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McCafe
Coffee Professionals YWETS Scheme
McDonald's Restaurants
(Hong Kong) Ltd and the Federation are launching
the 4th YWETS training scheme in this successful partnership.
Eligible
young people will receive a 9-month job placement at
branches of McCafe from September 06 to May 07, learning
the skills of coffee making, restaurant operations and
customer service techniques.
Click http://www.yen.org.hk/
temp/mc.asp
for more information.
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Airport
Terminal Business Clerical YWETS Trainee Programme
This newly launched programme
is jointly organized by the Federation and the Airport
Authority Hong Kong. It gives 15 young people 6-months
of on-the-job training in clerical work at the airport
terminals. The Programme involves trainees in word processing,
filing, data input and answering telephone calls. Click
http://www.yen.org.hk/
temp/airport.asp
for more information.
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Hung
Fook Tong Shop Assistant Trainee Programme
The Federation is in partnership
with Hung Fook Tong Holdings on a 6-month training programme
for 20 young people. The trainees will be responsible
for serving customers, product promotion and quality
assurance. They will be trained in customer service skills
and learn about shop operations.
Click http://www.yen.org.hk/
temp/hung2.asp
for more information.
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Third
NationMark Internship Programme
Organized jointly by
the Federation and NationMark (HK) Ltd, this programme
gives 12 young people a year of technical training
in customer service techniques, hardware assembly and
computer repair skills.
Click http://www.yen.org.hk/
temp/nation.asp
for more
information.
Contact Joey or Daniel of Youth Employment Network
(YEN) at 3113 7999 with inquiries.
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Juvenile
Delinquency Research Seminar
This seminar, organized
by The Macau Juvenile Delinquency Research
Society,
the China Society of Juvenile Delinquency Research and the Institute
of Crime Prevention and Control, Nanjing University, will take place from 6-8 August
in Macau. The Federation's Youth Research Centre was
invited to join as a co-organizer. Approximately 130
representatives from China, Macau and Hong Kong will
attend and discuss recent trends in juvenile delinquency
with respect to socio-economic factors in their regions.
Behaviour of delinquents and correctional services
will also be analyzed.
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Seminar
for HKCEE students and their parents
Before the release of
the HKCEE results on 9 August, the Federation is going
to organize this seminar entitled 『會考生升學多面睇』講座 with
the Education and Manpower Bureau, Federation
of Parent-Teacher Associations of Yuen Long District
Limited and Federation of Parent-Teacher
Associations, Tuen Mun on 4 August at CCC
Hoh Fuk Tong College. Information related to F.6 admission
procedures, further studies and ways to deal with pressure
will be provided. HKCEE students and their parents
are welcome to join the seminar. For more information
please contact Kin Sang Youth S.P.O.T. at 2467 7933.
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Free
screening of the movie Click
Edko Films Ltd
have generously donated 150 tickets to the Federation
for the movie, Click. Young people and their parents
are invited to the free screening on 7 August at AMC Festival
Walk. On 12 August there will be a sharing session about
the movie for approximately 30 participants at the Shaukiwan
Youth S.P.O.T. Click features Adam Sandler and
Kate Beckinsale and is about a busy architect who suddenly
becomes able to control his career and personal life by
a click on a magic remote control. Complications arise
when the remote starts to overrule his choices. |
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3rd
Hong Kong International Education Expo
The expo, organized by Neway
International Trade Fairs Ltd, is supported
by the Federation, Breakthrough, the Hong
Kong Youth Association, the Hong Kong
Youth & Tertiary Students Association, the Hong
Kong Youth Power Association, The Hong
Kong Award for Young People, Youth Network and
the YouthOnline Association. It will
be held from 4-6 August at the Hong Kong Convention & Exhibition
Centre. 200 institutions from Hong Kong, China and overseas
will provide up-to-date information on post-secondary
education programmes, job training and continuing education.
It is aimed at F.5 and F.7 graduates and their parents.
