a quarterly journal from the hongkong federation of youth groups March 2020 Volume 12 Number 1

Youth
HONG KONG

Leaving home...

...or too attached?

 Contents
March 2020 | Youth Hong Kong
Volume 12 Number 1

OVERVIEW
4 Looking after themselves
INTERVIEW
4-5
6 Fortress besieged OVERVIEW
Prof Xian Shi
Guangzhou University
YOUTH SPEAK
10 Living independently?
6-9
Forum discussion
INTERVIEW
15 No place like home
Alan Yip and Darcy Fung
PERSPECTIVES
18 Home again
10-17
Lakshmi Jacotă YOUTH SPEAK
YOUTH WATCH
22 Staying with parents

SPECIAL
World snapshots
18-21
26 Response to COVID-19 PERSPECTIVES
HKFYG community action
RESEARCH
32

Housing: realistic hopes
HKFYG survey of expectations 22-25 26-31
CITY SPACE
YOUTH WATCH SPECIAL
34 Intermittent fasting COVID-19
Katherine Gudgin
36 Wellness toolkit tips
Exercise, health and nutrition 32-33
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
38 Guarding against online unknowns RESEARCH
Simon John
40 Myopia: a different epidemic

HKFYG
Elaine Morgan 34-37 38-43
45 Youth IDEAS: Intergenerational understanding CITY SPACE SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
46 PH2 hostel essentials

45-47
HKFYG

YOUTH HONG KONG published quarterly VIEWS EXPRESSED are the authors’ ARTWORK & DESIGN Ada Chau 3755 7108
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2
 Editorial
March 2020 | Youth Hong Kong

At present, Hong Kong is experiencing the same as many other cities around the world.
It is facing restrictions on movement, self-isolation or imposed quarantine, and ‒ for
some the most challenging of all ‒ working or studying from home. All this due to the
COVID-19 pandemic caused by the coronavirus.

These circumstances arose after the editorial team of Youth Hong Kong chose the theme
for this issue. It concerns young people seeking autonomy, the process of leaving home,
the hurdles they face and the options they have, especially given their very real challenges
and opportunities. Therefore, please note that contributors’ use of terms such as “stuck
at home” and “leaving home” relate to this theme and not to the current health crisis.

We believe that the dilemmas that young people face when leaving their parents’ abode
and becoming autonomous are not restricted to Hong Kong or today’s younger
generation and we look forward to hearing from all readers about experiences of moving
out and living independently from their families.
OGY

Andy Ho Wing-cheong
Executive Director, HKFYG
March 2020

3
 Overview
March 2020　|　Youth Hong Kong
Looking after
themselves
The process of becoming an autonomous adult is not
easy, especially for young people looking for a home of
their own in a city where decent housing is unaffordable.
Making the transition includes not only taking on financial
responsibilities but also learning self-discipline and self-
control. Obviously, for the majority in Hong Kong, staying
on with parents is easier. It saves money, relieves them of
household chores and delays decision-making. But isn’t
learning how to look after themselves a better idea?
In Hong Kong, according to the latest by-census of 2016,
78% of all 18-35-year-olds who had never been married
lived with their parents as did 95% of males and 94% of
females aged 18-24.1 Compared with most places overseas,
this figure is very high. Only Macedonia rivals it, with
Europe’s highest at 75%.2 In fact, many young adults are
becoming what’s known as “boomerang kids” if they return
to their parents' homes after living independently while
studying or working. They struggle to get by without the
financial, physical, and emotional support of their parents.
4
by Calvin Chu flic.kr/p/k5TWm
Taking on the responsibility for leaving home does
not rest solely on the younger generation. In a poll3 of
nearly 900 American parents last year, 25% said they
considered themselves to be the main barrier to their
young children's independence. However, 60% said their
children were not mature enough, didn’t know enough
or didn’t have enough time to learn how to take on more
responsibility, especially for tasks related to health care.
The question of cultural attitudes is often raised where a
very high percentage of young adults at home is concerned.
Intergenerational households are the norm in many Asian
cultures and in some European countries. Most parents in
Asia are happy to live with their children for periods much
longer than those in western countries. Traditional societies
consider it to be a sign of respect and good fortune for
junior and senior adult members of a family to live together.
This mentality still persists in Hong Kong augmented
by the persistent rise of property prices which has made
the stay-at-home trend more prevalent and accepted.
 • Leaving home is many young people’s goal but it • 離開父母自立是很多青年的目標，但對
isn’t the norm for Hong Kong 18-35-year-olds. 18 至 35 歲的香港青年來說，實非易事。
• Autonomy is usually postponed, partly because • 生活費高昂乃青年難以自立的原因之
of the cost involved in moving out. 一。
• Self-reliance and life skills for independent living • 一直與家人同住使青年過於依賴，難以
may suffer as a result and hanging out at home 建立生活技能。
becomes hanging on at home indefinitely.

Another factor is that young people are not getting married esteem that comes with acquiring problem-solving skills.
as early as they used to. Compared to the older generations, This is sometimes called “learned helplessness.” 4
those who have partners often want to continue working
rather than get married, have children and settle down in Heightened short-term effects of such phenomena have
independent households. This raises the question of whether become more evident as a result of the recent COVID-19
it is a coincidence that the fall in fertility rate in Hong Kong outbreak. Cooped up at home together for long periods,
is mirrored by the rise in youth staying on in parents’ homes. without the normal structure and social interaction of work
or school that gives life variety and meaning for most people,
However, millennials who are living at home in Hong family members have needed to cope with an exaggerated
Kong say they actually enjoy doing so for both fiscal version of the learned helplessness scenario which in
and personal reasons. They can enjoy the benefits of a some cases has resulted in anxiety, depression, or both.
comfortable, if rather cossetted home life without any
financial losses. It makes sense to them to rationalize Learning how to live together harmoniously in a
and share expenses rather than insisting on autonomy. multigenerational adult household is no easy task. It
requires tolerance and patience. Whether as a result of
Nevertheless, staying on in close quarters with parents, economic benefits or externally-imposed restrictions,
especially if they are the cocooning, over-protective type, living in close proximity with one’s family may
has its downsides. It can result in young adults who lack offer some easy answers but it also removes the rich
not only the independence of mind that helps them deal experience of being a young, independent adult, with
sensibly with emergencies and crises, but also the self- all its attendant risks, hurdles and satiusfactions.

1. info.gov.hk/gia/general/201802/12/P2018020800764.htm
2. ec.europa.eu/eurostat/statistics-explained/index.php/Young_people_-_housing_conditions
3. University of Michigan. "Failure to launch: Parents are barriers to teen independence." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 22 July 2019. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/07/190722085830.htm>
4. verywellmind.com/what-is-learned-helplessness-2795326 5
 Interview
March 2020　|　Youth Hong Kong
Fortress besieged
attitudes to housing
• Prof Xian Shi explains how sociocultural factors shape
housing choices, particularly gender, marriage and
education, plus social norms including filial piety.
• She focuses on the intergenerational context within
which contradictions in attitudes are emerging.
What are the strongest motives for young Hong
Kong people to continue to live with parents?
Among several factors, the lack of affordable housing
is the most important according to our recent survey.
Some 70% of the young respondents agreed or
strongly agreed that they lived with parents because
they could not afford to live anywhere else.
6
• 綫實教授認為社會文化因素會影響住屋的選
擇，特別是性別、婚姻、教育程度，以及其他
社會規範，例如中國人重視孝道等。
• 她的研究集中於跨世代相處，例如如何融合和
包容不同世代的態度和想法。
Motivation may also relate to social norms
concerning marital status and filial piety. There
is general acceptance of co-residence with
parents before getting married in Hong Kong.
Comfort and intergenerational support are other
major factors, together with recognition of the
implications of living in an ageing society.

Do you think that recognizing Hong Kong
as a traditional society is important for
understanding the relationship between young
people and their parents in Hong Kong today?
Young people in our study did express traditional
viewpoints. More than 80% agreed or strongly agreed
that Chinese people should preserve close family
ties and more than 60% considered living with
parents to be an act of filial piety. The survey also
found that over 80% of young people gave money to
their parents as a contribution to family expenses.
Are any other practical factors at play?
More than two-thirds agreed that they lived with
parents because their parents could take care
of them. The survey revealed that the majority
of those living with parents agreed or strongly
agreed that “there are too many domestic
chores to do if you live on your own.”
However, 87.6% of those living with parents said
they did so because it meant they could take care of
their parents in return. Such support is perceived as
being mutually beneficial—a finding of particular
relevance in an ageing society where traditional norms
of reciprocity have been found to be under pressure
with the rise of nuclear families in Hong Kong.
What contradictions about housing
expectations and aspirations did
you discover in your research?
The influence of both Asian social norms and western
lifestyles is evident. This is reflected in enjoyment
of the benefits of parental care on the one hand and
desire for freedom and autonomy on the other.
Views on family life, marriage, and the housing
choices associated with marital status may also
reflect East/West cultural tensions. The majority
agreed that living with parents involved filial piety
even though such an attitude may be disappearing
among young people in most parts of China today.
Many of them also aspired to leaving the parental
nest when they got married or had a partner.
Another apparent contradiction lay in the finding
that 50% were optimistic about their job prospects
and 80% believed they would be better off than their
parents but 80% agreed or strongly agreed that their
income would not rise faster than house prices.
7
 Interview
March 2020　|　Youth Hong Kong

Do you think a change in social norms

has already taken place in Hong Kong?

As with marriage, living with parents is a “fortress

besieged” *, meaning that those inside want to get
out and those outside want to get in. While many
young people enjoy living with their parents, some
20% agreed that it was inconvenient while among
those who lived alone, some wanted to move back.

Indeed, perhaps these are not so much East/West

cultural tensions but would be more correctly
viewed as contradictions experienced by young
people anywhere who want to enjoy both the
benefits of parental care and freedom and autonomy,
especially after they get married or have a partner.

Does parental opposition play a

part in young people’s decisions on
whether and when to leave home?

Only 13.5% of the respondents said they lived at

home because of their parents disapproved of them
leaving. About three-quarters of those currently
living with their parents expected to move out
when they got married and marriage is still the
strongest trigger. 40% said they would do so when
they had enough money to live independently.

How common is it for Hong Kong parents

or other family members to offer help
to children who want to buy flats?

According to our findings, direct financial support

such as help with paying rent or a down-payment on
a flat is less likely than the kind of indirect financial
support that enables children to save money. This
was surprising and points to the need for intensive
research of these issues. The support offered by parents
who take care of the housework was also noted.

