YMCA 2023 September Perspective
22-09-2023
Cover Story
Presented by Dah Sing Bank and Chinese YMCA of Hong Kong
The “YMCA Metaverse ArtTech Creation Programme”
Concludes with Great Success
Exhibition cum Graduation Ceremony to celebrate arts and
technology through STEAM education
The rapid development of new technologies not only facilitates our daily lives, but also opened up the possibilities of arts creation. Recognising the increasing importance of STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics) education, Chinese YMCA of Hong Kong ("YMCA") has collaborated with Dah Sing Bank, Limited ("Dah Sing Bank") for six consecutive years to sponsor STEAM education activities. The "YMCA Metaverse ArtTech Creation Programme" is a joint collaboration with YMCA College Of Careers to fully subsidise about 80 local primary and secondary school students with a series of activities in exploring the Metaverse and NFT (non-homogenized tokens) and designing NFT artworks using a combination of arts and technology through STEAM education. The programme spanned over five months. Following the first two phases of in-class training and field trips, students' creations were exhibited at YMCA College Of Careers from 18 to 20 August 2023, with a graduation ceremony held on 19 August at the exhibition venue to showcase and demonstrate students' learning outcomes.
The ArtTech Exhibition of “YMCA Metaverse ArtTech Creation Programme” displays the NFT works of the students in public to showcase their learning outcomes.
Dah Sing Bank's Deputy Chief Executive Officer, Senior Executive Director and Head of Retail Banking, Ms. Phoebe Wong Mei-chun (right), and our General Secretary, Mr. Karl Lau Chun-chuen (left), officiate as prize presenters at the graduation ceremony on 19 August, and motivate the students to equip themselves in preparation for the growing trend of arts and technology.
The programme not only enhanced the students' understanding of the Metaverse, but also offered them the opportunity to apply their knowledge and create unique artworks. 16 students' artworks were recognised as outstanding works, including "Every day in the Future" by Leung Chi-yin. "Through this programme, I have developed my interest in future technology and gained a deeper understanding of AI and the Metaverse, which in turn has inspired me to visualise the world of the future. I am amazed by how my work can be transformed from a graphic image to an animation, and I am grateful for the guidance given by the instructors", she shared.
Another awardee Chan Chun-to commented that after his participation in the programme, he realised that the technologies derived from the Metaverse are very diversified. He felt the need to stay ahead and learn about the new technologies, as the world is moving towards a hybrid of reality and virtual reality in the future. He particularly mentioned Arte M museum he visited, where he gained great creative inspirations and realised that the Metaverse can be both wildly imaginative and closely related to daily life.
Awardees Leung Chi-yin (left) and Chan Chun-to (right).
Dah Sing Bank's representative, Ms. Phoebe Wong Mei-chun (third from left, top row), presents learning vouchers to the outstanding students as an appreciation of the value of their continuing education.
The “YMCA Metaverse ArtTech Creation Programme” consisted of four phases: 15 hours of in-class training, field trips, exhibition cum graduation ceremony, and an award programme for outstanding students. In the first phase, about 80 students underwent a five-week NFT design training, mastering the concept of the Metaverse and Art Tech creation skills in 15 hours of classroom sessions. In the second phase, Dah Sing Bank’s volunteers and YMCA instructors guided the students on a visit to K11 x Arte M, an immersive digital art museum, to explore the virtual reality empowered by arts and technology and inspire their learning process and design creativity, assisting them in producing their original NFT creations. In the third phase, the outstanding works of the students were exhibited in a three-day exhibition, and top 16 outstanding students received study vouchers as a reward for the fourth phase at the graduation ceremony, encouraging them to take other STEAM courses at YMCA College Of Careers for further study and self-enhancement.
please see our press release.
Highlights of Graduation Ceremony
What's New
99 Giving Day - Heart to Heart, Together for Good
Tencent Foundation joined hands with Heart to Heart Joint Action to organise the 99 Giving Day in Hong Kong themed "Heart to Heart, Together for Good". YMCA participated in the kick-off ceremony on 31 August at the Kai Yip Recreation Centre in Kowloon Bay, where various social welfare organisations jointly hosted a charity fair carnival. YMCA's Health Care Professions booth was equipped with response lamps, smart projectors and electronic dumbbells that allowed participants to perform hand-eye coordination training, upper limb muscle strength and sensory stimulation to effectively prevent cognitive decline. In addition, sensory coordination games were also available to train children's small hand muscle control and improve the hand function development, providing guests and residents with the opportunity to experience elderly physical fitness technology together.
“20＋”OnlineFundraising
To celebrate the 20th anniversary of University and College YMCA this year, University and College YMCA Department under YMCA organised the "20+" online fundraising campaign to raise funds for over 20 local and overseas social services. Donors who meet the designated donation amount will be rewarded with souvenirs, including golden flag stickers designed by local illustrator ©️Bulbble Inc. and an eco-friendly totebag.
