YMCA 2024 February Perspective

23-02-2024

Cover Story

Charity Sports Programme – YM Buzzer

Generously supported by the Tencent Charity Foundation and Gaw Capital People’s Place, the Chinese YMCA of Hong Kong is pleased to present our "YM Buzzer", which is part of this Charity Sports Programme. This year, we have an exciting program that encompasses basketball, volleyball, street workout, physical fitness, dodgeball, mountaineering, K-pop dancing, yoga and Pilates, etc. We are looking forward to bringing learning and exercising opportunities to youth and grassroots women, aiming to promote their mental health and social interaction through sports, while developing talents and interests.

The Charity Sports Programme was officially launched at the opening ceremony on 28 January. To give the public a taste of these new sports, the YMCA has set up a booth at Kai Yip Recreation Centre filled with local characteristics. Mr. Chris Sun, JP, Secretary for Labour and Welfare, officiated the launching ceremony and participated in dodgeball alongside our General Secretary, Mr. Karl Lau, showing his support for the sports initiative.

Following the launch ceremony, there was a sharing session where our youth representative, Ms. Kelly Tse, shared her experience of more than 10 years of basketball training with YMCA. She is now a member of the Hong Kong U16 basketball team. Mr. Marco Mui, an athlete from the Hong Kong hurdling team, shared his experience of competing abroad. Marco encouraged young people to be courageous and not give up in the face of difficulties.

The YMCA "YM Buzzer" is now live! We are excited to offer a wide range of sports to a diverse audience that extends from teenagers, children, young night drifters, and grassroots women to enhance their mental wellbeing and social opportunities through sports. Below are the details of each event. For any inquiries, please contact us.

For details, please visit the event website: https://www.ymca.org.hk/zh-hant/YMBuzzer

What's News

Lenten Prayer & Devotion Handbook

The first day of Lent in this year falls on 14 February. We are pleased to present our book Lenten Prayer & Devotion Handbook in the hope of helping every single reader’s walk with the Lord. This work includes 40 prayers written by our Voluntary Chaplain Rev. Paul Li Kam-ting and also articles on body-mind-spirit wholeness contributed by the Christian Work Committee members, our colleagues in respective departments and service units, and the former student committee member from University YMCA (Hong Kong Baptist University). We wish that our readers will find strength in this book to serving others. Members are welcomed to pick up the printed copies from our service units or browse the electronic version via this link: https://bit.ly/49cUMIN

Please contact Ms. Wong of the Christian Work Department at 2783 3431 if you have any enquiries.

Accolades won by Chinese YMCA Primary School

Chinese YMCA Primary School has been awarded a number of teaching awards lately, such as the "Outstanding e-Learning Awards (2022/23)" from the University of Hong Kong’s e-Learning Development Laboratory. Teacher Ms. Lo Yi-ying was awarded the Gold Award of Chinese Language Education, and Senior Teacher Mr. Kwok Yin-pui was awarded the Emerging Technology Award of General e-Learning application.

Additionally, Teacher Ms. Ng Tsz-yan was awarded the Outstanding Teacher in the 18^th Outstanding Teacher Election Awards 2023 by the Hong Kong Federation of Education Workers.

Featured Programme

Worship Service of 2024 World Day of Prayer

Organised by the Hong Kong Christian Council, the annual "Worship Service of World Day of Prayer" will convene at 3pm on 2 March at the Methodist International Church (271 Queen's Road East, Wan Chai). This year's theme is "I Beg You… Bear with One Another Love”. Our prayers will be especially dedicated to the needs of women in Palestine. We are honoured to have Rev. Phyllis Wong Mei-fung, Minister-in-Charge of the Kowloon Union Church, to join us on the day of worship. There will be a women’s choir hymn and prayer session. All members are welcomed in God's grace.

Programme Highlights

Expanding students' perspectives - Overseas exchange tours jointly-organised with the HKBU

In cooperation with the Hong Kong Baptist University’s Leadership Qualities Centre, the YMCA’s International and Mainland Affairs Section organised the Mexico Cultural and Economic Study Tour from 26 December 2023 to 6 January 2024. 20 HKBU students had the honour to visit the Embassy of the People's Republic of China in Mexico. The students had the honour to be received by the Minister-Counsellor Ms. Wang Hui-jun for an introduction about the Embassy’s work in serving overseas Chinese. Through a visit to the Confucius Institute, the study group got to know how Chinese culture was promoted in Mexico. The group had also dropped by the YMCA University to make traditional Chinese craft and learn basic Spanish with local youths. Not only had this exchange tour enhanced students’ understanding of Mexico and expanded their international horizons, it had also given them first-hand experience of the global influence of Chinese culture.

