YMCA 2024 May Perspective
27-05-2024
Cover Story
YM Buzzer Hong Kong Youth 3-on-3 Basketball Tournament 2024 successfully held
Presented by Chinese YMCA of Hong Kong (“YMCA”), the YM Buzzer Hong Kong Youth 3-on-3 Basketball Tournament 2024 Finals and Community Carnival came to a successful end on 1 May. As the largest non-academic youth 3-on-3 basketball tournament in Hong Kong, the event was followed by a sports carnival for the public to experience a series of exciting new sports for free, such as mölkky, roundnet and street workout, attracting over 1,500 participants throughout the day.
During the event, Ms. Starry Lee, GBS, JP, Member of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPCSC) and Legislative Council; Mr. Karl Lau, YMCA's General Secretary; Mr. Alvin Lo, Managing Director of Asset Management of Gaw Capital; Mr. James Li, Vice President of Public Affairs, Tencent and Chief Executive of Tencent Foundation; Dr. Hon Chow, Member of Legislative Council; Ms. Doreen Kong, Member of Legislative Council; and Mr. Taddy Leung, District Social Welfare Officer of Kwun Tong District, officiated at the ceremony together with the two YM Buzzer Sports Ambassadors, and interacted with the special guests and the young players on the court to enjoy the excitement of the 3-on-3 basketball game. The winning teams were later presented with awards as an encouragement for them to keep pursuing their athletic dreams.
The event invited Hong Kong's first professional female basketball player Ms. Li Tsz Kwan and Hong Kong basketball player Mr. Leung Shiu Wah to be the YM Buzzer Sports Ambassadors. During the event, the two ambassadors played basketball with the children and taught them professional shooting skills and sports knowledge. They also shared their experiences of developing sports habits since childhood and the pursuit of their basketball dreams to pass on the spirit of local sports.
To further promote the development of community sports and encourage the public to participate in different kinds of sports, Tencent Charity Foundation and Gaw Capital People's Place are in full support of the “全民騰飛” charity sports programme, and have joined hands with YMCA to organise various sports activities in 2024, connecting grassroots families and cultivating regular exercise habits through sports for all.
As one of the beneficiaries of the “全民騰飛” charity sports programme, YM Buzzer was officially launched in January this year to help young people, grassroots women and outreach youths build up their self-confidence, improve physical and mental health, and provide them with more opportunities for development through sports training, including basketball, volleyball, street workout, physical fitness, dodgeball, mountain art, K-pop dancing, yoga and mat Pilates. The programme also seeks to foster a positive social circle of young people and establish a support network in the community to achieve sports empowerment in life. The programme is expected to serve more than 5,000 young people and women this year.
What's News
YouTube Channel "37.3°C"
YMCA's brand new YouTube channel “37.3°C” features interviews and stories to introduce our activities and interviewees to wider audience through insightful, heart-warming, or topical videos to inspire greater interest and spread positive energy in the community. The channel name “37.3°C” refers to a temperature slightly higher than the normal human body temperature, echoing the passionate and heartfelt stories to be told beyond the ordinary. In the first episode, two single mothers from our social enterprise YM Fleur shared their stories of how they saved flowers and their own lives through recycling.
Feel free to support and subscribe to the channel at https://www.youtube.com/@37.3C。
YMCA granted with the “ESG Pledge” Logo
We have incorporated ESG concepts into our daily operations, including energy management policies in response to climate change, enhanced Health Care Professions services to cope with demographic changes and population ageing, and the adoption of stringent and transparent governance to safeguard the interests of different stakeholders. This year, we were awarded the "ESG Pledge" Logo by the Chinese Manufacturers' Association of Hong Kong in recognition of our commitment to pioneering and taking concrete actions in the areas of environmental protection, social responsibility and corporate governance. We will continue our efforts in promoting sustainable development at different levels.
The Cityview receives Travelers' Choice Award 2024
The Cityview has been awarded the Travelers' Choice Awards 2024 by Tripadvisor, the world's largest travel platform, for its outstanding ratings in both facilities and services over the past year, and for its ranking in the top 10% of all hotels and accommodations on Tripadvisor, recognising the hotel's dedication to excellence in dining and travel services. Since 2002, Tripadvisor, has honoured the best hotels or accommodations in a number of categories and regions with Travelers' Choice Award based on honest reviews and opinions of millions of travellers from all over the world. The Cityview will further extend its commitment to hospitality excellence as a token of appreciation for the support of its guests.
The Harbourview awarded “Caring Company” Logo
The Harbourview was awarded the “Caring Company” Logo by The Hong Kong Council of Social Service for the first time in recognition of its efforts in caring for the community, employees and the environment in 2023. The hotel will further pursue its social responsibility in building an inclusive society.
Latest Member Privileges
Welcome to our latest member privileges! Starting from today, members can enjoy a 15% discount on food and beverages at all PizzaExpress restaurants for A-la-carte orders or takeaway by presenting your membership card before payment. The offer is valid until 31 December 2024.
With our comprehensive range of member privileges covering accommodation, dining, leisure and healthcare, you are welcome to invite friends and family members to join our membership and enjoy a full range of privileges and services.
