Transcript of remarks by SHYA
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Reporter: Could you explain also the latest details about the youth hostel programme? Also how would you describe the Government's relationship with the young generation, because you said that you have been hosting so many sessions with them. Do you think you have actually begun to reconnect with the young generation?
Secretary for Home and Youth Affairs: For the youth hostel, apart from the existing youth hostel programme, that is the NGOs (non-governmental organisations) will develop their own youth hostels on the land available; we will also introduce a new scheme under the youth hostel programme. We subsidise NGOs to rent suitable hotels or guesthouses to provide 3 000 hostel units for the young people in the coming five years. We have already secured the funding from the LegCo (Legislative Council) this month. With that to confirm all the details, hopefully we could announce the result and the number of hostel units that we have secured in the first quarter of 2023.
For the third phase of the youth hostel, the Development Bureau will identify suitable sites to put in the terms of the land grant, and request the developer to provide certain units for youth hostels. So we have three phases of youth hostels to react and respond to the living needs of young people.
During the preparation process of the Youth Development Blueprint, we have already held over 170 discussion sessions with the young people. Among those young people that we met, we have the impression that most of them do not know what the Government is doing, or what the Government is planning to do. So we think an effective and efficient way to communicate with young people is very important. That's why we have several measures, including introducing the "Youth Dashboard" and developing mobile app (mobile application) to communicate with young people. I think this is the first step to show our sincerity to communicate with young people. I hope with the measures in the Youth Development Blueprint actualised, the connection and the relationship between the young people and the Government will develop in a positive way.
(Please also refer to the Chinese portion of the transcript.)
Ends/Saturday, December 31, 2022
Issued at HKT 12:37
Issued at HKT 12:37
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