*Note on the title

“Fortress Besieged” (《圍城》) is the title of a
Chinese satirical novel about family life written
by Qian Zhongshu ( 錢鍾書 ). First published in
1947, it is considered a masterpiece of
twentieth century Chinese literature.

8
In what ways is gender significant in the
pattern in which Hong Kong youth leave home?

Parental nests are comfortable for young people.

They can avoid housework and living there helps
them save money. In general terms, the young females
surveyed enjoyed living with parents more, and had
less motivation to leave than males. On the contrary,
more males than females thought that young people
should be able to leave home at an earlier age. The
reason may be related to Chinese culture, where
daughters usually maintain closer relationships
with their parents than sons. It may also be related
to a universal social norm where females are more
likely to take on the burden of housework than sons
when they get married and have their own home.

How important are intergenerational dynamics

and inequalities in Hong Kong young
people’s decisions about leaving home?
It is important to explore shifting social, economic
and political conditions rather than emphasizing the
privileges of one generation compared to another. We
need to look beyond shared features and subgroup
differences and consider instead how sociocultural
factors ‒ particularly gender, marriage, education
and social norms ‒ interact with economic factors
to shape housing choices. Then the viewpoints,
aspirations and apparent contradictions of young
people regarding their personal development and
their housing futures will become clearer.
Professor Xian Shi, co-researcher and colleague of
Professor Forrest, offers her insight in this interview
about a central study¹ of housing for Hong Kong youth.
Professor Xian is an Assistant Professor at the School
of Geographical Sciences, Guangzhou University.
Professor Ray Forrest, formerly of Lingnan University,
the University of Bristol and City University of Hong
Kong, gave encouragement and help to Youth Hong
Kong. In early 2020, we were very sad to learn that he
had suddenly passed away. We would like to pay most
grateful tribute to him for his advice and expertise in
this article.

Read more
¹ Xian, S & Forrest, R. The post-80s generation: exploring the attitudes toward family and housing. Journal of
Youth Studies, 2019. Analysis of the study was published last year and can be found in the above article. It focuses on
data from the second part of a two-round of a survey that explored the impact on attitudes to housing of sociocultural
factors, including age, gender, educational level, and social norms. The survey was part of a larger research project
undertaken in Hong Kong in January 2013 and July 2014.

9
 Youth speak
March 2020　|　Youth Hong Kong

Living independently?
• Do young people like where they live or do • 青年喜歡他們的居所嗎？還是希望能搬離現有
they want to move? 居所自立成家？
• Among this group, five live independently • 受訪青年有 5 位獨自居住，而有 7 位跟父母住
and the other seven live with or near parents. 在一起或住在附近方便照應。
• All but two of them envision living elsewhere. • 只有兩位預期會改變居住現況。

Hong Kong is a small, crowded city with good public transport. Most schools
and jobs are in the urban area within easy commuting distance, so few young
people need to leave home for full-time education or work. This partly explains
why it is normal to live with parents until getting married, but high property
prices mean many are encouraged to postpone finding homes of their own.

Four walls
Simon , now in his early 20s, realized he couldn’t stay with his parents any longer
when he was in his late teens. Like many others, he didn’t have much space to himself.
Now he lives with four other young people in a sub-divided flat in Sham Shui Po.

“I pay about HK$4,500 on rent. It’s better than living with my parents but there is still
little privacy. That’s something I’ve never really had. I have visions of a flat in Kowloon with
my own toilet and kitchen. About 200 sq ft would be OK. But one day, I want to own a
real home, four walls of my own. That would be 400 sq ft and it would probably cost me
HK$5 million, if I could pay the mortgage, but that would take up a lot of my income.”

Window on the world

Cora , in her late 30s, has lived independently since she left home at 17 for
an exchange year in Denmark. She went on to do a degree in Canada and then
worked in mainland China. At the age of 27, she had second thoughts about living
on her own and realized she wanted her parents to know she still cared about
them after her years away. So she moved back into their 700 sq ft flat for a while.
Meantime, her older sister and brother, single like Cora, had never left home.

“It felt cramped there and once I had been back for a few years and realized my parents
would be fine without me, I moved out again to a rented flat on Lantau Island. It’s not
too far away, almost the same size as my parents’ place and I can afford it. Still, my parents
can’t understand why I prefer to ‘waste’ my money rather than living cheaply with them.

Another of my brothers got married, moved out and had two sons. One of them is more
like me. He left home at 19 and lives in a converted old factory in Kwun Tong. The
whole family is upset and worried about him, except me. He pays about HK$4,000 in
rent and says the place fulfills all his needs: privacy, a private bathroom and wifi.”
10
 Roof overhead
Young people do Hailey “I’m in my mid-thirties and have a 500 sq ft flat in Tseung Kwan O to
not want to be myself. I can afford to pay off the mortgage at a rate of about 20-25% of my income.
When I bought the flat in 2012, my family helped me. Otherwise I would have had
tied down by to buy somewhere much smaller in the New Territories. That would have been too far
away for them. Even now, they live about an hour away but I have never wanted to
mortgages. They move back in with them.
prefer other
Owning a home has become no more than a dream for many young people.
options, like There is a lot of resentment. Most young people have no choice but to live with
their family to save money. They also think that people who buy flats purely
investing in a as an investment has been going on for far too long. The concept is totally
startup, moving detached from the basic needs of Hong Kong people for a roof over their heads
and inequality is growing. This should be the focus of the government.
to Taiwan or
Also, preferences and priorities have changed a bit. Young people do not want to be
spending spare tied down by mortgages. They prefer other options, like investing in a startup, moving
cash on travel. to Taiwan or spending spare cash on travel. I dream too, of a home of 1,000 sq feet
with a balcony and space to dry my laundry. Space is my main priority, in fact. I would
consider living in Taiwan, UK, Australia or New Zealand to get what I really want.”

Space to breathe
Vincy, in her 30s, lives in Siu Sai Wan. “I rent a flat there with
my partner. It’s about 20 minutes away from where I work and 45
minutes by MTR from my family’s home. I lived with them for I lived with my
nine years after graduating and contributing HK$5,000 a month to
their expenses, but in the end, I couldn’t take it. I felt stuck. parents for nine
Although our place is small, it’s convenient and affordable for us two. years after
We both pay about HK$12,000 on rent and that’s less than 20% of graduation but in
my income. I don’t think it is wasted. I could probably afford up to
HK$15,000 on mortgage repayments and that’s the future I see for myself the end I couldn't
within the next 10 years. For two of us, I think 500 sq ft would be OK
but it needs to be within 15 minutes walking distance of an MTR station. take it. I felt stuck.
To be ideal, it would be on HK Island, within 30 minutes from work
and with a swimming pool, hiking trails and friends living nearby.”

11
 Youth speak
March 2020　|　Youth Hong Kong

Private places
Bin-hung has a family home is Guangzhou. He in in his early 20s and left home
to go to university in Hong Kong. “I didn’t go back to Guangzhou to get a job and
I think commuting would take too long. Instead, I live with my partner in a The maximum
privately rented flat in an old Hung Hom building. All I need is my own private anyone should be
space. My bottom line is a room with a bed and a table. I wouldn’t really mind
sharing other facilities in a communal area or living room. paying for mortgage
I currently expect to pay HK$4,500-HK$6,000 a month and think property prices repayments as a
in Hong Kong are unreasonable given salary levels and the cost of living. The
maximum anyone should be paying for mortgage repayments as a proportion of
proportion of their
their income is 40%. If I had a freelance job and could work at home, I would look income is 40%.
at places like Tung Chung and Lamma Island. I prefer being near the sea,
somewhere the pace of life is slower and the pressure is less.”

Building ambitions
Lee-yi I like living with my folks. I have my own room in a Sham Shui Po public housing
flat. They do all the cooking and housework. If I lived by myself, I would have to buy food
and cook, but I work shifts, from 1pm to 11pm, and usually get home well after midnight.
It’s absurd and I’m in my early 20s and planning to get married in a few years’ time when we can afford to be
unreasonable independent. But rents are so high and I can only afford about HK$5,000 a month. There is no
rent control. It is as if we are just helping landlords pay their mortgages. It makes it hard to
to expect develop a sense of belonging because you have to be ready to move house at any time.

anyone to save Ideally, I would buy somewhere convenient but quiet in Kowloon so that I could get to the
all their salary New Territories easily at weekends and to Hong Kong Island, where I work. If we won the
lucky draw for the government’s house ownership scheme, or if the price of flats dropped,
for 21 years to maybe we could afford a 300 to 400 sq ft flat on the private market.

buy a flat. In fact, without the help from parents, it would be nearly impossible for me and my partner to
buy a flat when we get married. We would want somewhere about 500 sq ft. If flats are too small
that doesn’t help anyone who wants to bring up a family. Also, it’s absurd and unreasonable to
expect anyone to save all their salary for 21 years to buy a flat, and yet that is currently the cost.
As it is, HK people need to use most of their salary for mortgage payments. The government
should make more land available for housing. There is a problem of unfair misallocation of
resources here, unlike Singapore. Still, I prefer nowhere in the world to Hong Kong.”

12
 Real life realty
Tsz-ching, in his early 30s. lives in Kwai Chung. “I’m single and I think it’s reasonable to
give my parents up to HK$5,000 for expenses each month to have a room in their flat. Still,
privacy is important to me and I hope to be living in my own place within three years from
now. 150 sq ft would be enough for me as long as I could pay between HK$5,000-7,000.

I dream of having my own flat one day, somewhere convenient, with the mortgage paid
off. I wouldn’t mind if it meant having to pay 20-25% of my salary on repayments. But
would that be enough? In real life, I travel from Kwai Chung to work on HK Island
every day. It is about 24 km and it takes an hour to get there. That’s the maximum
I want to do for commuting. For better options, I would consider Taiwan.”

Digging foundations
David, in his late 20s, has a room in his family’s home in Tseung Kwan O. His brother
also lives there and they each contribute about HK$5,000 to family expenses each month.

“I like living with my family but I can see that one day it would be better to
move out. I expect to have to pay 20-25% of my income for a decent flat and
the government could help make it feasible by building both more public rental
housing and more Home Ownership Scheme flats. That would reduce the
pressure on the market instead of making more money for private developers.

I like the Singapore model with a transition period means young people can rent a
flat first but I also think Hong Kong could convert more industrial buildings. Perhaps
container homes and pipe homes are solutions and we could all try something new.”

