Yhk 5.3

a quarterly journal from the hongkong federation of youth groups
September
2013
Volume 5 Number 3
Youth
HONG KONG
YOUTH HONG KONG published quarterly by The Hong Kong Federation of Youth Groups EDITORIAL BOARD Rosanna Wong Elaine Morgan (Editor) Ada Chau (Assistant Editor) Angela Ngai Lakshmi Jacot William Chung Henry Poon CIRCULATION (unaudited) 10,000-12,000 in Hong Kong, throughout the region and overseas
4
OVERVIEW
SpLD, AD/HD, ASD Symptoms, definitions Assessment, support Chronology of IE
Youth
Hong Kong
September 2013 Volume 5 Number 3
Contents
http://www.flickr.com/photos/elizabeth_albert/4998473663
VIEWS EXPRESSED are the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher REPRODUCTION OF CONTENTS without written permission from the publisher is prohibited INTERVIEWS Elaine Morgan Lilian Ma Chun Yu Yiu Lucien Wang Christy Chan GUESTS Heidi Hui Melinda Sturges OTHER CONTRIBUTORS Annie Lee Education Post Christy Chung Pui-yin Tiffany Cheung Sarah Shum Wan-yu Food Angel Joanna Lee Rachel Yiu Louise Cribbin Queenie Lau TRANSLATIONS Henry Poon Ada Chau ARTWORK Ada Chau & Suki Mak (Cover) Sam Suen, DG3 Education Post, Jonathan Wong/SCMP Education Post, May Tse/SCMP Other artwork from archive, acknowledged as captioned or in public domain DESIGN, LAYOUT & PRINTING DG3 Asia Ltd ISSN 2071-3193 WEB youthhongkong.hkfyg.org.hk CORRESPONDENCE to The Editor, Youth Hong Kong, 21/F, The Hong Kong Federation of Youth Groups Building, 21 Pak Fuk Road, North Point, Hong Kong TEL 3755 7084, 3755 7108 FAX 3755 7155 EMAIL youthhongkong@hkfyg.org.hk ADVERTISING enquiries to Ada Chau 3755 7108 THE HONG KONG FEDERATION OF YOUTH GROUPS was founded in 1960 and is one of the citys largest non-profit youth organizations. Its programmes and activities at over 60 locations are attended by 5 million participants every year. CORE SERVICES Counselling, Creativity Education & Youth Exchange, e-Services, Education Services, Leadership Training, Leisure, Cultural & Sports Services, Parent-child Mediation, Research & Publications, Services for Youth at Risk, Volunteer Services, Youth Employment, Youth SPOTs, www.hkfyg.org.hk, www.m21.hk
6-15
INTERVIEWS
by Elizabeth Albert
Betty Ip: EDB York Chow: EOC Connie Ho: HKU PW Cheng: CUHK
16
PEOPLE
Real life stories Mothers and students
SERVICES
Specialists & NGOs
20-29
YOUTH WATCH
SEN world snapshots
TEACHERS SPEAK
an Education Post contribution
30-43
FEATURES
Poverty follow-up Gadgets, devices & IT Environment Talking with doctors
44-49
HKFYG
Camp facelift Multimedia channels Awards and books Charity sports
MEDIA PARTNER Education Post
OVERVIEW 4 Assisting students with learning difficulties INTERVIEWS 8 Betty Ip: Education Bureau Hong Kongs answer to special needs 12 York Chow: Equal Opportunities Commission Integrated education: room for improvement 16 Connie Ho: HKU & PW Cheng: CUHK Dyslexia: problems and empowerment PROFILE 20 Struggling with words GUESTS 21 Heidi Hui: HKU Starting to support those who are different 23 Melinda Sturges: Speech & Language Therapist The language impaired child SERVICES 26 HKFYG Support, guidance and assessment 28 Annie Lee: HKFYG YADC Educational Psychologist INSIGHT 29 Feedback from SEN teaching assistant A mother of dyslexic and autistic children YOUTH WATCH 30 How other places deal with different children Asia, US, UK TEACHERS SPEAK 32 Education Post Hands-on, patient and passionate ON THE AGENDA 34 Tackling child poverty 36 Food waste INTERNETSCOPE 37 Joanna Lee Reading: how gadgets can change your life 38 IT for special educational needs CITY SPACE 40 Rachel Yiu Doctor-patient relationships 42 Louise Cribbin Summer elective in Vietnamese hospital HKFYG 44 New image for Sai Kung camp 46 Youth Trends and Studies 50 M21 channels 52 Awards 53 New books 54 Perspectives
September 2013 | Youth Hong Kong
Editorial
ne of the most frustrating aspects of learning, for both parent and child, is when difficulties such as dyslexia, AD/HD or autism arise.
However, once identified, and once assistance is given, the relief is palpable. Nevertheless, recognizing the exact nature of a learning difficulty is often complicated and there may not be enough resources to help all those in need. This issue of Youth Hong Kong looks at some of the main problems concerned with learning difficulties, from the perspective of parents, educators, specialists and those afflicted. We ask, given all the efforts currently in place, how well does Hong Kong measure up, and what more needs to be done? As understanding about the special needs caused by learning difficulties grows, so do the challenges they present, in every city and country. By pooling our knowledge and experience, we can move forward. We really would like to hear your views and find ways to tackle this increasing problem together, with empathy.
Dr Rosanna Wong, DBE, JP Executive Director, HKFYG September 2013
Youth Hong Kong | September 2013
Overview
Assisting students with
Learning difficulties can be an obstacle to getting ahead, educationally, professionally and personally. Diagnostic tools, specifically designed for local use, are now available to help to identify such difficulties, dyslexia, attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (AD/HD) and autism spectrum disorder (ASD) being the most common. Many ordinary public schools in Hong Kong have integrated classrooms with teachers trained to cater for their special educational needs (SEN). However, although the policy is in place, and a Whole School Approach to integrated education is monitored by inspectors and supported by specialists, its impact is uneven.
In writing, characters and letters may be written stroke by stroke slowly, or with components placed wrongly.
AD/HD
The symptoms of AD/HD are not always easy to interpret and there are competing theories about its causes. They include inattention and/or hyperactivity and impulsivity, traits often seen in children. However, experts look for behaviour that is more extreme and which occurs more frequently than in the normal child. Children with AD/HD are often disruptive and lack focus. They have difficulty paying attention to detail, are impatient and may not follow rules. They might get into danger without realizing it. Many symptoms vary with age and stage of development. They can affect the childs ability to learn or bond, leaving him/her isolated and increasingly frustrated.2
Dyslexia
Approximately one in ten Hong Kong students1 is affected by dyslexia, a phenomenon that only been recently has been recognized in Chinese. It is not caused by intellectual disabilities, sensory impairment, environmental factors or emotional problems but includes difficulties in word recognition, failure to recognize and read characters or words, errors in pronunciation despite repeated study, mixing up characters or letters with similar shapes, and reading slowly.
Overview
learning difficulties
The current proportion of students affected with AD/HD in Hong Kong is approximately 3-5%, with boys more frequently affected than girls.3 AD/HD often occurs in Hong Kong dyslexics according to recent studies.4 use of language. Autistics often focus on specifics, like the wheels on a toy car, rather than playing with the entire toy, and a need for routine.6 They may also excel in visual skills, music, maths or art, for example. In June 2013 the Department of Healths Child Assessment Service which assesses children under 12 for developmental problems said it would refer to the 5th edition of the American Psychiatric Association's Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, (DSM-5) for its definition of ASD.7 It includes autistic disorder, Asperger's syndrome, pervasive developmental disorder and childhood disintegrative disorder. According to DSM-5, about 10% of Hong Kong children formerly diagnosed with autism will not meet the criteria. There are about 25,000 autistic children currently registered in Hong Kong,8 but no official figures for the prevalence rate of Aspergers syndrome.9
Autism
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) results from impaired neurological development that has an effect on normal brain function, affecting communication and social interaction skills.5 Most people with autism have intellectual disabilities, difficulties in motor coordination and attention, and physical health issues. Core symptoms include failure to make friends with children the same age, lack of interest in sharing enjoyment, and difficulty understanding other peoples feelings. There are often delays in speech development and repetitive
Hong Kong Education Bureau Definitions

