For many years I have been taking part in the Hong Kong Award for Young People (AYP). Recently, I fulfilled my preset goals and was named a recipient of the Gold Award.

 

During my participation, I came to realise that one must be willing to take the initiative, be thoughtful, and able to muster proper team spirit in order to achieve good results.

 

The AYP requires participants to meet various goals in the areas of Service, Skills, Expeditions, Physical Recreation, complete with a Residential Project for the Gold Level.

 

Since joining Silver Level, I had already been through quite a few challenges, and now that I have received the Gold Award Certificate, at the hands of the Honourable John Tsang Chun-wah, Acting Chief Executive of the HKSAR, I feel compelled to reflect on my engagement with AYP and also my personal track record of social engagement.

Back in high school, I had only a vague sense of direction in life. It was not until taking part in AYP that I gradually learnt to set goals for myself, and that I realised how careful planning and the forming of a committed, responsible team were indispensable to reaching desired outcomes.

At times when things did not pan out ideally, I learnt not to complain, but rather to do some soul-searching and ask myself if I had really given my best. It is also crucial, I believe, to look for inadequacies, seek redress for any faults identified, and take confidence in what I discover about myself.

Most memorably, I launched one of my challenges in taekwondo, my longtime passion and participated in my first open tournament, at which, to my surprise, I was the first runner-up. This was no doubt a perfect fulfilment of my original design.

In addition, I have devoted considerable time and effort to various community service programmes organised by the Tung Wah Group of Hospitals. Serving as an exhibition ambassador at the Hong Kong, Benevolent City: Tung Wah and the Growth of Chinese Communities brought me into direct contact with the underprivileged, and gave me deeper insights into local historical and cultural heritage.

The exhibition itself exposed me to different social classes in Hong Kong, widened my horizons, encouraged me to try to change society for the better, and acquainted me with new people such as the Group’s former Chairman Mr Billy Leung Ting-yu.

 
Dedicating myself for years to social services, I am glad to have had my efforts recognised by CityU with the City University Outstanding Service Award and the Department of Applied Social Studies Prize for Community Services. To me, these awards represent not an end but a bright beginning: the start of my further engagement with youth development.

I am a permanent member of the Gold Award Holders Association Hong Kong. I have also been appointed as a volunteer mentor of the Child Development Fund by the Social Welfare Department, and I am applying for a coaching course with the Hong Kong Taekwondo Association.

I am grateful to CityU and AYP for providing me with opportunities to contribute and shine. I am not going to stop now. I will continue to work tirelessly and take in my stride the many challenges lying ahead. I will soar high, and repay society which has generously supported me.