A Taipei Cultural Exchange Tour in the theme of social innovation was also co-organised with HKBU, which allowed 18 HKBU students to visit local social enterprises and the Taipei YMCA service centre. Students got to learn about new issues from perspectives that range from cultural conservation, diversity and inclusivity, traditional crafts, to sustainable development, etc. The group also met with local youth to discuss common social issues, exchanging their views on youth employment and sustainable development for the environment. To inspire innovative solutions, established modes of thinking have to be broken to unleash creativity and allow continuous social progress.

Invitation to attend the Education Bureau's seminar

Invited by the Education Bureau, the YMCA took part in a seminar about the coming of age in the internet era on 19 January. YMCA Coordinating Secretary Ms. Phoebe See Man-yan and Service Development Officer Mr. Isaac Yeung Chi-hin joined as keynote speakers. Together with 120 attendees that range from principals, teachers and education staff from primary and secondary schools, they shared their views on students’ internet usage and mental health". Our speakers expanded on the relationship between the causes of Internet addiction and growth needs from the perspective of professional social workers, which was supported by the data from our survey about "Sharenting" and Protecting Children's Digital Privacy.

Toy collection and donation for children in need at the Cityview

Toy collection and donation initiative "Re-gifting with Love" took place at The Cityview from 1 December 2023 to 1 January 2024. Collection boxes were placed at the hotel lobby and the public were encouraged to donate new or unopened toys and stationery to children in need. It was a wonderful occasion to send season’s greetings to children in need while reducing waste. The Cityview is pleased to have collected around 130 toys or stationery items, which were distributed for charity through Christian Action.

ESG Focus

Ever since 2019, the Association has been actively aligned with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals, embracing and implementing sound environmental, social, and governance (ESG) principles. Since 2022, we have also been following “YMCA Vision 2030” to promote sustainability in Hong Kong. In addition to publishing our annual ESG Impact Report, we aim to integrate ESG principles into all aspects of our operations. We will continue to share significant updates regularly with our members in this column.

Home of Love - Yung Shing Hostel Chinese Lion Dance Team

It has been 20 years since the founding of the Chinese Lion Dance Team by the Home of Love - Yung Shing Sheltered Workshop and Hostel in 2003. We hope that lion dance (including training, practice, rehearsal, performance and competition) will develop the physical and mental wellbeing of our service users, as well as serve as a chance to attain achievement through hard work, which will enhance our service users’ self-esteem and confidence.

The Chinese Lion Dance Team has featured in numerous performance venues and carnivals. The team members' self-assured, dynamic and confident performances have changed the minds of the community when it comes to people with intellectual disabilities.

In 2020, the dance team received funding from the Social Welfare Department, which allowed the team to hire a professional lion dance coach. The dance coach has successfully helped the team to level up and learn additional lion dance moves. This allowed the team to travel to rehabilitation and elderly centres to perform, bringing the community together while sharing joy and warmth.

Once the funding ended, it is a shame that the dance team had to halt professional training and performances due to costs (e.g. transport expenses). At the moment, the Home of Love staff continues to practise previous routines with the team. The YMCA is actively seeking corporate or charitable sponsorships that will support our team members on their paths to developing vocational skills through lion dance. After costs, we hope that performance requests for the dance team will translate to income that can be distributed to team members as training subsidies, so that members can feel better fulfilled and valued.

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.

De Quervain's disease

De Quervain's disease, also known as De Quervain's syndrome, or Mommy’s thumb, is a condition that affects the tendons on the thumb side of the wrist. It causes pain, making it difficult to move the thumb and wrist properly. Although this condition is often referred to as mommy’s thumb, its high-risk group is not limited to women. Everyone who performs repetitive thumb and wrist motions, or overuse those tendons may suffer from the condition.

Symptoms of De Quervain's disease typically include pain and tenderness at the base of the thumb, swelling, difficulty with thumb and wrist movements and weakness in the affected hand. Symptoms may worsen with activities that involve thumb and wrist movements, such as lifting heavy objects, twisting towels, and cutting vegetables with a knife etc.

Stretching and strengthening exercises can be beneficial in managing the symptoms of De Quervain's disease.

Stretching

Each movement should be maintained for approximately 10 seconds and repeated 10 times.

1. Bend the thumb towards the palm