Nothing lasts for ever

Jay “It was hard to get used to being back with my parents. I’m in my mid-
20s and have been living with them in Jordan for about four years. Before that
I’d had a few years of independence in Canada, sharing with friends while I did
a degree in finance. It’s OK and nothing is for ever. They take care of me and in
Poor quality return, like most young people in Hong Kong, I contribute to their expenses.
housing can
But housing for young people in general is a big problem here. I think it has been
affects one of the main reasons for the protests, not only because of unaffordability but
because of the way poor quality housing can affect relationships within families.
relationship
within Flat prices in Hong Kong have risen to an absurd level and government must
do something about it. I could only afford a very small place now, too small to
families. live in, so I would treat it as an investment and rent it out. Monthly mortgage
payments of HK$20,000 would be ok and that would be 20-25% of my
expected income. My dream house? It would cost HK$20 million.”

13
 Youth speak
March 2020　|　Youth Hong Kong

Unconventional solution
Ally and Jonas got married when both of them were 28. They have jobs in the retail sector
and neither is well paid. For a while, they lived with Ally’s parents. Nevertheless, they were
After the baby determined to have children and, realizing that the flat was not big enough for a
multigenerational household, they came up with a rational Hong Kong solution.
was born, I
stayed with “After the baby was born, I stayed with my parents in Happy Valley and Jonas moved out to a
flat in South Horizons. The arrangement works really well. It is very convenient. Grandma looks
my parents in after our little girl while we are working and she can go to a nearby kindergarten. At weekends,
we spend our time on Ap Lei Chau, sleeping at Jonas flat and having fun as a family. For us, it's
Happy Valley been the perfect answer.”
and Jonas
moved out to Concrete ideas
a flat in South Bella “I’m in my mid-30s, married with a little boy and we live in a big Lam Tin flat
owned by my mother. She lives five minutes away. I wouldn’t choose to live with her. It
Horizons. For would definitely be stressful. I’m sure we would not have much privacy and could never
us, it's been relax. Most importantly, we would argue a lot about the way to bring up children.

the perfect I moved here when we got married. I was 26 then. Our home is around 1,500 sq ft, with
four rooms, two bathrooms and a big balcony. I think everyone in Hong Kong who works
answer. hard should have the right to own their home. The model for public housing used in
Singapore could apply to those from a deprived socioeconomic background, but any
middle-class citizen of Hong Kong should be able to afford a flat on the private market in
my view. Personally, however, I think that anyone who doesn’t work and relies on social
assistance should not have that right. Instead, better mortgage plans for young people who
want to buy a flat should be available.

If I didn’t have my own place, I think public housing would be an option because of the
low rent and the good environment of the new public housing estates. I wouldn’t mind
moving to another country either, if it meant being able to get better housing. I think a
remote area of Taiwan or Japan would work ‒ they are close to Hong Kong and there is less
discrimination against Chinese people.”

Cementing the future

Man-ling is in her early 20s. Single and living with a partner in Yuen Long, she says she
is still just a minute away from her parents. “I moved out because we had no privacy there.
I didn’t like having to ask their permission all the time. I want to be able to close the door
when I go to bed. I could live in 200 sq ft as long as it has its own toilet and living room.

But in about five years’ time, I hope we can afford somewhere bigger, big enough for
three ‒ me, my partner and a baby ‒ and in the urban area too, not out here near
my folks. It takes me an hour to get to work now. I’m prepared to pay HK$15,000
a month on a mortgage but young people like me shouldn’t spend all their money
on housing. The government needs new policies to put an end to this crisis.”

14
No Place Like Home
Alan Yip lives in Eastern District and Darcy Fung’s home is in Kwai Chung.
Typical of their generation, they live with their parents but would prefer to live
independently, either in rented flats or ones that they own. Nevertheless, they
consider the likelihood of becoming property owners to be slight. What options do
they consider?

Co-living
Alan “There are lots of unoccupied industrial buildings
and revitalization of districts should be encouraged. If
the government allowed a change in land use, industrial
buildings could be converted into housing. The government
could also subsidize owners who develop co-living space and
lease flats to youngsters for a relatively reasonable price.”

Darcy I would definitely consider co-living either in a

hostel or a shared flat, at least for the short term. “I enjoyed
staying in a co-living space for two months in Taiwan. If
I could have a room big enough for a double bed and a
wardrobe, I would be willing to pay HK$6,000-8,000 per
month, and I would choose somewhere in Kowloon.”
Alan “In fact, I think it might be a cool and
interesting experience in terms of expanding my social
network and living a more independent life. I think
a studio flat of 100-150 sq ft, located in the urban
area at a cost of HK$3,000-5,000 per month would
be reasonable and convenient for working youth.

Increasing housing stock is the ultimate economist’s

We had no privacy there. I solution to the question of supply-and-demand. Identifying
want to be able to close the unoccupied land or non-residential property for conversion
into temporary living solutions, in the form of hostel or
door when I go to bed. co-living space, may be a quick win for the short-term.”

15
 Youth speak
March 2020　|　Youth Hong Kong

Sharing with friends or partners Costs and options

To conclude the discussion, Darcy and Alan weigh
up the merits of sharing flats and the comparative
costs of the various options. If given a completely free
choice of home companions, Darcy would prefer to
live with her friends. Alan says, “I would like to live
with my girlfriend - or my future wife and children -
to allow myself personal space, but I would also like
to stay in a neighbourhood close to my parents.”
Given that independent living, well away from the family
home, is considered fairly normal in some societies,
especially for those wishing to have children, Hong
Kong appears to be an exception. Alan explains this in
terms of costs, the size of the territory and convenience.
“First, owning your own place just costs too much for
most young couples, not to mention the costs of raising
children. Second, whereas in most western countries
and even in mainland China, moving away from the
family home is a natural process if you go to university
or work in a different city, most youngsters in Hong
Kong go to school or work within the city and staying at
the family home becomes a very convenient option.”
Darcy points out that “Paying for housing is a heavy
burden for a young family with a kid to feed. On the
other hand, I think most parents in Hong Kong are
dual income earners. They might choose to stay on in
the family home in order to provide better care for their
children, as well as to alleviate their own burdens.”
Middle-class Hong Kong parents may plan to help their
children put their first step on the home-owning ladder. As
Alan says, “Some may offer without being asked. I think
most are willing to contribute down-payments ranging from
20% to 40% of the purchase price, either with or without
the expectation of the money ever being returned.” Darcy
is equivocal. “It depends. Some of my friends’ parents have
already bought homes for them, others only offer to settle
the bill for a down payment, but others won’t pay anything.”
When presented with two hypothetical situations, one
of which meant having independent housing that was
a significant drain on their income but where they
were free to decide on how space was used, both prefer
to have a comfortable home dependent on parents,
although Alan notes reservations about continuing such
an arrangement after marriage. They are happy to make
a contribution to household expenses of an amount
they decide on themselves. In general, they consider
something between 20% and 25% to be a reasonable
proportion of their income to spend on accommodation.
At a time when increasing numbers of Hong Kong
people of all ages are considering accommodation
options outside Hong Kong, Darcy agrees. “It could
be an alternative for me. I think Hong Kong is a good
place for work and investment but not a good choice
for living. So I might consider moving to another city
to work and live. Singapore and Australia both are good
choices for me.” While it is unlikely for Alan, given his
strong local ties, he says that from a purely professional
point of view, it could also be a viable alternative.

Alan Yip and Darcy Fung are

members of the HKFYG Youth IDEAS
think tank. They worked on the co-
living study: Report No 44, 2019. See
Youth Hong Kong, September 2019.

16
 Affordability: alternative models
Several contributors to this article say they would consider
Singapore as a viable alternative for living or working or
both. It certainly has more affordable housing. This year,
the Demographia International Housing Affordability Survey
ranked Hong Kong as the most unaffordable city in the world
for the 10th year running, using a factor called the Median
Multiple which divides median home prices by median annual
household income to rank affordability. Hong Kong comes
out at 20.8 compared to Singapore at an overall figure of
4.6. That means it takes a family 20.8 years of savings to
afford a home in Hong Kong. After subsidies, a new home
of an average 970 sq ft flat in Singapore costs just 3.3
times the median household income. It is not surprising
that 90% of Singaporeans are owner-occupiers: a higher
rate than in any other rich country. In Hong Kong the figure
is 48.5%, according to the 2016 by-census. It is 44% in
Germany and 40% in Switzerland, whereas in Romania,
which has the highest figure in the world, it is 96%.

Housing Affordability Ratings

Median Market
Australia 6.9 The median monthly income of Hong Kong's
Canada 4.4 20-29-year-olds in 2018 [latest available figures] was
HK$15,250. At that time, the average monthly rent
Hong Kong 20.8 in Hong Kong was over HK$21,600.
Ireland 4.7 Sources
New Zealand 8.6 censtatd.gov.hk/hkstat/sub/gender/employment_earnings/
ejinsight.com/20190412-hk-remains-worlds-most-
Singapore 4.6 expensive-housing-market-by-wide-margin/
United Kingdom 4.6
United States 3.9

Read more
• fcpp.org/2020/01/19/16th-annual-demographia-international-housing-affordability-survey/
• bycensus2016.gov.hk/en/Snapshot-05.html
• economist.com/special-report/2020/01/16/housing-is-at-the-root-of-many-of-the-rich-worlds-problems

How much should housing cost?

You may have heard of the 30% rule for expenditure on housing, but this is increasingly outdated because
it doesn’t account for expenses that are prevalent today, such as student debt. It also doesn’t account for
individual situations, such as how many dependents you have. Families who pay more than 30% of their income
for housing are considered “cost burdened” and may have difficulty affording other necessities. The increase
in cost-burdened households is driven in part by income inequality and a lack of affordable housing.

What proportion of your income do you spend on your home?

Read more
nytimes.com/ask/answers/monthly-budget-rent-income

17
 Perspectives
March 2020　|　Youth Hong Kong

Home again
• Living with parents as an adult is often difficult but in • 成年後繼續跟家人共住通常出現相處
Hong Kong it is not at all unusual. 困難，但在香港跟家人共住還是比較
• Both the mother and the daughter in this story feel the 常見。
tension between them acutely and neither wants their • 故事中的母女都感到共住的矛盾，並
predicament to continue. 希望能解決問題。
• Putting up with one another in the meantime tests • 同一屋簷下確實需要互相容忍及體
their tolerance and patience. 諒。

I went back into my

childhood bedroom
and for some reason
it seems as though I
reverted to being a
child again in my
mother and father’s
eyes.

