the Education Bureau, the Agent Penny books have already been read by thousands of students across Hong Kong. To bring the stories to life in other ways, the bank also works with a professional drama company to produce plays based on the characters. Since the series was first launched in 2005, about 550 shows and workshops have been organised, reaching as many as 150,000 primary school students, teachers and parents. As part of Citi’s corporate citizenship initiative, employee volunteers also take part in shows staged at shopping malls to promote financial knowledge. They teach young children basic concepts through playing games and, looking ahead, there are plans to develop further programmes geared towards the 16 to 24 age group. The focus will be more on building an entrepreneurial mindset and
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FINANCE
Citi’s “more than philanthropy” approach encourages staff to participate in other CSR activities.
teaching financial and leadership skills useful in the workplace. According to the Agent Penny 2016 programme report, more than 80 per cent of participating students showed improved financial literacy. Teachers were able to reinforce lessons from the comic books and shows with a resource kit including games, quizzes, exercises and activity plans. They could also draw on real-life situations and examples to illustrate key points. In addition, Citi has developed “Making Sense of Money”, a financial education and life skill planning
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programme for secondary school students. As an extra element, a series of “Smart Kids Financial Education” day camps have been arranged to teach students in Form 3 and above about of personal financial planning. The bank’s “more than philanthropy” approach also encourages staff to participate in other CSR activities. For instance, last year more than 3,300 Hong Kong volunteers marked the bank’s 11th annual Global Community Day, joining tens of thousands of staff from around the world in service projects in their local communities.
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Giving youngsters a healthy outlook Successful CSR activities often result from companies doing what they do best by focusing on initiatives in their own field. This approach led Vitasoy to start a “Nutrition Exploration Journey”, promoting healthy growth and development, by Andrea Zavadszky
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“O
ur mission is to be a sustainable nutrition provider,” says Lianne Ng, Vitasoy group director for external affairs and sustainability. “So, we looked for opportunities to do more community engagement offering nutritional information programmes.” To this end, they teamed up with the Brightens Children’s Lives Service of St James’ Settlement and the Social Welfare Department’s Partnership Fund for the Disadvantaged, which runs after-school programmes. With advice from an in-house nutrition specialist, they put together a multifaceted plan to give children what they need.
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Around 200 students from seven schools participated in the programme last year.
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Around 200 students from seven schools took part in the 2015/16 academic year, and one further school has since been added.
improve vocabulary, writing and presentation skills. For some students, this was a first-ever chance to learn from a native speaker.
The starting point was a 2015 survey conducted in target primary schools. It showed a priority for parents was to improve their children’s English. Therefore, the programme offers six 90-minute after-school classes on the theme of nutrition led by native English speakers. The aim is to increase student motivation, boost confidence in speaking English and
“When I didn’t understand what the teacher said, I could ask my classmates for help,” says Fung Ka-wai of YLPMS Alumni Association Ying Yip Primary School, noting that teamwork plays a part. “They were very helpful and shared their knowledge to help me solve problems. We enjoyed working together and shared the workload.”
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GREEN
Our mission is to be a sustainable nutrition provider ... we looked for opportunities to do more community engagement offering nutritional information programmes LIANNE NG
The nutrition-related topics explained the food pyramid and the role of vitamins and proteins. Teachers also emphasised that a healthy lifestyle means taking care of body, mind, soul, and having a positive attitude. This year, the programme also includes four photography workshops designed to inspire creativity and get children thinking out of the box. “We wanted to introduce something which they can’t pick up in school,” Ng says. “They may enjoy it enough to make it a life-long hobby.” Poon Ka-fai, a teacher at Ying Yip Primary School, notes the importance of letting children explore their creativity and learn different skills. This also helps students who are not so good at using language to express their ideas.
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Two field trips, to an organic farm and to Vitasoy’s factory in Tuen Mun to see how drinks are prepared, were a great success.
Lianne Ng
“The factory is massive and the process of beverage manufacturing is so complicated,” says another pupil Lau Szewai. “It was a great experience, and the soymilk and tofu dessert we made at the organic farm were so fresh and delicious.” The teamwork aspect is taken further in a group project, which sees students presenting before an audience at a final graduation ceremony cum nutrition ambassador competition. Last year, participants had to devise a proposal for a healthy drink, prepare it on stage during the event, and produce a marketing and pricing plan. This year, they will be asked to present a healthy breakfast together with the recipe and their reasoning.
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Poon Ka-Fai (left) helps students polish their presentation skills.
To add a community service element to the programme, the students will also present their breakfast ideas and tips on healthy eating habits at a community centre, an elderly home or, perhaps, a kindergarten. They will also be expected to prepare accompanying materials, such as leaflets, posters or a photo album, for use in promoting their message as nutrition ambassadors. “Students show real commitment to the programme and are proactive in seeking help from teachers to polish
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and practice their presentations,” Poon says. This also boosts self-confidence and social skills, with the chance to apply their knowledge, make new friends, and feel more comfortable when speaking English. “Now, my son will remind me to select healthy food and has taught me to read the labels,” says Lau Sze-wai’s mother. “The programme helps children’s physical and mental development.”
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