Privileges in brief:https://www.ymca.org.hk/zh-hant/member-privileges
Featured Programme
"Kidstopia Obstacle Challenge" Charity Family Fun Day
Come and join us for a special family adventure in this hot summer! Members and their children are cordially invited to join the special "Kidstopia Obstacle Challenge" Charity Family Fun Day, the grand finale of the 20th Anniversary Celebration of University and College YMCA. The event is designed to strengthen children's muscles through playground-themed obstacle courses and encourage them to face up to challenges. The proceeds from the entry fee of the event will be used to support the work of our University and College YMCA's overseas Playground Builder projects, bringing greater significance to parent-child participation and fostering a sense of caring for others in children from a young age, so as to improve the physical and mental wellbeing of children in the developing world.
Date: 1 July 2024 (Public holiday)
Session: 10:00-12:30 / 14:30-17:00
Venue: Wu Kwai Sha Youth Village
Target audience: Children aged 4-12 and their parents
Registration deadline: 16 June 2024 (Early bird discount for registration on or before 7 June)
Event features:
- 10 obstacle courses in the playground: large-scale inflatable obstacles, turf nets, dragon boats trolly and maze
- Handicraft playground: therapeutic playground facilities such as roller slide, single plank bridge and balance beam
- Carnival: Parent-child game booths
- Exquisite player kit: Parent-child T-shirts, drawstring backpacks, commemorative medals and e-certificates
Entry fee: Members who register on or before 7 June can enjoy an early bird discount of $380/group (including one child and one parent, with regular price of $500/group). Non-members are welcome to join the membership now and enjoy the early bird discount
Entry fee for additional companions: $50/person (maximum 3 people)
For details and registration: http://www.uniycy20.ymca.org.hk/kidstopia24
For enquiries: [email protected]/2705 2231
Programme Highlights
YMCA joins the HKCSS S+ Expo
YMCA participated in the "S+ Summit cum Expo 2024" organised by The Hong Kong Council of Social Service (HKCSS) at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre on 3 May 2024, where we set up a booth to introduce our integrated Chinese and Western Medicine and Health Care Professions services, and volunteer projects on mental health and ESG. Designed in an immersive setting, the booth created virtual experience for visitors to discover our "Health Care Professions Clinic" and "Caring Café" to raise their awareness of physical, mental and spiritual wellness. We were pleased to share our views on the development of social services with representatives from different corporations at the event, with an eye to collaborating with new corporate partners in developing services that can effectively respond to the needs of the community.
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"We Time Relaxation Zone" Programme
From February to March 2024, our Sha Tin Youth Outreaching Social Work Team and the Kwai Tsing & Tsuen Wan Youth Outreaching Social Work Team jointly organised the "We Time Relaxation Zone" programme, which provided social worker support for cases with mental health needs, and intervened in accordance with the needs and interests of the cases by engaging them in relaxing or emotionally-relieving activities, such as handicrafts, bakery, aromatherapy, candle making and outing. A total of 23 outreach youths participated in 39 programmes. According to the profile of mood states assessed by the social workers, 36% of the cases were found to be moderately depressed, 41% were severely anxious and 29% were severely stressed, which showed that young people were in great need of attention in their emotional and mental health. Participants shared that the programme helped them reduce depression, anxiety and stress, and they enjoyed the programme in the company of the social workers. In addition, our social workers found the programme helpful in mapping out their intervention direction and focusing more on the mental health of young people in the future.
South Korea Environmental Exploration Tour
Organised by the Chinese YMCA Environmental Working Group, the "South Korea Environmental Exploration Tour" was successfully held from 28 March to 2 April 2024, attracting 16 young people to participate in the tour. Under the programme, the participants were able to gain knowledge on different aspects of environmental protection and learn about the environmental conservation facilities and policies in both places through overseas study tours and youth exchanges, with a view to strengthening a green lifestyle among the participants.
Prior to the overseas exchange, the participants were split into three groups to explore three themes related to environmental protection and green living in Hong Kong, including "Waste Management", "Green Building" and "Cultural Conservation". During the six-day and five-night programme, the participants were introduced to the application of new technologies in waste treatment and energy-efficient housing in Seoul, and visited various heritage conservation sites to learn more about the cultural heritage and development of the local community. In drawing comparisons between the two places, participants were inspired to reflect on and commit themselves to environmental protection.
Thanks to Seoul YMCA's meticulous arrangement, the participants were rewarded with an unforgettable overseas exchange experience, which instilled in them the initiative to practise green living in Hong Kong.
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.
Is Hydrotherapy a Spa?
What is the best way to relieve pain without suffering from joint pain while doing land sports? Hydrotherapy is the answer. Hydrotherapy is therapeutic by utilising the properties of water to perform exercise in water. Hydrostatic pressure induces squeezing effect to body parts immersed in water, which can promote circulation to help reduce swelling, while buoyancy of water deceases weight-bearing to joints and relieves joint pressure, improving the movement quality of the body and reduce pain. When moving in water, resistance increases along with speed, muscles can therefore be strengthened by a slight increase in moving speed.
Hydrotherapy usually used buoyant equipment like pool noodles and swimming bells to treat many conditions, including knee osteoarthritis and low back pain. It can also significantly improve spinal and knee mobility, which can help reduce pain. The water temperature of hydrotherapy pool is 30-32°C, which enhances the metabolism of the body and relieve relax muscles spasms.
Research study revealed that performing hydrotherapy twice or more per week for 6 months is effective in improving low back pain. Hydrotherapy exercises for low back pain include trunk flexion extension, sideway bending and rotational movements. These movements are synchronised with breathing and sometimes with music to facilitate optimal relaxation of the body.
Discovering YMCA Channel
#YM Past Event | Cycling for Love 2024
＊Some of the activities were subsidised by the Social Welfare Department
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