Christine I am 23 years old and I live with my parents.
For the past few years while I was studying, I was living in
university accommodation, but after that, when I started
working for a technology firm, I had to move back home.
The reason is obvious, I could not afford a place of my own,
either by renting or by putting down a deposit to buy and
then making mortgage repayments. Once, I did consider
going in for shared accommodation with some university
friends, but even my share of the rent would have taken
out a large chunk of my salary that I would prefer to save.
Living at home is complicated. On the one hand it is nice
to be “cared” for, having someone concerned about how
you are and whether or not you’ve eaten. There are other
practical advantages too: my parents’ helper ensures that my
clothes are always clean and ironed and my room is tidy.
On the other hand, when I came back to live here, I went
back into my childhood bedroom and for some reason
it seems as though I have reverted to being a child again
in my mother’s and father’s eyes. It seems to have given
both my parent’s “permission” to treat me like a child.

18

This situation is a double-edged sword and I know is not
good for my wellbeing.
There are also real implications for privacy. Living at home
means that everyone knows what you are up to, but worse,
everyone knows exactly what you possess. I cannot buy a new
pair of shoes or an outfit without someone commenting.
Worse, I really cannot come and go as I please, even though
I am an adult. My parents always want to know where I
am going and with whom and what time I will return.
More difficult are the physical problems of living at home.
I feel that I do not have enough personal space. I have my
bedroom, which is not large, and therefore if I want friends
to come over, they have to sit in the shared spaces of the
home. That can make life awkward, let alone irritating.
I am also finding it increasingly difficult to share the
bathroom with my two sisters, one of whom is at university
and the other one at school. Given the current situation
during the COVID-19 epidemic, both of them are always
My parents
always want
to know where
I am going
and with
whom and
what time I
will return.
at home. That makes our house seem even more crowded
than usual. Even when they had to go to school or college,
our schedules always seemed to overlap and invariably,
I am either late or stressed before I even get to work.
Frankly, living at home is far from optimal. In fact, if I
could, I would move out in a minute. I have to confess
that I have been thinking of applying to universities
overseas for graduate studies. I would have to get a
scholarship or ask my parents to help out, but the reason
has less to do with pursuing another qualification than
it has to do with not wanting to live at home anymore.
I do contribute to general household expenses and I am
happy enough to do so. But, to be honest, I would prefer to
save as much of my salary as possible, either for a deposit on
a home of my own, or to rent a place, or to go abroad. I know
I am fortunate to have future options and parental support,
but if the truth be told, every day I plan my escape ‒ escape
from living in my parents’ home now that I am an adult.
19
 Perspectives
March 2020　|　Youth Hong Kong
Sometimes I think I didn’t do my job as
a mother well enough for my child not
to be independent by now.
Wanda Christine is the oldest of my three
daughters. I was very happy when she managed to
get a place in university accommodation because I
thought it would teach her how to be independent and
that she would get used to living with other people.
Actually, I never expected her to come home to live
again, but I can fully understand why she has.
Nevertheless, it is difficult. After Christine went to
university, I got used to having my two younger girls at
home and since they are both still in full-time education,
it was easier to manage. Schedules were fixed and I had my
own time and freedom to do things, whether it was going
out for meals or getting together with my friends. Now with
Christine back – and with the current school suspensions –
I feel overwhelmed, like I did when they were all younger.
20
In fact, with Christine at home again, I feel many of
the old tensions come back. I appreciate that she is a
young adult, but I do get annoyed when I see her taking
advantage of living here. She expects her room to be
tidied and her clothes cleaned and put away, but she
will do nothing to contribute to the household chores,
not even cooking on a Sunday. The money that she
contributes to the household is helpful but I don’t ask her
for anything. I know she wants to save for her future.
As a parent, I feel responsible for her. I like to know
where she is and what she is doing even though she
feels that this is an intrusion. But under our roof,
there are certain rules and everyone must follow them.
That said, I do not know all her friends in the way I
did when she was in school, so I do tend to ask more
questions. It is not prying. I do it only out of curiosity.

I would say one of the hardest things about having a
young adult home, still effectively under one’s care, is
how ambivalent it makes me feel. Sometimes I think,
“Didn’t I do my job as a mother well enough for my child
not to be independent by now?” I don’t always feel like
that and my husband, usually the more rational among
us, tells me that the housing market is unaffordable for
Christine and so we are doing the right thing for her. In
some ways I agree. In fact, I think that sometimes he is
quite happy to have her here, happier than I am, anyway.
However, honestly speaking, I think I have reached the
point where I will begin counting down the days to having
an “empty nest”. I know this is probably just a dream,
but I do look forward to the day when all three of my
I do look forward to
the day when all
three of my children
are out of the house
for good.
children are out of the house for good. The trouble is,
now that Christine has come home, it makes me think
that this may never happen, either quickly or ever.
Living in a small space in Hong Kong as the children
get older and as I age is not comfortable. I do not know
how long this will last, but without sounding mean,
I hope that when Christine or her sisters marry, they
will be able to live on their own. I would not know
how to cope if they brought their husbands or partners
to live here too. That would be just too much!
Right now, there is not much point in feeling upset. I keep it
all bottled up inside and try to just take one day at a time.
21
 Youth watch
March 2020　|　Youth Hong Kong

Staying with parents

world snapshots
Depending on what you read, figures for young people living with parents around
the world vary a lot, but they have been on the rise everywhere.

Europe
On average, over half of young people aged 18-34 in the European Union
[EU] live at home with parents. Among 25-34-year-olds, the figure is 35.3%
men but only 21.7% for women. The trend is most common in southern Per Capita Living Area
and central-eastern European countries where the average age for leaving
US: 800 sq ft
home is late 20s or early 30s. Relationships, academic studies, levels of
financial independence, labour market conditions, the cost of housing Taiwan: 370 sq ft
and general living costs are all determining factors. At the same time, as
in Hong Kong, a generational gap is starting to emerge with an increasing Shanghai: 194 sq ft
share of young people facing huge challenges in finding affordable homes
of their own. There is also a growing imbalance between those who can
HONG KONG
turn to parents for financial help, and those who cannot. In 2018, 23.6 %
of the young population (aged 15-29 years) in the EU lived in overcrowded Overall average: 161 sq ft
dwellings* and 12.2 % of the same age group lived in households that
spent 40 % or more of their equivalized disposable income** on housing. Public rental housing: 130 sq ft

However, in Nordic countries, very few young people live in the parental Subvivided flats: 48 sq ft
home compared to the rest of EU although the share of young people
living at home with parents has increased significantly in relative terms
since 2008. The smallest percentage of young people living with their
parents is found in Denmark (3.2%), Finland (4.7%), and Sweden (6%).
Montenegro, Croatia, Slovakia and Italy are the European countries where
youngsters stay with parents the longest and with the highest number
of young people living at home. It is nearly 60% in Croatia, 57% in
Slovakia and over 56% in Greece. Macedonia has the most 18-34-year-
olds living with parents: 75%. Europe-wide the figure is 48%.

22
How many 18-34-year-olds live with parents?
EU overall
48%
Denmark
3.2%
India
In India, where traditionally it
has been quite normal for young
people to live at home at least
until marriage and returning home
after full-time education is not
only encouraged, but expected,
the nuclear family, where a
husband-wife couple lives with
their married or unmarried children
has been on the rise. However,
at the last census 16% were still
what is called multigenerational,
“joint” households.
Macedonia
75%
HK
78%
Hong Kong
in 1991, 80% of 20–24-year-
olds, 56% of 25–29-year-
olds and 33% of 30–34-year-
olds lived with their parents.
By 2006, the comparable
figures were 91%, 70% and
42% respectively. In 2016,
when the median floor area of
households with young people
was just 42 sq m [450 sq ft],
among 18-24-year-olds who
had never been married, the
figure was as high as 94% for
females and 95% for males.
78% of 18-35-year-olds overall
lived with their parents.
UK
About 26%
US
27% of men and
17% of women
Australia
In 1981, 36% of 20–24-year-
olds were living with their
parents. By 2016, the figures
were 43% for 20–24-year olds,
17% for 25–29-year-olds and
7% for 30–35-year-olds. Up
to the age of 34, more men
than women continued to live
with their parents with, 21%
of among 25–29-year-old men
compared to 14% of women
of the same age. Young
people living in big cities
were more likely to continue
living in the parental home
than those living elsewhere.
23
 Youth watch
March 2020　|　Youth Hong Kong
UK
Nearly a million more young adults are living with
their parents than was the case two decades ago,
according to a 2017 report from Civitas, a think tank.
The report also says that among those who do move
out of their parental home, most of them are more
likely to be living with partners or friends than alone.
The proportion of all people aged 20-34 who live with
their parents rose from 19.5% in 1997, equating to
2.4 million people to almost 26% in 2017, equating
to 3.4 million. 63% of all single adults aged 20-29 live
with their parents, as do just over half of 25-29-year-
olds. The growth has been strongest in London.
According to another study, fair payment for living
with parents, allowing for the financial situations of
all parties concerned and general agreement that a
family relationship is not a commercial relationship,
could be related to the additional cost to parents
of having a son or daughter at home – such as
buying more communal groceries or spending more
on heating. This was found to be fairly modest,
compared with the savings made, costing a minimum
of about £100 (about HK$1,000) a month.
24
US
Living with a spouse was the most common arrangement
for young people in 1975, with 57% of 18-34-year-olds
setting up their own homes compared to just 26% living
with their parents. Living with parents had surpassed
all other living arrangements by 2016, the first time in
more than 130 years for those aged 18-34. 33% of
25-29-year-olds were residents of multigenerational
households. In 2016, 27% of American men and 17%
of women in the same age group lived with parents
compared to about 18% and 11%, respectively, in 2000.
Analysts say that growing racial and ethnic diversity
in the US population helps explain some of the rise in
multigenerational living. As in the EU, the rising trend is
higher among sons than daughters. The US data also
correlate with a drop in marriage and birthrates. The
percentage of women who had given birth fell for all age
groups, with the steepest drop occurring in younger
women. This continues a trend whereby the US birthrate
fell by 8% from 2007 to 2010. By 2013 it had dropped
a full 9% from the 2007 high, with an average of just
1.87 children per woman, below the rate of replacement
and the lowest point ever recorded in the US.
 Family nesting: cluttered, crowded
or empty?
Many parents enjoy having their
adult children living at home.
w 67% in a US survey say they feel
emotionally closer to their children
w 66% say they provide companionship
w 62% appreciated the help they
give in the household
On the other hand, adult children who go home
to their parents after a spell away from home, the
so-called “boomerang” or “yo-yo” generation,
cause a significant decline in their parents’
quality of life and well-being, according to
recent research in Britain. However, there were
no ill effects when other children still lived at
home. Researchers looked only at adults aged
up to 75 to reduce the chance that returning
home was driven by parents' needs for care.
Read more
Australia
w aifs.gov.au/facts-and-figures/young-people-living-their-
parents
w domain.com.au/news/more-australian-adult-children-are-
living-at-home-census-data-shows-20170711-gx8urj/
EU
w ec.europa.eu/eurostat/statistics-explained/index.php/Young_
people_-_housing_conditions
w weforum.org/agenda/2018/05/chart-of-the-day-when-do-
young-europeans-leave-home/
Hong Kong
w Yip, N M. Homeownership, cohort trajectories and Hong
Kong’s post-eighties generation. In Forrest, R. and Yip, N.M.
(Eds) (2013). Young People and Housing: Transitions,
trajectories and generational fractures, London: Routledge,
p122-140.
w bycensus2016.gov.hk/data/16BC_Youth_report_2018.02.12.
pdf
w doi.org/10.1080/13676261.2019.1636949

