The Greater Bay Area Homeland Youth Community Foundation (The Foundation) warmly welcomes the announcement by the Central and HKSAR Governments to resume normal travel between the two places in phases. The Greater Bay Area Homeland Youth Community Foundation is delighted to announce that it would allocate over HK$10 million this year to organise diverse activities in supporting the development of Hong Kong youth in the Greater Bay Area, with an estimated number of over 15,000 beneficiaries. Key projects include the "GBA Youth Card", a comprehensive youth service card that provides many conveniences while studying, living and working in the GBA; the "2023 New Life in the GBA" which sponsors Hong Kong youth to work, study and have experiential tour in the mainland cities in the GBA ; and the "2023 Guangdong Exchange Programme" which supports youth organisations or educational institutions to organise exchange activities in the mainland cities of the GBA. Besides, the Foundation will arrange an in-depth experiential tour to the GBA for the "For Our Future Scholarship" awardees. In addition, the Foundation will provide information and services on study, career and entrepreneurship in the GBA through its website, videos and publications. The Foundation hopes to support Hong Kong youth to realise their dreams in a bigger stage and integrate themselves into the overall development of the nation.

Mr Daryl NG Win-kong, Chairman of the Greater Bay Area Homeland Youth Community Foundation, said, "We are grateful to the Central Government and the relevant departments of the HKSAR Government for their coordination and efforts in facilitating the resumption of normal travel between Hong Kong and the mainland. It is a great encouragement to the Foundation as this will create a lot of opportunities and inject new vitality into our work. The Foundation will continue to actively support the policies and measures of the Central and HKSAR Governments, in offering more quality youth services to encourage young people to seize the opportunities brought about by the development of the GBA and the country.”

Since the establishment in September 2019, the Greater Bay Area Homeland Youth Community Foundation is committed to the mission of "For Our Youth For Our Future", initiating and sponsoring more than 70 projects and over 72,000 young people have been benefitted. This year, the Foundation will provide even more support to Hong Kong youth to realise their dreams in the GBA.

 

Key Projects to Support the Development of Hong Kong Youth in the GBA

The GBA Youth Card

The GBA Youth Card is a comprehensive youth service card launched by the Greater Bay Area Homeland Youth Community Foundation in cooperation with Bank of China (Hong Kong), Guangdong Youth Federation, Hong Kong United Youth Association and Macao Youth Federation. There are two types of GBA Youth Cards: a credit card which was launched earlier and a debit card that will come into service early next month. The cards are designed to provide payment conveniences, youth services, enquiry for assistance, banking services and travel assistance in the GBA.

2023 New Life In The GBA

GBA Youth Card holders can participate in various sponsored projects under the programme, including

(1) Exchanges: The "GBA Walkers" – a backpacking programme for cultural experience in the GBA. Hong Kong young people aged 16-30 can form a small group and plan their own trips to the mainland cities in the GBA for at least 3 days and 2 nights. Through this programme, they can gain first-hand experience of the GBA's latest development. 1,000 quota will be provided with a subsidy of HK$1,000 per person, and applications will be open in mid-March.

(2) Employment and Internship: To encourage Hong Kong young people aged 18-35 to engage in full time work or internship in the mainland cities of the GBA. Each Hong Kong youth, who works at least one month there is eligible to apply for a subsidy of HK$1,000, with a quota of 1,000.

(3) Further studies: Hong Kong youth who is enrolled in full-time undergraduate or master's degree programmes at universities in the mainland cities of the GBA in 2023 can apply for a subsidy of HK$1,000 per person, with a quota of 2,000.

(4) Limited welcome offer: Hong Kong youths aged 11-45 who successfully apply for a GBA Youth Card (credit card or debit card) within a specified period will receive a HK$200 welcome offer per person, with a total quota of 10,000. The offer is expected to launch in the first quarter.

2023 Guangdong Exchange Programme

The Foundation sponsors Hong Kong youth organisations or education institutions to arrange exchange activities in the mainland cities of the GBA for Hong Kong youth aged 12-30. Applications will be open earliest in the middle of this month. It is estimated that over 1,000 people will be benefitted from the programme.

2023-24 Wish Builder Programme

The Foundation will sponsor youth service organisations to organise diverse projects with particular focus on enhancing Hong Kong youth's understanding of the development of the mainland cities in the GBA. Applications will be open in March.

Experiential Tour in the GBA Mainland Cities for Hong Kong University Students

The Foundation will organise a one-week in-depth free experiential tour to the mainland cities of the GBA for the Foundation's "For Our Future Scholarship" awardees from 13 local tertiary educational institutions.

Promote Better Understanding of the GBA Development

To provide comprehensive information and services to Hong Kong youths on studies, career and entrepreneurship in the GBA through the following channels:

(1) Website: YO PLACE is an online and offline youth platform. Website: www.yoplace.org.hk.

(2) Short videos: In January, the Foundation has relaunched "9+2 So Easy ", four animated videos that provide information on living, studies, career and entrepreneurship in the GBA.

(3) Publication: The "Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Youth Information 2023" booklet, jointly published with the Guangdong Youth Federation, the Hong Kong United Youth Association and the Macao Youth Federation.

 

Photo captions:

1) Mr Daryl Ng Win-kong, Chairman of the Greater Bay Area Homeland Youth Community Foundation, says, "We will continue to actively support various policies and measures of the Central and HKSAR Governments in the hope of encouraging Hong Kong youth to seize the opportunities brought about by the development of the GBA and the country.

 

2) The Greater Bay Area Homeland Youth Community Foundation will organise an in-depth experiential tour to the mainland cities in the GBA for the "For Our Future Scholarship" awardees.

 

3) The "GBA Youth Card" is a comprehensive youth service card that provides many conveniences for living, studying and working in the GBA.

 

4) Sponsored by the Foundation’s Wish Builder Programme, participants of the "Dream Brewer- Pacific Coffee x HKET@GBA Entrepreneurship Training Programme" went on internship in Shenzhen earlier.