From now until February 2024, donors donating HK$120 or above are eligible to join the “University and College YMCA 20th Anniversary Quiz” and win prizes valued at nearly HK$4,000 including Dyson Supersonic hair dryer, Nintendo Switch game console, the Cityview/ the Harbourview buffet coupons, or supermarket cash coupons, simply by answering a simple question!
For more information, see the University and College YMCA 20th Anniversary website: https://www.uniycy20.ymca.org.hk/fundraising
Featured Programme
"Two-day and One-night Journey from Mother Nature to Self-Care“
Organised by the Counselling Unit and co-organised by the Wong Yi Chau Youth Camp, the "Two-day and One-night Journey from Mother Nature to Self-Care" is a camp experience that combines acceptance and commitment therapy, humanistic performing arts therapy, and gardening led by professional instructors at the camp. Come and join now for limited spaces!
Date: 4 - 5 November (Sat & Sun)
Registration time: 2:00 p.m. on 4 November
Dismissal time: 2:00 p.m. on 5 November
Venue: Y's Men - YMCA Wong Yi Chau Youth Camp
Gathering point: New Public Pier No.8, Sai Kung
Host: Esther Yip (Counsellor / Head of Service Centre)
Fung Yin Fung (MA Social Worker / Horticulture Instructor)
Fee: $1500 (registration on or before 25 September)
$1700 (regular price)
(Accommodation, meals, programme materials and boat fare are included in the fee)
Enquiries: 2332 4899
「無塑生活"Plastic-Free Life"Whatsapp Sticker Design Competition
The theme of “Plastic-Free Hong Kong 2023” is “Plastic-Free Life”. The WhatsApp Stickers Design Competition aims to spread the message of plastic-free living through the creation and imagination of participants.
Deadline of submission: November 11, 2023 (Saturday) at 6:00 p.m.
Please scan the QR code below to learn more about the competition
Mooncake Boxes Recycling Campaign 2023
The Mid-Autumn Festival is coming soon. Wishing you and your family a happy and healthy Mid-Autumn Festival!
While celebrating the Festival, hoping that everyone will not forget about environmental protection and waste reduction, and do our best for sustainable development. After enjoying the delicious mooncakes, let’s recycle the mooncake boxes and making the best use of them. As we will continue to support the Mooncake Boxes Recycling Campaign this year, we will pass the used mooncake boxes to environmental protection organisations for recycling after the collection period. Members are welcome to support together.
Programme Highlight
Foundation of Youth Self-Realisation Scheme supports
the organisation of balloon art exhibition.
With a view to helping aspiring young people realise their dreams, YMCA has established the Foundation of Youth Self-Realisation Scheme to provide financial support for young people aged 35 or below in organising valuable activities that can develop their unique potentials and fulfil their aspirations. This year, the Foundation of Youth Self-Realisation Scheme supported Raymond, a young balloonist, to organise a large-scale balloon art exhibition in collaboration with YM Balloon from 29 July to 30 July in Tsuen Wan to promote the art of ballooning by bringing together local balloonists. The exhibition featured 50 full-time and amateur balloonists, who came to set up various balloon artworks, including medium-sized decorations, balloon pillars and balloon dresses. The atmosphere of exhibition was great and attracted about 3,000 visitors, who also voted for their favourite balloon artwork on the spot. To popularise the art of ballooning, the exhibition also provided free parent-child workshops for nearly 40 families, where professional balloonists guided children and their parents to twist and turn balloons into adorable designs of Pikachu, bears and rabbits, spending an enjoyable time together.
The aim of the Foundation of Youth Self-Realisation Scheme under YMCA is to help young people aged 35 or below with unique potentials and aspirations to realise their dreams by providing financial support in organising of meaningful activities, so that they can give full play to their strengths and realise their aspirations.
The third phase of the Foundation of Youth Self-Realisation Scheme will close on 15 November. For those who wish to realise their dreams, visit the website of the scheme to find out more.
Foundation of Youth Self-Realisation Scheme: https://www.ymca.org.hk/zh-hant/YouthFoundation
治療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 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.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
Carpal tunnel syndrome refers to symptoms initiated by the compression on the median nerve at the wrist. The median nerve passes through the "carpal tunnel" surrounded by carpal bones and ligaments. When the wrist tendons in the carpal tunnel becomes inflamed and swollen, the tunnel will be narrowed. As a result, compression on the median nerve will trigger numbness and pain in the palm (especially the thumb, index finger, middle finger, and half of the ring finger).
Carpal tunnel syndrome is mostly caused by repetitive strains, so daily care can help reduce stress to tendon, relieve symptoms, and minimise the chance of recurrence. For example, you may do some stretching exercises for wrist and hand daily.
Wrist stretching exercise:
1. Put your palms together in front of your face
2. Keep the palms close and pull the wrists down, until you feel a stretch at your forearm muscles
3. Keep up the posture with stretchy feeling for 10 seconds, repeat 10 times, 3 sets a day
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Mr. Carlos Sanvee, Secretary General of The World Alliance of YMCAs visits Hong Kong
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