Calling names in Japan, India

Italy and Korea
In Japan, a single person who lives with their
parents beyond their late 20s or early 30s may
be called a “parasite single” [parasaito shinguru]
or a “freeter”. In Italy, the term is “bamboccioni”,
roughly, “big babies”. In English-speaking nations,
the terms “cellar dweller” and “basement dweller”
have a similar negative connotation. In South
Korea, the “opo sedae” or “n-po” generation
refers to youth who give up employment and
home ownership, courtship, marriage and
having children because of problems such
as lack of affordable housing scarcity and
the increasing cost-of-living and tuition fees.
Those who stay on long-term with parents
are sometimes called the “Kangaroo Tribe.”
Sources
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parasite_single
en.wiktionary.org/wiki/basement-dweller
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sampo_generation
w timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/supplemented-nuclear-
families-make-16-of-indian-households/
articleshow/59449874.cms
w ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3705700/
OECD
w oecd.org/publications/society-at-a-glance-19991290.htm
UK
w theguardian.com/society/2019/feb/08/million-more-young-
adults-live-parents-uk-housing
w phys.org/news/2019-01-thirds-people-20s-parents-affects.
html
US
w pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2016/05/24/in-the-u-s-and-
abroad-more-young-adults-are-living-with-their-parents/
w pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2018/04/05/a-record-64-million-
americans-live-in-multigenerational-households/
w ec.europa.eu/eurostat/statistics-explained/index.php/Young_
people_-_housing_conditions

Notes
* Equivalized disposable income according to the OECD is the total income of a household, after tax and other deductions,
that is available for spending or saving, divided by the number of household members converted into an equalized adults
equivalence scale.

** An overcrowded household is defined as less than one room for each couple; single person aged 18 or over; pair of single
people of the same gender aged 12-17; single person aged 12-17 not in the previous category; two children under 12.
25
 SPECIAL
March 2020　|　Youth Hong Kong

COVID-19
non-stop care and support
D etermined efforts at HKFYG during the
COVID-19 epidemic include sharing and
distribution of scarce resources by young volunteers
and projects that respond to learning, health and
social needs.
The lives of Hong Kong people of all ages and backgrounds
have changed dramatically during the spread of COVID-19.
To help them cope, in mid-February the Federation began
a special effort, launching many new platforms, projects and
services to support young people, their parents and the needy.
Youth are more than recipients of these services, they are also the
deliverers, a strong and determined force that is working for others.

Care for the needy

Young volunteers of the NEIGHBOURHOOD First Thanks to generous donors, the volunteers also distribute
Project are reaching out to elderly single people, DSE much-needed resources in DIY anti-epidemic care packs:
students and others in need in the community, calling
them to show care and visiting to offer practical support. • 110,000 surgical masks
The network created by this project provides vital
contact details and enables volunteers to focus on about • Over 800 fabric face masks made by volunteers
40,000 families – the people who need help most.
• 3,500 bottles of hand sanitizer
Disadvantaged people in temporary housing, the
needy in sub-divided flats, deprived and disadvantaged • Hundreds of bottles of household
families in Hong Kong’s remoter housing estates: cleaning and disinfecting products
all of them are among the main targets.

26
There has been a flurry of activity at HKFYG’s Youth
SPOTs in a programme called “To Neighbours with Love”.
As this collection of photos shows, young members have
set up a creative and efficient production line for fabric
face masks. They have also been collecting resources to
make up kits for DIY epidemic fighting. All of these are
then distributed to needy members of the community.

27
 SPECIAL
March 2020　|　Youth Hong Kong
Learning online
Independent, self-directed learning has been vital this
spring and it has always been actively promoted at the
HKFYG Lee Shau Kee College (HLC). Online lessons,
now the norm in Hong Kong, have evolved to match the
trend and class suspensions have meant that teachers
not only recorded and uploaded learning videos but also
conducted live lessons on Zoom and Google Hangouts.
Teachers also put tasks based on the videos and other
online learning resources online for students to do before
classes. Some of these pre-learning assignments are
then submitted online through Google Classroom or its
equivalents so that teachers are able to mark, feedback
and return assignments online before lessons are held.
With the widespread use of oth er tools such as Zoom,
Google Hangouts, Castify, Weeblies, Active Learn,
Tapestry, Wordsmith and Moodle, these household
names for educators have been exported from the
classroom and into the world of Hong Kong homes.
During HLC’s online lessons, teachers also make use of
apps such as Plickers and Kahoot to collect students’
instant responses while Padlet and Google apps to
enhance students’ collaboration. In the coming school
year, the College will adopt BYOD (Bring Your Own
Device) to enhance the effectiveness of online learning.
28
Free online access
When the facilitation of online learning is more urgent
than ever, the Bandwidth Support for E-learning
at Home Scheme is providing free access to mobile
internet data for 100,000 underprivileged students at
primary and secondary schools. Providing SIM cards
and data plans to registered participants, the project’s
prime targets are those living in sub-divided flats, other
sub-standard housing or remote areas where high
speed internet broadband access is not available.
Funded by The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust
In collaboration with HKFYG and The Boys’ and
Girls’ Clubs Association of Hong Kong
With support from:
• China Mobile Hong Kong
• CSL
• SmarTone
Details of eligibility, registration and
FAQs elearningsupport.hk

DSE27771112.hk, the HKFYG counselling service
tailor-made for DSE exam students, has a newly-
launched collaborative project that provides
online tutorials for DSE students via Telegram.
Students can ask questions on 10 subjects
including Chinese Language, English Language,
Mathematics Compulsory and Liberal Studies.
At easyvolunteer.hk ‒ the Federation’s
volunteering platform ‒ youth volunteers give
primary and junior high school students online
help with homework. The service for DSE level
students includes practice speaking both Chinese
and English. Volunteer tutors engage participants
in online group discussions as well as offering
one-to-one responses.

Offered with School-University No registration is required and students can post

questions on a variety of subjects. Answers are
Partnerships Office, Faculty of Education,
provided by more than 160 volunteer tutors on
the University of Hong Kong duty.
More details
yvn.hkfyg.org.hk/study

M21.hk – HKFYG’s M21

TV channel media centre is
broadcasting a range of interactive
learning and leisure programmes.
For example, “Never Stop Learning”
invites youth to express their
views on topics like studying,
popular culture and the arts.
“STEM Friday” covers innovation
The HKFYG Leadership Institute has produced an online video
and science and “BADtimes
series “Learn to LEAD” with alumni and guests from different sectors.
Stories” hosts guests who talk
They recently included people with expertise in industrial supply
about their lives and promote
chains, crucial in a time of closed factories and panic buying.
the value of staying positive.

29
 SPECIAL
March 2020　|　Youth Hong Kong

Emotional support
The Wellness Mind Centre has prepared the online
“Social Wellness Pack” to encourage youth to stay healthy,
both physically and emotionally. Meanwhile, the Mobile
Wellness truck is travelling around the city, reinforcing
the message and Youthline phone, Whatsapp and SMS
counselling are on standby to give help when needed.

See pages 36-37 for more on this.

The HKFYG Wellness Mind Centre has prepared a series

of whatsapp stickers, that covers a range of emotions
to send to friends and family. Download and share!

Stay healthy

“Want to relax? Then MOVE!”

These video clips from M21 are especially for folks at

home. Tailor-made for stretching and strengthening,
they are perfect when you can’t go out.

For your core, your legs, your arms and joints, they are all
about staying on the move when you have to stay home.
The HKFYG Parent Support Network has provided
a wide range of information and tips to help parents Create your own gym no special equipment needed!
discuss the coronavirus with their kids. When many
More details
mums, dads and helpers are at their wits’ end trying to
m21.hk/production/program.
keep their children focused during days where structure
php?progId=235
has disappeared, these will be a boon to many.

Enquiries about all initiatives Miranda Ho 3755 7044

30
 Extra Special
FOR THE YOUNGER GENERATION
Youth Hong Kong and Youth SPOT magazines
GET COPIES HERE
Limited free quota
A s a special service to dear readers having to stay at home during this period of school closures
and restricted movement, we are offering free mailing of both the Federation’s magazines.
a quarterly journal from the hongkong federation of youth groups March 2020 Volume 12 Number 1

February 2020:
Youth March 2020: Healing with Words
Leaving home...
HONG KONG

Comfort can be found through

Leaving home... ... or too attached? the healing power of writing
Living Independently: Fleeting about your thoughts
DSE Online Examination Tips
Dream or Rare Reality
April 2020:
Study Tips of ex-DSEer

Hotline
Details http:// .hk

...or too attached? Health and Sport

Stay strong, keep fit, no matter what

To sign up for Youth Hong Kong magazine delivery To sign up for Youth SPOT magazine delivery
Go to and fill in the form Go to https://bit.ly/3akyPsv
Read online youthhongkong.hkfyg.org.hk/v12n1.php Read online cps.hkfyg.org.hk/ysm/magazineissues
Enquiries Ada Chau 3755 7108 Enquiries Tiffany Lam 3755 7091

TV time with Telekids!

Television is still a magic box for many young people. It’s both fun and informative
so wouldn’t it be even better to enter that magic box and be part of the show?

How is it different? Who is it for? 

This special new TV programme called TeleKids, brings Primary school pupils are audience but parents also take part
TV alive. Created both for and with children, its target is in cooking classes. All children will benefit, whether they are
primary school students as both creators and audience. in front of or behind the cameras or even at home watching!

What does it do? Where can we watch?