There will be over 60 education seminars and counselling
workshops at the Expo. Click here for more info: http://www.newayfairs.com/
hke/ |
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Enhancing
youth employability |
Each
summer, thousands of fresh entrants to the workforce mean
a hive of activity. We match youngsters with vacancies,
run career
expos and hold workshops and seminars for job seekers. The
Federation's Youth Employment Network (YEN) collaborates
with the Labour Department on the YPTP and YWETS* training
and job
experience schemes for 15-24 year olds. Enrollment of 20,000
youngsters starts on 29 July. All 21 olf the Youth S.P.O.Ts
will be involved in YPTP while YEN runs special YWETS projects,
mediating between prospective employers and new recruits.
YEN is stepping up efforts in job matching and support services
for employers. Successful collaborations to date include the
Airport Authority, McDonald's, NationMark and Hung Fook Tong
and we are very keen to find new YWETS partners. Click
here for details. Hong Kong has an oversupply of low-skilled labour and a shortage
of highly-skilled workers. 25% of male teenagers here are unemployed
even though the unemployment rate fell to its lowest* in five
years in May.** This situation exacerbates the growing wealth
gap and creative use of resources will be essential to maximize
the opportunities of Hong Kong's youth. We are
determined to help. Will you help us?
Interested in becoming a YWETS partner? Read more
in this week's Feature Story or contact Cheung Chi-wai,
YEN, tel 31137999 email chiwai@hkfyg.org.hk
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Feature
Story |
YWETS: a training scheme with
purpose The government's Youth Work Experience
and Training Scheme (YWETS) has been running for 5
years, providing on-the-job training and improving
young people's employability. NGOs like the Federation
cooperate with the Labour Department through their
network of employers. Screening and placement of suitable
candidates takes place before liaison with potential
employers.
Job training has to be focused and relevant to
be useful. The Federation's Youth Employment Network (YEN)
has been working with the Airport Authority and McDonald's
as well as companies such as NationMark and Hung Fook Tong.
NationMark specializes in computer software while Hung Fook
Tong makes herbal tea drinks. We asked them why they joined
the scheme. |
"We
want to help relieve youth unemployment and can help ourselves
find suitable recruits at the same time with a scheme like
this," said Amy at NationMark. Amy is Senior Administrative
Officer at the company and she said they were already into
their third year of collaboration with YEN through YWETS.
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"The Federation
approached us and we've found ourselves in a win-win situation.
We show the company has a sense of corporate social responsibility
and there is no denying that the YWETS trainees have a
much lower drop-out rate during the probation period."
What makes the YWETS trainees different? One
important point is that they get training in communication
skills and dealing with pressure.
"At NationMark, we wanted the trainees
to deal with hotline enquiries so they had to work under
pressure. The Federation trained them to cope with negative
reactions and crises. The result is that they are much
better motivated when it comes to this aspect of customer
services which many find difficult."
Mike, a NationMark YWETS
trainee for the past year, gave us his feedback:
"I wanted a job in the IT field but had
no past work experience. This is one of the main problems
for young job seekers, along with interview techniques
and lack of suitable academic qualifications. When I found
information about NationMark at a HKFYG Job Expo I went
for it. And I never looked back."
Mike will stay on next year. The staff mentors have helped
him to settle down really well, both in the job and in his
personal life. Meanwhile, his Federation training case manager,
Daniel, gave him the necessary communication skills for customer
services and dealing with difficult clients.
"Case mangers teach trainees how to know themselves
first," explained Daniel. "If you need to be
patient with difficult customers it always helps if you
know about your own strengths. We also teach YWETS trainees
how to co-operate with colleagues and relate to the boss
with good manners, but that's just the start."
"Daniel acts as a bridge between us and the trainees," said
Amy. "That makes for an immense improvement in communication,
especially if we are working under pressure."
"For jobs with customer services the ability to be pleasant
and polite, with the right sort of responsive attitude
is very important," commented June, Deputy HR Manager
at Hung Fook Tong. "Relevant work experience is not
so important at this stage. Smart, energetic staff who
are interested in the work they do are what we really need."
