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A total of 224 young people today (May 9) were commended at the 2015 Bronze Award Presentation Ceremony of the Hong Kong Award for Young People (HKAYP) Police Operating Authority (POA) for their outstanding performance.
They received bronze award certificates from the Deputy Commissioner of Police (Operations), Mr Wong Chi-hung; the Director of Operations, Mr Lau Yip-shing; and the Chairman and the Vice-Chairman of HKAYP Award Council, Mr Rock Chen and Mr Lo Yan-lai; at the Police Sports and Recreation Club.
Speaking at the ceremony, Mr Wong said that the HKAYP had been providing a platform for young people to participate in varied activities to build up their leadership, social skills, self-confidence and sense of responsibility.
He added that besides helping young people to explore their interests and unleash potential, the award scheme also encouraged them to take up challenges and become responsible citizens.
Meanwhile, Mr Chen gave a special token of appreciation to the Force for active engagement in the award scheme for more than four decades. He encouraged the awardees to apply what they had learnt when facing challenges in the future.
In the past year, POA organised more than 20 training courses resulting in three gold awardees, 14 silver awardees and today's 224 bronze award recipients.
The HKAYP scheme aims at building up young people's confidence and developing their potentials. Participants aged between 14 and 25 will be awarded gold, silver or bronze awards by taking part in activities specified under categories of skills, service, expedition, physical recreation and residential project.
The Police have organised HKAYP (formerly called The Duke of Edinburgh's Award) activities at the Police Cadet School since 1973. The Hong Kong Police Operating Authority was established in 1979 to co-ordinate the relevant activities, and Police Public Relations Branch took over the programme in 2006. It is one of the 18 operating authorities of the scheme.
Ends/Saturday, May 9, 2015
Issued at HKT 14:28
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