The programme blends learning with entertainment Channel Hong Kong Open TV’s Channel 77
and provides training for the young participants in
both acting and hosting. Focused on interesting STEM Partners Hong Kong Open TV and Plentyme Limited
topics, it also includes Chinese and English language, Organizer HKFYG’s Jockey Club Media 21 (M21)
arts and sports, greening, cooking and free play. More details opentv.vizztech.com/#/videopage/BC00402
Enquiries Gladys Chu 3979 0021
When is it on?
On air now every afternoon until 31 December 2020
Monday to Friday, 6-6.30pm and
Saturday to Sunday 4.30-5pm

31
 Research
March 2020　|　Youth Hong Kong

Realistic hopes for homes

H KFYG worked with partners on a study of youth’s aspirations for housing in
2016. Some of the findings are presented here for the first time. They reveal
realistic and healthy priorities, as well as a very frugal attitude to income and
savings and an understandable wish for more privacy.

Living conditions and expense

89.5% live in an average of 200 sq ft or less [18.5 sq m]
Current average living space per person: 126 sq ft [11.7 sq m]
43.8% had 100 sq ft [9.2 sq m] or less of living space to themselves
Cost for 26.4% of respondents was 0-10%
Cost for 3.4% of respondents was 41% to 50%
Cost for 19% of respondents was 11%-20%
1.1% considered their present accommodation totally unacceptable
6.4% are totally satisfied

$
Considering renting? Intending to buy?

37.6% 32.5% 55.6% 54.1% 52.1%

would consider say renting is thought they had no plans expected to
renting for too expensive would need to buy either have to spend
privacy financial because of high 6-10 years’
support from asking prices or worth of
family to buy high deposits their income
in order to
buy a flat

28.1% 12.4%
would consider
renting for the
would consider
renting within
35.6% 26.6%
sake of marriage 3 years planned to buy within wanted to buy but only
a price range of if property cost less
HK$3-3.99 million than it did 10 years ago

32
 Hoping for better
60.9% agreed that independent living was a goal in life
Modest ambition: 271 sq ft [25 sq m] per single person

Most important private features: Most important nearby public facilities:

70.5%: household toilet l 46.8% community lounge

70.0%: windows l 41.5% fitness centre

64.3%: wifi l 41.0% jogging trail

54.5% rooms separated by partition l 36.2% multimedia entertainment room

48% fixed [not folding] bed

Is this enough?

89.5% 1.1% 6.4%

live in 200 sq ft considered this are totally
or less totally unacceptable satisfied

How much of your income do you spend on housing?*

26.4% 19% 3.4%

spent 0-10% spent 11%-20% spent 41%-50%

* Note: This does not include contributions to parents for household expenses.

Read more
This survey was conducted by HKFYG in July and August 2016 with a sample of 800 18-34-year-olds
interviewed by telephone. Full details with more statistics are available at
Organized by
� Hong Kong Institute of Architects
� Hong Kong Housing Society
� Hong Kong Federation of Youth Groups

See also the findings of a more recent study on co-living reported in Youth Hong Kong,
September 2019. These explain in part the popularity of the hostel scheme described on page
30-31 and echo the wish for privacy at home.

33
 City space
March 2020　|　Youth Hong Kong

Intermittent
fasting
fad or fact?
by Katherine Gudgin

M any studies show that leaving sixteen

hours between meals is good for you.
Eating well before bedtime is also
recommended. For those who want to change
their habits, it’s best to do so gradually,
ensuring good nutrition and exercise.

One of the eating plans that has gained a lot of traction in
the past few years is intermittent fasting. Fundamentally , it
restricts the period of time when you can eat rather than
what you can eat. Usually this requires either a 16-hour gap
with no food or two 24-hour periods each week when you
eat either nothing or extremely limited calories.
How does this work? A variety of animal and some human
studies have shown that alternating between times of fasting
and eating is good for the health of your cells. It may trigger
the kind of ancient processes designed to help us when food
was scarce. The process is called metabolic switching.
Essentially, when there is no food in your digestive tract,
your body flicks a virtual switch, uses up rapidly accessible,
sugar-based fuel in your cells and thereby converts fat to
energy. This switch changes cells and hormones that
regulate your blood sugar levels and increases growth
hormone levels that maintain tissues and organs. It may also
increase your resistance to stress and suppress inflammation.
Does it work?
Studies on intermittent fasting have been short-term with a
small number of participants. Most studies have found that
those who follow any kind of intermittent fasting diet lose
weight compared to those on a normal diet. However,
intermittent fasts don’t tend to result in more weight loss
than conventional calorie-restricted diets.
One research programme noted a high dropout rate of 38%
probably because controlling what you eat is hard, regardless
of the regime you follow, and with intermittent fasting
people have a tendency to be “good” on fasting days and
then indulge on non-fasting days. Your body doesn’t like to
be deprived of food.
Are there benefits other than losing weight?
Some studies with animals indicate that intermittent fasting
could help lower the risk of cancer, decrease blood pressure
and blood lipid levels, reduce resting heart rates and perhaps

34
slow ageing. The reason for all of these may be that fasting
activates cellular mechanisms that boost immune functions
and reduce inflammation, thought to be a key indicator for
a wide variety of illnesses. However, most doctors conclude
that reducing body fat in any healthy way will help you
improve your cardiovascular function and metabolic profile,
thus reducing risks.
There are also studies which indicate that intermittent
fasting can change risk factors associated with obesity and
diabetes. Two studies in the UK of 100 overweight women
show that although the women who fasted intermittently
lost the same amount of weight as those on a calorie-
controlled diet, they out-performed the control group in
terms of insulin sensitivity and stomach fat reduction.
Doctors running a trial at Boston’s Brigham and Women’s
Hospital commented on the psychological benefits for
patients who didn’t want to track calorie intake or record
food consumption. With intermittent fasting this is not
necessary. However, they also noted that as long-term
weight-loss success requires changes in food and eating
patterns, intermittent fasting may not be a sustainable
solution. More research is needed for definitive findings.
What should I know?
This diet is not for everyone. It can involve skipping meals
and limiting your calories to “starvation” levels so it is not
advisable for women who are pregnant, are trying to get
pregnant or are breastfeeding. Anyone with a condition like
diabetes, heart disease or high blood pressure should consult
their doctor before considering intermittent fasting because
it can make electrolyte levels abnormal.
You are also likely to be irritable for the first few weeks as
your body and brain get used to the new routine. But
apparently there are benefits even for those who don’t need
to lose weight. At the University of Toronto, a study
involving 220 healthy, non-obese adults showed improved
memory skills. Worth having!
Alternate Day Fasting
l On fast days, no food or beverages with calories
l Rotate days of eating and fasting
l On non-fast days, eat what you
like as long as it’s healthy
Time-restricted* Fasting
l Consume no calories for between
8 to 16 hours every day
l Time between meals can vary
* Easier for those who don’t snack after dinner and
are able to eat immediately after getting up
35
 City space
March 2020　|　Youth Hong Kong

Wellness tool kit tips

relax, exercise and eat
W hile COVID-19 is creating uncertainty, paying attention to personal hygiene, sleeping
well, finding reliable information and staying tuned to our health is a priority.
Everyone enjoys good company but most of us also need peace and quiet. If we get stuck at home, we can make time
for ourselves, keep in touch on smartphones and make sure we stay fit and well-balanced, eat well and sleep soundly.

Social wellness: Fitness and exercise:

interaction and discretion five types, five principles
Simple stress relief
● Think clearly and critically.
● Learn to recognize fake
news and rumours.
● Pay attention to personal hygiene.
● Wear a mask if you are sick.
● Be discrete and courteous Keep on exercising whatever else changes in your life. It’s good for
when with others. all-round health and for mental stress relief. The various types of
● Share resources with others. exercise suit people of different ages and each sport has its own unique
● Use electronic devices to stay
training requirements for. For example, badminton requires muscle
connected with friends and family. strength, flexibility and explosive power. For long distance running,
endurance is vital. Depending on your preferred sport, various training
● If you feel anxious, breathe in
principles apply.
deeply then breathe out while
counting to five. Repeat. 5 types
● Discover the value of private time. ● Aerobic
● Listen to your internal voice. ● Endurance
● If you feel lonely, chat with someone ● Muscle and bone strengthening
you trust: friends, or professional ● Flexibility
social workers on HKFYG’s ● Balance improvement
Youthline, uTouch, Open up*.
● If you feel scared stay sceptical and fact- 5 principles
check news from unfamiliar sources. ● Equilibrium: Your muscles need to develop in a balanced way.

● Concentrate on staying healthy with ● Individualization: Everyone is different and

exercise and a balanced diet.
Read more
• World Health Organization who.int/emergencies/diseases/
novel-coronavirus-2019/advice-for-public
• Centre for Disease Control cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html
• Centre for Health Protection chp.gov.hk/files/pdf/statistics_of_the_
cases_novel_coronavirus_infection_en.pdf
training needs vary accordingly.
● Overload: Increase pace, duration or weights to
continue gaining strength and endurance.
● Reversibility: Use your strength and fitness
or lose it, but remember to rest too.
● Specificity: Workouts vary according to sport: dragon
boaters train differently to marathon runners.

Support from HKFYG during disease outbreak

*Hotline 27778899 Monday to Saturday 2pm to 2am
*Whatsapp 62778899 Tuesday to Thursday 4pm to 10pm; Friday to Saturday 4pm to 2am
*Facebook/Portal utouch.hk *Open Up openup.hk *SMS 91021012
Plus Useful tools for learning and working from home
36
 Food Wellness: eat right to boost immunity
A healthy diet can boost both your immune system and your mood. For example, tryptophan is necessary for making proteins and other
important molecules, including some that are essential for optimal sleep. It also affects the synthesis of serotonin which is believed to
influence our moods. Good sources of tryptophan include poultry, tuna, soybeans, bananas, prunes, oats, bread, eggs, peanuts, milk,
cheese, yoghurt and even chocolate.
Foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids are important for metabolic functioning. They include salmon, shrimps, clams, catfish, cod, walnuts,
flaxseed oil, spinach, sardines and canola oil. Monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats found in olives, fish, nuts, and avocado are
also good for you.
A good guide is to try and eat upwards of 30 different fruit, vegetables, nuts and seeds every week to help ensure a good range of
vitamins, minerals, and to aid our microbiome - the useful microbes and bacteria that live on and in our bodies.

