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The following is issued on behalf of the Commission on Youth:
The Commission on Youth (COY) today (November 23) published the report on the "Hong Kong Youth Development Indicators" Study. This is the first study conducted by the COY on the multiple areas concerning the overall youth development.
The Chairman of the COY, Mr Bunny Chan, and the Convener of the Working Group on Youth Studies and Development Policy under the COY, Mr Lam Cheung-chi, held a press conference to announce the findings of the study.
The study revealed that the majority of young people in Hong Kong have clear life goals and especially value environmental protection. The interviewees have a healthy lifestyle and exercise regularly. Most of them are law-abiding. Deviant and delinquent behaviour is not common, with fighting comparatively more frequent. Their main leisure activities are surfing the Internet, watching television and shopping, reflecting how young people's lives and leisure-spending modes are more personal and consumption-based, and they are less involved in community or social activities.
While the interviewees believe that their overall social skills are comparatively good, they only have a medium level of resilience to adversity in life and also lack confidence in their English proficiency. Some of them feel pressure from school, family and the economy. They generally take rest, share with others and engage in hobbies and leisure activities to cope with their pressure.
Young people generally recognise the identity of their living area (Hong Kong) more than their national identity. They are yet to hold the concept of being world citizens. Their overall level of education is on the rise and educational achievement is still an important factor affecting the employment opportunities and income of young people. The employment problems of the less-educated youths are more serious than those of their well-educated counterparts.
Mr Chan said, "The study makes reference to the 15 youth development indicators suggested by the United Nations. Taking into account the situation in Hong Kong, we have selected nine areas to study, comprising 'Overview of Youth Population', 'Education', 'Employment', 'Physical and Psychological Health', 'Deviant and Delinquent Behaviours', 'Leisure and Cultural Activities; Consumption and Expenditure', 'Civic Engagement and Participation in Social Service Activities', 'Values' and 'Competitiveness'.
"Through the study, the COY hopes that the current state of development of young people can be systematically displayed. The latest information on youths in Hong Kong will serve as a reference for the Government and relevant organisations to develop youth-related policies and direction of work. The Commission will also make reference to the findings of the study in promoting youth development."
In the future, the COY will continue to subsidise and encourage youth groups and community organisations to organise different types of activities to promote youth development to allow young people to explore their creativity and develop personal attributes, and encourage them to actively take part in leadership development activities and volunteer work, including the Outward Bound Training and Volunteer Service Programme, covering the 18 districts in Hong Kong so as to foster the personal growth of the youths and develop their leadership and spirit of teamwork.
The COY will continue to provide young people with a platform for the exchange of views, such as organising Youth Exchange Sessions and the Youth Summit to encourage young people to care about their community and actively participate in civic affairs. The Commission will provide funding to more youth groups and community organisations to organise study tours in the Mainland to enhance youths' understanding of their motherland and broaden their horizons.
The Commission will also provide more opportunities for local young people to exchange with youths from around the world so as to foster their international perspective and to help them learn to appreciate and accept different cultures and develop well-rounded thinking.
The "Hong Kong Youth Development Indicators" Study was conducted by the Department of Sociology and Social Policy of Lingnan University and covered young people aged 15 to 24. The research methods and major results are set out in the Annex.
The COY will deliver the report to relevant bureaux to enable them to draw reference from it when formulating youth-related policies. The Commission will also upload the report to its website at www.coy.gov.hk for public access.
The Commission will also consider carrying out follow-up study on related areas such as interactive case studies or topical studies.
Ends/Wednesday, November 23, 2011
Issued at HKT 17:35
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