YMCA 2023 August Perspective
23-08-2023
Cover Story
Mr. Carlos Sanvee, Secretary General of The World Alliance of YMCAs, witnesses the birth of our latest ESG Impact Report in Hong Kong
Chinese YMCA of Hong Kong (the Association) is part of the global YMCA movement, we strive to build close-knit partnerships with stakeholders and serve the society. It’s our honour to have Mr. Carlos Sanvee, Secretary General of The World Alliance of YMCAs (WAY), visiting the Chinese YMCA in Hong Kong in July. He was welcomed by the Association at the meetings and dinners, and shared experiences with our senior management. Mr. Sanvee had a great time getting to know about our vital services that make positive impacts on people in Hong Kong. We were excited to learn about his global experience and his inspiring sharing on how we can all work towards a more sustainable and equitable future, in line with the ESG principles and YMCA Vision 2030.
We are delighted to share with Mr. Sanvee about our latest good news - with our 2021-22 ESG Impact Report, CYMCA is once again the finalist of ESG Achievement Awards 2022/2023 awarded by the Institute of ESG & Benchmark. As part of the global Young Men's Christian Association movement, we will continue to expand our work for the benefits of the community by further promoting ESG and contributing to the YMCA Vision 2030.
Mr Sanvee visited our units and learnt about our services in Hong Kong. At the Chinese Y.M.C.A. Secondary School, he experienced AEROSTEM Education - a real-life pilot navigating through the clouds in the DA40 flight simulator. While visiting the Po Shek Wu Neighbourhood Elderly Centre, his warm smile brightened up the day of our elderly members. Tracing back our long stories in the historic building Bridges Street Centre, Mr. Sanvee was also delighted to see the hostel services and sheltered workshop we offer to the disabled today.
Mr. Sanvee also visited our newly established Brilliant Multicultural Centre where he learnt how the local Chinese and ethnic minority staff work together to promote multicultural integration, Kowloon Centre where he had a great time with our energetic Walking Football team, Kei Yau Integrated Medical Centre to experience acupuncture, and one of our three camp sites - Y's Men - YMCA Wong Yi Chau Youth Camp. Mr. Sanvee was amazed by the variety of our services and expressed appreciation and encouragement throughout the four days of visit.
Read our 2021-22 ESG Impact Report here: https://www.ymca.org.hk/zh-hant/content/esgreport
What’s New
Y-Care CSR Scheme & Sport-Friendly Action Award Presentation Celebrating Joint Efforts in Promoting Sustainable Development by Over 100 Corporations and Organisations
In an effort to build a better community, the Association has launched two impactful initiatives: the “Y-Care CSR Scheme” and “Sport-Friendly Action”. Both schemes have led to close-knit partnerships with over 100 corporations, and have also encouraged our partners to participate in a number of corporate social responsibility (CSR) services and activities. Moreover, these initiatives have promoted environmental, social, and governance (ESG) practices, encouraging our partners to adopt social responsibility for the physical and mental well-being of their employees.
This year, the Y-Care CSR Scheme and Sport-Friendly Action Award Presentation, held under the theme of “Partnership for Fostering Sustainable Development”, acknowledged outstanding partners and promoted long-term cooperation between the Association and its business partners. The presentation took place on 10 August at The Cityview hotel, where over 90 companies and organisations were awarded. We were honoured to have Dr Bernard Chan Pak-li, JP, Under Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development, to deliver an inspirational speech and officiate the ceremony alongside Dr Arnold Cheng Cheuk-sang, President of the Association, and Mr Karl Lau Chun-chuen, General Secretary of the Association.
As part of our efforts to promote collaboration and sustainable development, the Association also arranged a panel discussion featuring esteemed representatives from our long-standing Y-Care corporate partners, including Ir Gordon Choi, Associate Director of MEP, Arup East Asia, and Mr Andy Chung, Regional Representative Asia, ESG Matters Limited, and Ms Jessica Shiu Yuen-ling, Strategy & Development Manager / Executive Secretary of the Association. Together, they discussed the possibilities of how stakeholders could collaborate across sectors to balance economic and social benefits, create shared values, and enhance societal and environmental impacts. This insightful discussion further advances sustainable development and offers inspiration for initiatives combining CSR with sustainable elements.
We would like to extend our appreciation to the awarded corporates and organisations for their dedication and enthusiastic participation in charitable projects over the past year, which have exemplified the principles of ESG. We look forward to further collaboration over the coming years, and working together to address societal needs from ESG perspectives to promote Hong Kong’s sustainable development.
For more details, please refer to the full press release and list of winners.
Featured Programme
Digital Entertainment Leadership Forum 2023
The disruptive potential of Web 3.0 is revolutionizing entertainment and interactive experiences. Looking ahead, we must learn how to embrace the full potential of Web 3.0, AI, and data to empower new digi-tainment experiences across gaming, sports & esports, music, arts & culture, education and lifestyle.