Mix your colours Vitamins and supplements – not always a magic pill
Red fruit and Treat supplements like medicine, check the packaging and know what you are
vegetables contain taking. Some dietary supplements can improve overall health and help
lycopene, a manage some health conditions. Calcium and vitamin D help keep bones
powerful strong and reduce bone loss. Folic acid decreases the risk of certain birth
antioxidant that defects. Omega-3 fatty acids from fish oils might help some people with heart
can help reduce disease. A combination of vitamins C and E, zinc, copper, lutein, and
the risk of cancer zeaxanthin (known as AREDS) may slow down further vision loss in people
and keep hearts with age-related macular degeneration (AMD). However, many supplements
healthy. Blue/ contain active ingredients that can have strong effects in the body. Always be
purple fruits and alert to the possibility of unexpected side effects, especially when taking a
vegetables contain new product.
anthocyanin which
also has Interactions Some supplements and vitamins react with each other and with
antioxidant other medication. Some interactions are serious. Always check dosage and
properties. ask a specialist if in doubt.
Carotenoids are in orange/yellow vegetables and Vitamin A can also cause problems. Too much vitamin A can cause
one of them, betacarotene, is found in sweet headaches and liver damage, reduce bone strength, and cause birth defects.
potatoes, pumpkins and carrots. It is converted to
vitamin A, which helps maintain healthy mucous Vitamin C For adults, the recommended daily amount [RDA] is 65 to 90 mg
membranes and healthy eyes. Green vegetables and the upper limit is 2,000 mg. For most people, an orange provides enough
contain a range of phytochemicals all of which have for a day. Overdoses of vitamin C might cause diarrhea, nausea, indigestion,
anti-cancer properties. Leafy greens such as headache and insomnia.
spinach and bak choi are excellent sources of
Glucosamine Specialists in Australia have recently cautioned against taking
folate. Brown/white fruits and vegetables contain
glucosamine which may be harmful to those with food allergies because it can
phytochemicals such as allicin which is known for
be made from seashells.
its antiviral and antibacterial properties. Bananas
and potatoes are a good source of potassium. Read more ods.od.nih.gov/HealthInformation/DS_WhatYouNeedToKnow.aspx

Removing masks Find more tips from HKFYG

Some kinds of surgical mask can lower the risk of getting an infection if Emotional wellness and
you're in close contact with somebody with a respiratory illness and are precautionary measures
careful not to touch the front of the mask when removing it. Most masks More details
don’t offer any guaranteed protection against viruses and small airborne wmc.hkfyg.org.hk/call4care
particles can get through. When you wear one, make sure it fits well.
● Wash your hands.
● Use the ear loops to remove the mask.
● Do not touch the rest of the mask unless you are wearing disposable gloves.
● Take off the mask, fold it, place in a bag or envelope
then put it in a rubbish bin with a lid.
● Wash your hands again.

37
 Science & technology
March 2020　|　Youth Hong Kong 　
Guarding against online
unknowns
L ess than a year ago, who would have thought that Hong Kong’s parents, teachers and
students would become veritable virtuosos of online learning? In the process, what traps
have they been trying to avoid?
With schools closed and students kept at home, demands
for online learning have spiked across the territory.
Everyone has been hastily familiarizing themselves with
various e-learning tools and it has been quite a challenge.
Issues that we weren’t properly prepared for have arisen in
the rush to create the illusion of life as normal, so it seems
sensible to remember a few things we can do to ensure we
are navigating educational cyberspace as responsibly as
possible.
Logging off and signing out
Google classroom. Zoom. Skype: e-learning requires online
platforms and that means being signed in to a multitude of
different sites at any one time. This is something many of
us are used to as far as google accounts are concerned, but
leaving a litany of accounts open when they aren’t being
used is unwise.*
This is largely because of the transmission of files through
different mechanisms. With personal computers being used
in many cases, we can’t be entirely sure malware isn’t being
inadvertently circulated. Logging out of applications can
also prevent the snooping of active cookie data open in
browsers or windows by bad online actors.
We would therefore be wise to take a few seconds to log out
of e-learning accounts before we close all devices at the end of
each session. This goes for browsers too. Many people think
that having different browsers open means information is
restricted to the active browser in use. Actually, they all link
to the same “family” of browser, so if you are on less secure
sites in one browser this may compromise the security of the
browser being used for study. The best approach is to proceed
*Read more lifehacker.com/do-i-really-need-to-log-out-of-webapps-1482782887
38
By Simon John
as you would when logging out of your personal online bank
accounts: close down after use.
Webcam-woes
A class conducted via webcam invites a whole host of
problems into the learning equation. Laggy connections
and problems with audio-visual synchronicity can foster an
incredibly frustrating experience for both teacher and
student alike. Invasive screen grabs of less than flattering
images of oneself can also do the rounds.
While these issues are irritating, they don’t tend to do much
damage other than to one’s patience (or ego!). However, it is
important to remember that webcams aren’t responsive to
actions within the browser and so do not turn off
automatically when a lesson is over. This wouldn’t be such a
problem were webcams not notoriously easy to hack.
Controlling the hardware is the only way to keep yourself
safe from prying eyes so shut down the computer or
physically close your laptop lid after the session. If you are
using a tablet device, place a piece of tape over the lens. If
the next friend you chat with on facetime is greeted by a
barely visible frosty blur, they’ll be quick to point it out.
Firewalls and passwords
For many students and teachers, learning online is more
distracting than learning in the classroom. An innocent
enough comment in a lesson can spawn an Alice-in-
Wonderland-like departure from concentration on the topic
you are trying to teach as everyone searches out definitions,
examples or clarifications online.
The real concern is that the attention of students will wane
and their desire to explore other things will take hold. A
simple way to prevent this is to add particular sites to your
browser’s firewall, avoiding overkill if possible. Sensible
restrictions can prevent distracting sites from being active
on the desktop and help students to stay focused.
All the online learning websites, portals and programmes
require passwords and profiles. If you have a young child
and are creating logins on their behalf, be sure to use
passwords that are different to other accounts you have
online. Services like LastPass will autogenerate passwords
that satisfy the various security requirements when creating
new profiles or accounts and Google Keep is a great place
to store the passwords as a back-up.
Class conduct
Maintaining interest and focus amongst 20 or more
youngsters in real-life classrooms is an ambitious task. It
doesn’t become any easier online. In fact, teachers in
traditional classrooms act as mediators or guides as well as
educators, keeping students on track and easing tensions.
Online, this role is massively diluted.
Without the teacher’s real presence, the behaviour of
students can be difficult to monitor but while learning may
have moved online, the same personality clashes and peer
dynamics continue to pervade the learning environment. It’s
important, therefore, that parents check how students are
doing. Though they may not have left the house, they have
been involved in interactions with teachers and classmates
over the course of the day. Not all of them may have been
positive. An innocent “how was it online today?” will keep
the online experiences feeling more relevant to real life and
give children the chance to discuss any personal worries.
The first term of 2020 has certainly been one for the books!
As we grapple with the new online learning reality, let’s all
do what we can to make the experience as smooth as
possible.
Simon John, a regular contributor
to Youth Hong Kong is the founder
of CICERO Study Solutions,
an edugaming* enterprise that
brings together videogaming
with traditional areas of study.
* Edugaming is learning
through videogames.
39
 Science & technology
March 2020　|　Youth Hong Kong 　

Short horizons
eyesight: a cause for concern
N ot long ago, Shanghai’s city government made 80 minutes of outdoor exercise for school
children mandatory. Why? A conviction that it will reduce the speed at which they
become progressively more short-sighted. The measure is not popular with parents because it
reduces studying time, but for the sake of their eyesight, is it enough?

Myopia, also called nearsightedness or short-sightedness, is What’s to blame?

the most common cause of impaired vision in people under
40. In recent years, its prevalence has been growing at an
alarming rate. In 2000, roughly 25% of the world's
population was nearsighted. By 2050, roughly half of the
people on the planet will be myopic, according to recent
research.
What is myopia?
Myopia – or short-sightedness – occurs when the eyeball is
too long in its axis relative to the focusing power of the
cornea and lens of the eye. Light does not focus on the
retina as it should, making distant objects appear blurry.
Nearsightedness can also be caused by the cornea and/or
lens being too curved for the length of the eyeball. In some
cases, myopia occurs due to a combination of these factors.
l Gene involvement
This is controversial since the phenomenon is recent. In
the 1960s, only 20% of China’s population was myopic
according to clinicians in Shanghai. What else?
l Lack of sunlight and outdoor activity
Bright sunlight stimulates the release of a retinal
transmitter dopamine which blocks axial growth of the
eye and inhibits the development of myopia.
l Extreme academic pressure
Myopic progression slows down in summer when
children spend more time out of doors. Australian
researchers also found that 29% of the Singapore-based
Chinese children became myopic compared to 3% in
Sydney.
l Too much screen time
Staring at a screen for too long when you are young is
not good for your eyes.

How bad is it? The message is clear. If you

have a genetic disposition
Myopia’s severity is measured in dioptres, the same unit that for myopia, whether you
is used to measure the optical power of glasses and contact come from this part of the
lenses. Kindergarten children are defined as myopic when world or whether it runs in
their prescription is -0.6D. Adults officially become myopic your family, get outdoors in
at -1D. Specialists in Shanghai say that 20% of the the sun more often and
20-30-year-olds they have studied develop severe myopia at leave your books and phone
over -8D. This is five times the global average. at home.

40
 Facts and figures for myopia
Most 18-19-year-olds in East Asia
are myopic compared to their age
cohort in western countries.

For example ...

l Mainland China
u 72% of 12-14-year-olds
u 80% of 15-17-year-olds
l South Korea 96%
l Hong Kong 87%
l Taiwan 85%
l Singapore 82%

Hopes for myopes

With more people becoming nearsighted, there is a lot of interest in finding ways to control the progression of myopia in
childhood. A number of different techniques have been tried — including fitting children with bifocal lenses, progressive
lenses or gas permeable contact lenses. All of these have delivered mixed results.

l Some clinical trials have shown that low-dose atropine eye drops could slow myopia progression in some school
children.

l A dual-focus daily disposable contact lens decreased the progression rate of myopia in children aged eight upwards
when compared to a single vision lens.

l Researchers at the Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center of Sun Yat-sen University, have identified the stages and the rules
for myopia development and built an AI model to predict its progression in children and teenagers. The study involved
over 1.25 million 5-18-year-olds in Guangdong Province. They discovered that short-sightedness usually first occurs
at the age of 7 and develops rapidly up to the teenage years. It is hoped that specialists who use the AI model will be
able to make earlier, faster diagnoses in future.

