Summer program Project Exploration 2013 successfully enhances life skills of participants
The Hysan-sponsored ethnic minority summer program Project Exploration 2013 came to a fruitful end with the closing ceremony held in mid-August. The annual program was initiated by Hysan back in 2007 with Hong Kong Christian Service, aiming to support ethnic minority youths in academic and career developments. The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology’s School of Business and Management (HKUST Business School) became the third partner of this meaningful project in 2008, bringing in comprehensive information about tertiary education and groups of enthusiastic undergraduates who acted as mentors for the minority students.
The summer project, being the 7th in a row, proved to be an eye-opening experience for participating minorities and brought unforgettable memories to the HKUST mentors. This multi-faceted program spanned from June to August. It started off with a number of training sessions by Hong Kong Christian Service, which aimed at enhancing the mentoring skills of HKUST students and prepared them to be more culturally-sensitive. The mentors first met their minority mentees in the opening ceremony held in early July — a casual afternoon gathering filled with fun and laughter.
To further build team spirit and understanding among the participants, an adventure-based day camp was held, during which participants overcame various mini-challenges in groups. This was followed by a university experiential week held in the campus of HKUST, with active participation by the university students. The minorities had chances to attend real lectures by HKUST’s lecturers, completed group projects as a team, and took part in other extra-curricular activities. The week provided a good opportunity for them to appreciate the hardware and software of a real university campus.
One of the program objectives is to stimulate the minority mentees to think more about their future academic and career paths. All project partners helped to line up a series of interview sessions with people in different professions. The minority students had expressed interest in those fields and they also had to write their action plans in short and longer term. All these inspired them be prepared to acquire necessary skills for their career pursuits.
“Hysan always strives to be a responsible company and contribute to the community. We are very happy that this summer program continues to be a rewarding experience for all participants. It unleashes the potential of minority youths and unveils possible paths for their future. In addition, the program provides a good platform for cultural exchange,” said Mark Tung, Assistant General Manager, Corporate Communications of Hysan Development Company Limited.
“We have to thank Hong Kong Christian Service for recruiting the ethnic minority students and tailor-making such a great program. Appreciation should also be given to HKUST Business School for their support and the student mentors. The time and efforts they spent are remarkable and this explains why close relationships were built with the mentees,” added Mr. Tung.
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About Hysan
Hysan Development Company Limited is a leading property investment, management and development company in Hong Kong with an investment property portfolio of over 4 million square feet of high quality office, retail and residential space. Hysan Place is the latest milestone development in the company’s long-standing history in Causeway Bay. With roots in the district since the 1920s, Hysan is the largest commercial landlord in Causeway Bay.