Organised by Cyberport and supported by the Association, DELF 2023 is set to return on 25–27 August under the theme of “Power Up! When Entertainment Goes Beyond 3oundaries”! In addition to thought provoking industry insights, we will be offering a captivating carnival experience that brings together virtuality and reality to create something that is more engaging, immersive, and personalized than ever before.
We invite you to take advantage of the Early Bird free discount on the Virtual Pass, which are now available. Register now: https://delf.cyberport.hk/tc/index
Mid-Autumn Festival Parent-Child Fun Day
Mid-Autumn Festival is just around the corner, so it’s time to gather your loved ones in preparation for this joyful occasion! We are also excited to announce that our New Territories Centre is hosting a Parent-Child Fun Day on 24 September. This family-focused event will include fun-filled games, orienteering, and even a DIY lantern workshop. We aim to provide an intimate environment for parents and children to enjoy a festive atmosphere that offers emotional connection and interactive experiences. We encourage you to reserve your spot now as space is limited!
Date: September 24, 2023 (Sunday)
Time: 2:30-4:30pm
Participants: Children aged 5–9 and their parents
Capacity: 10 parent-child pairs
Location: New Territories Centre
Fee: $40 per person (both children and parent must register; include refreshments and materials)
Remarks: Participants are highly encouraged to wear comfortable sportswear
Activity Code: 4902-23D022
Register now: https://portal.ymca.org.hk/?#/ (until full)
Inquiries: 2420 0266 (Miss Ki or Miss Mani)
Programme Highlight
Inspire2gether: International Youth Conference 2023 Assembles over 100 Youths to Explore Community Wellbeing in the Post-pandemic Era
In celebration of its 20th anniversary milestone, the University & College YMCA Department held its “University & College YMCA International Youth Conference 2023 – Inspire2gether: Community Wellbeing in Post-pandemic Era” from 21–24 July, 2023. Local and foreign experts were invited to give thematic talks to inspire over 100 youths worldwide to explore post-pandemic societal needs and create solutions for social good. The conference concluded with a memorable closing ceremony on 24 July at The Cityview hotel. The guests of honour included Mr Alex Fan, MH, the non-official member of the Youth Development Commission, along with Mr Răzvan-Victor Sassu, the Head of Policy & Strategy of the World Alliance of YMCAs. They officiated the ceremony together with Dr Arnold Cheng, President of Chinese YMCA of Hong Kong, The Rt Rev Dr Thomas Soo, JP, the Director of Chinese YMCA of Hong Kong, Dr Eddie Ho, the Chairman of University & College YMCA Committee, and Mr Karl Lau, the General Secretary of Chinese YMCA of Hong Kong.
Under the theme of “Inspire2gether: Community Wellbeing in the Post-Pandemic Era”, the Conference brought together over 100 of youth representatives from Singapore, the Philippines, South Korea, Malaysia, mainland China, Taiwan, and Hong Kong. Innovative and practical solutions were discussed at the conference to address societal needs since the pandemic. The conference also invited famous international and local scholars to deliver themed lectures. Some of the esteemed speakers included Mr. Răzvan-Victor Sassu, Head of Policy & Strategy of the World Alliance of YMCAs, Professor Paul Yip, MH, Director of the Hong Kong Jockey Club Centre for Suicide Research and Prevention from the University of Hong Kong, and Professor Joyce Ma, JP, Emeritus Professor from the Department of Social Work of the Chinese University of Hong Kong. Delegates were divided into eight groups to explore various pandemic-related challenges, such as youth mental health, homelessness, low-income families, and the elderly. They were also provided with opportunities to visit different communities and engage in dialogue with local organisations and some of their service recipients to gain a deeper understanding of their immediate needs. The delegates also attended two design thinking workshops and learned how to apply a “Human-Centric” approach to analyse social issues, considering the perspective of the service recipients, identifying pain-points, and using creative thinking to design solutions and service models, and finally, presented their observations and solutions at the closing ceremony.
For more details, please read the full press release.
PAIN Kick Zone
As city dwellers who often work overtime and frequently perform repetitive motions, we are more susceptible to joint pain or sports injuries that can affect our quality of life. The Association’s Health Care Professions Department is launching a regular monthly column and publishing short articles about self-care. Topics covered will include arthritis, joint pain and self-healing. For more detailed health-related information, please visit our website www.ymca.org.hk/hcp or call 2783 3616 for inquiries.
Good Bye Forearm tightness
Neck pain and shoulder pain are common among the office workers. Besides, wrist stiffness is also common if the officer worker uses a mouse/keyboard which is not ergonomically designed. Maintaining the wrist in an over-extended position for a long period of time will make the forearm muscles become tight and may also lead to pain.
Here is a stretching exercise for the forearm muscles. It can be performed in standing/sitting position.
- Relax the shoulder (Do not shrug)
- Extend the right elbow, palm face towards body
- Left hand pull the dorsal side of right hand towards the body until you feel some stretching among the forearm muscles, hold at this position for 30 seconds.
- Alternate right and left hands and repeat the above steps.
Office worker is recommended to stretch as above every hour. Also, they should not maintain the same posture for a long period of time in order to prevent joint injury.
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