The EOC office was filled with enthusiasm and energy as soon as the new year began, as tertiary students selected to join the inaugural edition of the EOC Equal Opportunity Youth Ambassador Scheme came together for an orientation session on 7 January 2023.

Welcoming the Youth Ambassadors, EOC Chairperson Mr Ricky CHU Man-kin, IDS said that they will be exposed to a diverse range of experiences through visits, exchange and meetings in the coming few months. These first-hand experiences will deepen the Ambassadors’ understanding of equal opportunity issues, and empower them to take action for making Hong Kong an equal and inclusive city.
 
Also joining the gathering was Mr Gary WONG Chi-him, JP, Convenor of the EOC’s Community Participation and Publicity Committee, who said that the Youth Ambassador Scheme shared the same vision of the Government’s Youth Development Blueprint, that is, to nurture a new generation of young people with social responsibility, positive mindset, local understanding and global perspectives.

As well as getting to know each other, the Youth Ambassadors were given an introduction to the anti-discrimination ordinances and the work of the EOC during the session. They were also briefed on the experiential activities lined up for them, which range from sporting activities with athletes with disabilities to visit to a company which employs persons with disabilities and ethnic minorities and multicultural tours.

On 12 January, the Youth Ambassadors flexed their muscle and joined in a training session of the Fearless Dragon Running Team founded by the Hong Kong Network for the Promotion of Inclusive Society (HKNPIS). Also joining the session were EOC Chairperson Mr Ricky CHU Man-kin and Chief Executive of HKNPIS Mr Kim MOK Kim-wing, MH, while Ms Christy YIU Kit-ching, Chief Coach of the running team and award-winning long-distance runner, coached the Youth Ambassadors. The session was meant to provide an opportunity for the Youth Ambassadors to interact with persons with disabilities and understand their challenges in everyday life. 

The EOC launched the first-ever Equal Opportunity Youth Ambassador Scheme in October 2022, with the objective of cultivating the concepts of equality and inclusion among tertiary students and equipping them with the neccesary knowledge so that they can help promote the equal opportunity value to their peers and on campus. Full-time students from any tertiary education institutions in Hong Kong were invited to apply for joining the six-month programme, which featured a range of experiential activities. After careful review of the applications by the assessment panel comprising EOC Chairperson and Members, 36 students were selected as Youth Ambassadors in December 2022. 

Check out the EOC website and Instagram page EO Matters for more updates on the activities of the Youth Ambassadors.

• About the Equal Opportunity Youth Ambassador Scheme
• Read the press release on the orientation