Hostel Living Widens Youth Networks

Louis Li, a startup entrepreneur, moved into The Hong Kong Federation of Youth Groups (HKFYG) Youth Hostel PH2 in Tai Po, in April 2020, hoping to widen his personal and social network by meeting people from different industries and backgrounds.

For Mr Li, the stay at PH2 exceeded his expectations.

“Living in a youth hostel not only gives you the opportunity to develop yourself but also the opportunity to expand your personal network.

“Before I moved to PH2, I did not have any idea about startups. By my experience, because I live in a youth hostel, I am able to collaborate with different talent and am able to build up my startup project. And also, by coaching with different HKFYG mentors, I can develop my project to the next level.”

Business connections

Mr Li met his business partner at an HKFYG event and was able to capitalise on his experience living in a youth hostel when setting up his startup - an online career development platform.

“I am able to consolidate the advantage of living in a youth hostel, such as personal development and networking into my platform with the mentoring functions and AI technology, in order to build a better platform for youths to develop their career planning and achieve their dream.”

PH2 was the first completed project under the Youth Hostel Scheme taken forward by the Home & Youth Affairs Bureau.

Unleashing potential

The second and largest completed project, Po Leung Kuk Lee Shau Kee Youth Oasis, is now accepting applications, offering 1,680 places to working youth who do not own any residential properties in Hong Kong.

Every room has an independent washroom and shower room, with basic furniture and home appliances also provided to residents.

Po Leung Kuk Assistant Principal Social Services Secretary (Children & Youth) James Mok explained that the rooms were designed to be practical and ready for tenants to move in to.

“We really want them to be able to live here by just bringing along their suitcase.”

The common areas at Youth Oasis are generous and include a more than 1,200 sq m terrace garden, a multipurpose room as well as a library, to encourage social interaction and sharing among the residents.

Mr Mok added that aside from basic amenities, the youth tenants are provided with various support and training activities, such as entrepreneurial training, mental and physical development and workplace culture, so that they can achieve self-enrichment and widen their personal and social networks during their stay at the hostels with a view to embracing the challenges in their stages of life ahead.

“Besides providing useful hardware to our young people, we also provide a series of programmes to our residents, including programmes that enhance their living skills and also some programmes to promote volunteerism to encourage young people to serve the community and give back to society.”

Pursuing aspirations

Each floor of the hostel is named after a mountain in Hong Kong, symbolising the journey of its young tenants as they navigate through life.

“The development of our young people will always have ups and downs, just like a mountain. Our colleagues will accompany our young people to overcome these ups and downs.”

Po Leung Kuk Chairman (2022-23) Daniel Chan supplemented that Youth Oasis will provide a happy living space to each tenant, while youth development services will be in place to help expand their interpersonal networks, facilitate sharing, self-actualisation and promote social responsibility.

“I think this project is definitely one of the best youth hostel projects in Hong Kong so far. We provide everything that a young person would like and is looking for.”

To meet the aspirations of some working youth in having their own living space and to unleash the potential of development sites, the Government announced the introduction of the Youth Hostel Scheme. Under the scheme, non-governmental organisations will be fully funded by the Government to construct youth hostels on under-utilised sites and, upon completion, operate the youth hostels on a self-financing basis.