YEN has also sent YWETS trainees to work at the airport
and McDonald's. The majority of feedback has been very positive.
Employers can tell case managers at YEN about any problems
with the trainees and they can pass on the message in a constructive
way which builds confidence as well as ability.
"Naturally, we want to promote our corporate image," said
June. "This scheme lets us do that and demonstrate social
responsibility as well. But it does more than that. It helps
youngsters establish goals, become integrated and learn what
it means to be responsible citizens themselves."
For more information about YWETS contact YEN
tel 31137999
email chiwai@hkfyg.org.hk or
visit http://www.ywets.labour.gov.hk/eng/employer/employerMain.htm |
Federation
News |
Hong
Kong Young Ambassadors soon to be appointed
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The Appointment and Awards Ceremony will take
place on 11 August at the Hong Kong Convention & Exhibition
Centre. Ms. Au King-chi, Commissioner for Tourism and Dr. Eric
Li, Chairman of the Partnership Committee of the Federation
will be officiating guests. 230 Young Ambassadors will pledge
to promote Hong Kong's fine reputation as a holiday destination
and there will be awards for efforts made by last year's ambassadors.
Click here for details.
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Facelift
for u21 website |
The
website has a new, user-friendly look. You will find an interactive
platform packed with information and services, both our own
and links to other agencies. Go to www.u21.org.hk and
see. |
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Cathay
Pacific International Wilderness Experience 2006 |
This
year, 8 Hong Kong students aged 16-18 will join this annual
exchange programme from 22-30 August. They will join a special
environmental education course in South Africa and enjoy
the wonderful experience of widened horizons on this exciting
wilderness tour. |
Facts & Figures |
Drug
abuse: kid's stuff
The latest surveys of drug abuse in youngsters
show that 25% started taking drugs before they were 14 and
that the majority are left with abnormally low mental ability. The
survey done by the Hong Kong Council of Social Service*
involved 1123 respondents who had contacted
outreach social
workers for help but only 485 had given up
drugs as a result. |
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A
21-year-old had been on drugs since he was
just 9 years old and over 3% had started by the time they
were 12. There was a 15% increase in the under 21-year-olds.
Over half of those surveyed said they used drugs at Hong
Kong discos. Their most popular drugs are ketamine followed
by Ecstasy and cannabis (77.5%, 62.9% and 48.1% respectively.)
The survey on mental ability**
was done by the Hong Kong Playground Association over a period
of 3 years on approximately 350 teenagers who agreed to take
IQ tests and have CT scans to reveal brain damage. Over 80%
of them were classified as slow learners and the worst affected
showed signs of impaired cognitive functions and poor memory.
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Federation
Opinion Poll on how students spend their summer holidays
The Federation conducted an opinion poll
from 12-15 July among 511 students in Primary 5 to Form
7, asking them what they did during the summer holidays.
The survey showed that 51.7% of them look forward to summer
holidays and want a balance between rest and study. |
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When asked about things
they most want to do during the summer holidays, 23.3% chose
to play, 21.8% wanted to revise schoolwork and 18.3% wanted
to learn a skill. Only 12.8% hoped to read more books, take
exercise or travel. Over 70% had already enrolled for planned
to take a training programme, with ball games and water sports
being the two most popular. 33.8% said they need to take
extra lessons at school during the summer holidays and needed
to spend over 9 hours every week on this. 21.8% said they
would spend over 5 hours on average every week in tuition
outside school. Click here for the Chinese version of the
poll. http://www.hkfyg.org.hk/yrc/chinese/yr-p151c.html |
Service
Spotlight |
Employer Network
The network was formally established two
years ago to connect employers with potential youth employees.
Effective, active liaison with the business sector is its
core priority and job expos and training schemes are its
core functions. If you are interested in these fruitful,
cooperative partnerships contact Cheung Chi-wai, tel 3113
7999.
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