Read more
Ÿ aoa.org/patients-and-public/eye-and-vision-problems/glossary-of-eye-and-vision-conditions/myopia
Ÿ allaboutvision.com/conditions/myopia.htm
Ÿ xinhuanet.com/english/2018-11/20/c_137619636.htm
Ÿ scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/long-reads/article/2085125/chinas-myopia-epidemic-why-simple-solution-being
Ÿ chinadaily.com.cn/a/201903/12/WS5c8705e2a3106c65c34ee0cd.html
Ÿ economist.com/china/2020/01/18/most-12-to-14-year-olds-in-china-are-short-sighted

41
 Advertorial
March 2020　|　Youth Hong Kong

Innovation and Creativity

Inno Tech Solutions Pitching
The ability to use digital data and computational thinking is essential in the 21st century.
The younger generation uses the internet to search for information and absorb knowledge
while matching what they learn with innovation and technology. This enables them to find
solutions to real social problems.

A.I. Future Tense

Sponsored by HSBC, the Hong Kong Federation of Youth
Groups (HKFYG) has launched the “HSBC Future Skills
Development Project” to focus on “Financial Capability”,
“Future Skills for Employment” and “Innovation and
Technology.” The Project equips young people with skills
that match the development of Hong Kong and the world.
One of the project activities organized by HKFYG’s
Creative Education unit (CE) is called “A.I. Future
Tense”. At a recent pitching event, 29 teams of
tertiary students came up with innovative solutions to
daily life problems by fitting together creative ideas,
digital technology and computational thinking.

Champion: EC Bank
Team member: Chloe Chan
Lok-wing, Enoch Yeung Tsz-
lok, Iverson Wong Chun-ming
Jasmine Poon Chi-man
First runner up: Foodi Second runner up: Luk Advisor
Team members: Lee Gong- Team members: Shaun Tsoi
kuen, Luk Man-sin, Wang Zhi- Ho-ching Samson Lam Fong-
chun, Yeung Tsz-ching pui, Patrick Lam Chun-tung
Champion First runner-up Second runner up
EC Bank: Foodi: Luk Advisor:
Employment Compensation Food & health industry Health monitoring
and Personal Injury
In Traditional Chinese Deep learning, a class
EC Bank’s aim is to provide a reliable reference for Medicine, health conditions of machine learning, is
injured workers, NGOs and lawyers so that informed can sometimes be better used by Luk Advisor to
decisions can be made in personal injury claims. The understood by examining analyze health data for
Hong Kong Employees' Compensation Ordinance patients’ tongues. By combining monitoring purposes.
allows injured workers to claim compensation. big-data analytics and AI tongue While emphasizing the
However, they are often faced with a dilemma. Should imaging, Foodi analyzes images importance of being
they accept the settlement offered by the insurance and suggests foods that suit observant in daily life,
company or appeal against the Assessment health conditions. The concept its uploaded images of
Board’s decision? The AI system designed by EC also uses high-end technology movement in elderly people
Bank, combined with advanced NLP technology, in the Chinese medicine can assist those who
reads details of court cases and apportionment industry with the goal of helping monitor their health status.
decisions, identifies factors that affected outcomes users understand more about
then presents relevant findings to users. traditional Chinese culture.

Free online
InnoTech course
Improving people’s lives with
technology and innovation is a
global trend. HKFYG’s CE unit
offers free online InnoTech courses
for tertiary students in Hong Kong
that courses cover topics such
as artificial intelligence, data
science, machine learning and
disruptive technologies. Online
Teams of tertiary students find innovative solutions for social problems by sessions will be available in April
using “Future Skills” : creativity, problem-solving, digital ability and and students are welcome to
computational thinking. interact with instructors online.

Judges Mr Kenson Chung, Angel Investment Foundation, Mr Steve Lam, Hong More details
Kong Cyberport and Mr Kenneth Lee, HKFYG hkfyg.org.hk/futureskills
 five elements 267mm(H)x203mm(w).pdf 1 24/2/2020 ��5:36

Advertorial
December 2019　|　Youth Hong Kong

CM

MY

CY

CMY

44
 Strengthening Intergenerational
Understanding
R ecent protests triggered not only vigorous discussion but arguments and conflict between
Hong Kong’s generations. The young people had distinctly different views, values and
attitudes from the older generation. This study, conducted from October to November 2019,
reflects the strained relationships that resulted.

Differences usually result when generations grow up in a rapidly Key points from the research
changing political, economic, social and technological world.
● 42.4% of youth had argued with parents occasionally or
When those generations live together or in close contact with one
frequently in the previous six months.
another, the differences can become acute.
Major trigger points:
Well known Hong Kong w 70.9% Social issues/political standpoints
sociologist, Professor w 59.1% Economic/spending issues
Lui Tai-lok, defined ● 31.2% of parents said family relationships had deteriorated in
the city’s generations the previous six months.
according to stages of ● The younger generation rated freedom, equality and
population development democracy as the most important core values for Hong Kong.
1
and current social status. ● The older generation considered social stability, the rule of
For example, second law and equality to be the most important core values.
2
generation baby boomers,
born after World War II,
want stability above all. Comments from Youth I.D.E.A.S. think tank members
Those born since the
Alan Yip, convener “Most recent intergenerational conflict has
1990s, in a more affluent been between parents and children. Better communication
period for Hong Kong, should alleviate the problem and since respondents of all ages
value their way of life more who had argued with each other were willing to change, more
highly. For them, it comes government resources should be allocated to support them,
before economic growth. including professional family mediation where necessary.”
Carly Liu & David Li, group members “We suggest starting a
movement for positive family communication where parents and
Report No. No.48 HKFYG Youth I.D.E.A.S. Society and
youth learn the relevant skills. They could then become
Livelihood group
ambassadors and share what they learn with their community.
Published title Strengthening Intergenerational Understanding District councils could also organize regular dialogue between
people of different generations to break down barriers.”
Respondents 300 18-29-year-olds, 302 parents aged 54-73
and four professionals/ experts. Comments from experts
More details The professionals interviewed said that social media has
changed young people’s concept of equality, thereby breaking
down the hierarchical structure between generations.
Differences in sense of identity have also emerged whereby
Enquiries Beji Ho 3755 7042 young people identify themselves more as “Hong Kong people”
or “global citizens” rather than “Chinese people”, also
accentuating the difference between generations.
1. 呂大樂。《香港四代人》。香港：進一步多媒體，2007。(Four generations of Hong Kong
People. HK Stepforward, 2007.)
2. T
he second generation of baby boomers is defined as those born in Hong Kong between 1946
and 1965 who were aged between 54 and 73 in 2019.
45
 HKFYG
March 2020　|　Youth Hong Kong

PH2 essentials
HKFYG’s youth hostel, dubbed “PH2”, is a first for Hong Kong. The goal is to create a residential community for working
young people aged between 18 and 30. The hope is to help them build stronger life skills and social networks as well as
better financial planning. Rents are set at 60% of local market prices.

Purpose-built on the foundations of a former Federation Youth SPOT, the 20-storey building still has a youth centre that is
open to the public on the ground floor and first floor. PH2 communal facilities are sited on the second and third floors. All
other accommodation is on the upper floors.

Location 2 Po Heung Street, Tai Po Market Eligibility

Accommodation 78 units for 80 persons  Age 18-30
Including:  initial income level not to exceed HK$21,000
 Single units [approx 187-  Total net asset limit for an individual
232 sq ft] tenant not to exceed $364,000
Monthly rent HK$4,248-HK$5,831  Total income and net asset limits for two joint
applicants is double that of individuals
 Double units also suitable for the
 Existing Hong Kong residential
disabled approx 398 sq ft
property owners excluded
Monthly rent HK$8,670-HK$8,711
 Aspirant applicants are selected by
 Co-living units for three with shared living room lottery and then by interview
Monthly rent per person HK$4,606-HK$5,671  Application is open annually for a specific period
 Current year [2019] applications closed
First tenancy duration Two years  First move-in date March 2020
Renewable For a maximum of five years More details visit PH2.hkfyg.org.hk

46
There were 900 applicants in the first round of selection out of which 300 for single units and 10 for double units were
drawn by a computerized lottery system. In the final round, assessment will be according to several criteria including the
space currently available at home and the conditions in which applicants live, their urgency of need for alternative
accommodation and the affordability of PH2 rents.

HKFYG’s goal includes building PH2’s tenants’ financial planning and other life skills. Therefore, applicants’ attitudes and their
readiness to take up opportunities for creating and expanding networks with other people also count in the selection process.

Hong Kong’s Youth Hostel Scheme

The Youth Hostel Scheme [YHS] was launched to tackle the
problem of unaffordable housing for 18-30-year-olds. It is
administered by the Home Affairs Bureau as a project for youth
development rather than poverty alleviation. PH2 is the first
hostel under the scheme to open. Other youth hostels are being
built by NGOs with government funding but also run on a self-
financing basis. The scheme, which will deliver seven hostels in
total, aims to provide young adults with their own living space
and an opportunity to save for their future.
The Chief Secretary for Administration noted in his blog in June
2018, “The YHS provides youth with transitional support in terms
of time and space so that they can better prepare themselves
for personal development in the future. The time-limited tenancy
ensures the turnover of hostel places, thus allowing more
youngsters to benefit from the scheme.”

Goals of YHS
 to target young working people aged 18 to 30
 to offer hostel places at lower than market rents
to youngsters who have just left school and
are finding their feet in the job market
 to give young working people who wish to have a place
of their own the chance to pursue their aspirations
while saving for their future development

More hostels to follow

 Jordan [Hong Kong Girl Guides Association]
 Ma Tin Pok Yuen Long [Po Leung Kuk]
 Mong Kok [Hong Kong Association of Youth Development]
 Sheung Wan [Tung Wah Group of Hospitals]
 Wan Chai [Salvation Army]
 Yuen Long Hong Kong Sheng Kung
Hui Welfare Council Ltd
Read more cso.gov.hk/eng/blog/blog20180603.htm

47
 a

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Study Tips of ex-DSEers

Hotline
Details http:// .hk

Publisher :
The Hong Kong Federation of Youth Groups 香港青年協會 hkfyg.org.hk．m21.hk
Youth Hong Kong: 21/F, The Hong Kong Federation of Youth Groups Building, 21 Pak Fuk Road, North Point, Hong Kong
Tel : 3755 7097．3755 7108．Fax : 3755 7155．Email : youthhongkong@hkfyg.org.hk．Website : youthhongkong.hkfyg.org.hk
The title of this journal in Chinese is Xiang Gang Qing Nian 香 港 青 年

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