LOCAL CHILD RIGHTS PROJECTS

© UNICEF/youthoutreach

2014－ YOUTH OUTREACH ‘UNI-SKATE’

© UNICEF/2014-uniskate

 

© UNICEF/2014-uniskate-2

 

Issues to be addressed:

1. Youth involved in triad culture are increasingly become younger
2. Growing problem of hidden drug abuse. According to The 2011/12 Survey of Drug Use among Students by Narcotics Division of the Security Bureau, 17,500 out of 156,000 interviewed students have once taken drugs.

Project focus:

Realising children’s rights and Work for children suffering from drug abuse

Objectives:

1. Provide skateboard training to high-risk youth to keep them away from triad culture, i.e. smoking, drug abuse, crime, etc.
2. Create their satisfaction via skateboard and build up their drives to learning and working
3. Engage those who used to be triad members or drug abusers to be trainers to help high-risk youth to stop their bad behaviors
4. Promote healthy sports by skateboard performance at schools, community hall or on the street.

Descriptions:

1. Skateboard tour: six skateboard performances by people who used to be triad members or drug abusers, each targets at 400 audiences. The performances aim to arouse high-risk youths’ interest in fancy skateboarding and recruit them to join the training programme.
2. Skateboard training: 120-hour training course will be provided to around 60 youth. Content includes introduction to the skateboard culture, safety knowledge and basic skills of skateboarding and fancy skateboarding. 20 potential/well-performed youth will be selected to form a skateboarding team and receive 48 extra hours of advanced training.
3. Skateboard competition: A platform for the skateboarding team and youth in Hong Kong to perform and share about healthy sports to 500 youth. Famous artists will be invited to be judges and to perform.

Achievements:

1. The project reached 17,703 people.
2. Over 2,030 people attended the skateboard tour of six consecutive skateboard performances.
3. Succeeded in training 64 youths in skateboard training. Among which, 20 potential 2014 uniskate (2)youths were selected to form a skateboarding team for further advanced training.
4. The skateboard competition successfully showed healthy sport skateboard to 500 youths, sharing a positive image to all the audiences.
5. The project  interviewed 64 young people who have participated in the skateboard training and 3 school teachers, and found out
   à all participants agreed that the project have boosted up their self- confidence, self- recognition and have increased their interest in achieving a healthy life.
   à all school teachers expressed their eagerness in joining the project again.
6. After contacting with social workers and participating in the skateboard training, many participants have shifted their focus from negative behaviors to skateboard practice, boosting their self- confidence and sense of satisfaction.

No. of beneficiaries: 2,614

2012－YOUTH OUTREACH ‘ALL-NIGHT NET WALKER’

Issues to be addressed:

1. Over 40 per cent of youth have internet addiction in Hong Kong. The number has 13-fold over the last 10 years.
2. The possibility of committing drug related offences are 10 times higher for youths frequenting internet café
3. More and more crimes, e.g. online traps to potential sex offences, drug abuse and triad influences in internet café, are committed via internet

Project focus:

realising children’s rights, helping children affected by drug abuse and helping children suffering from physical, mental, sexual abuse and being neglected

Objectives:

1. To promote health and positive message via online platform to build a positive and safe internet environment
2. To provide employment training to youth who were drug addicts or triad members in the past as the ‘internet ambassadors’ and provide them with employment training

Descriptions:

1. The project is an existing project
2. Recruitment of targets:
   Project staff and ‘internet ambassadors’ will search for problematic youths via internet, i.e. instant messaging, blogs, social media, online games, chat rooms and discussion forums, conduct quick assessment, and provide necessary services to those at high risk
3. Intervention (work with night outreach):
   With the support of the out-reach team, the at-risk children will be invited to use the Street Rover service, helping to bring them back to reality
   Provide face-to-face or telephone consultation
   Provide education and employment information
   Invite targets to join other youth activities
   Employ youths who were drug addicts or triad members in the past as the ‘internet ambassadors and provide them with employment training

Achievements:

1. Reached 6,002 youths online via platforms such as online forums and other smartphone apps and provide them with positive messages against internet addiction, drug abuse and triad culture etc.
2. Met 1,180 youths in person through “Internet Ambassadors”, who used to be triad members or drugs abusers to reform the lives of the youths at risk
3. Referred 108 cases to get further social welfare services, including 90 referrals to Youth Outreach – Hang Out, 17 cases receiving follow-up services by Youth Outreach – Crisis Center and one referral to another organisation.
4. 49 youths received employment referral services and one youth received education referral service
5. The project interviewed 100 service users of the project by questionnaire, and found out that:
   i) Almost 70 per cent of youths strongly agree and agree that they are more willing to chat with outreach workers via smartphone apps/ online platforms
   ii) 87 per cent of youths suggest they will and will consider seek help from Youth Outreach via smartphone apps/ online platforms

No. of beneficiaries: 6,002

2011－YOUTH OUTREACH ‘UNICEF HANG
OUT EXPRESS – STREET ROVER’

© UNICEF/youthoutreach

 

© UNICEF/A-Better-World-For-Children

 

Issues to be addressed:

1. Street teenagers are at danger of exposing to drugs, triad or sexual exploitation
2. Teenagers have poor sense of achievement and motivation to change their lives
3. Teenagers lack basic work skills to survive

Project focus:

realising children’s rights, helping poverty children and those affected by drug abuse, suffering from physical, mental, sexual abuse and being neglected

Objectives:

1. Help teenagers to reduce night-time activities and its negative influence.
2. Help teenagers regain motivation to work/study, enhance positive self- image.

Descriptions:

1. Arrange a 5.5 tons truck with graffiti decorations, equipped with computers, medical equipment, mini games, skateboards, TV games, etc, to travel 18 districts in Hong Kong to reach youth hanging out on the street at midnight
2. The truck traves 60 times per year – once to twice per week, from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m and on festival days with mini-themes
3. Meet suspected street wandering youth, and took teenagers home or refer proper services if necessary
4. Provide crisis intervention and occupational counselling by social workers or peer counsellors
5. Conduct one mass theme programme to raise awareness on children’s rights.

Achievements:

1. ‘UNICEF Hang Out Express – Street Rover’ went out 60 times, helping and assessing the situation of 1,614 young people, among which about 86.6 per cent of them are children under 18
2. 162 young people received employment and education reA Better World For Children (Finished)ferral services, some also received information on job recruitment and interview tips to improve their job seeking skills. 357 young people were taken home and for those who are homeless or serious cases, they were offered temporary placement and followed up by social workers with family therapy, individual or group counselling, so that they could improve their relationship with family
3. The project also interviewed 151 young people who have used services and facilities in the ‘Street Rover’ by questionnaire, and found out
4.  less than 20 per cent of respondents have heard of Convention on the Rights of the Child and less than a half could correctly choose the rights in the Convention over 80 per cent agree children under 18 have the right to voice their opinion, to have different religious beliefs, etc over 70 per cent agree people have no right to harm children in any way and children should be protected when crisis emerged over 50 per cent disagree parents sell their children, or commit suicide with their children even if the parents are facing financial hardship

No of beneficiaries: 1,614