Specific learning difficulties (SpLD)
According to the EDBs current definition, SpLD generally refers to severe and persistent difficulties in learning to read and write, often known as dyslexia. Other than performing significantly worse than other students of the same age, those with SpLD also have deficits which include reading and writing-related cognitive skills. In Hong Kong, SpLD is diagnosed by educational psychologists or clinical psychologists.
AD/HD
AD/HD refers to a disorder affecting childrens attention, hyperactivity and impulse control, which make them behave in a significantly different way from others of their age. Such differences hinder their learning as well as their social and family lives. Children with AD/HD have more difficulties in executive skills, such as planning, organization and self-regulation when compared to those of the same age. In Hong Kong, AD/HD is diagnosed by psychiatrists or paediatricians with relevant professional training.
ASD
ASD is a developmental disorder caused by malfunctioning of the brain. Students with ASD display impairments in three aspects of their daily lives, namely social interaction, speech comprehension and expression, as well as behaviour. In Hong Kong, ASD is diagnosed by psychiatrists, paediatricians with relevant professional training, or clinical psychologists.
Note
The Child Assessment Service of Hong Kongs Department of Health uses A Primer in Common Developmental Disabilities published by the HKSAR Government in 2006. It states that, Dyslexia characterizes significant word recognition and spelling difficulties. The manual also refers to the WHO International Classification of Diseases (ICD-10) and the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th edition, Text Revision (DSM-IV-TR).10 Academic studies refer to the HKT-SpLD manual.11 For Special Learning Difficulties (SpLD), Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (AD/HD) and Autism Syndrome Disorder (ASD), the EDB uses definitions based DSM-IV-TR12 and the fact sheet of the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development.
Overview
Assessments
In Hong Kong, assessments for dyslexia in English and Chinese are available through Department of Health Child Assessment Centres. Parents need a referral letter from a registered doctor or psychologist for registration. NGOs and private educational, medical, and psychological practices also conduct assessments.13 Services include behavioural and developmental assessment, and support in the form of information workshops and parenting skills training groups. To be diagnosed with autism, a patient must display three required symptoms in communication and two of four in behaviour. Then there are three levels of support needed.14 It can take up to one year from a child being first identified as autistic to being assessed, due to a lack of manpower and a surge in demand because of growing awareness of autism, reading and writing difficulties and speech impediments.15
Shortfalls and shortcomings

In a large scale survey17 last year stakeholders in integrated education, including principals, teachers, parents and students expressed frank views on its inadequacies. The survey found that only 83% of Hong Kongs ordinary schools had actually admitted SEN students. Of these, less than half had adopted the Whole School Approach advocated by the EDB. Furthermore, 90% of the special needs students attended just 25% of schools. Attitudes in Hong Kong are mixed.18 The survey revealed discrimination and the selective admittance by some schools of students with learning difficulties. Furthermore, the level and extent to which teachers have been trained to cope with such students is not yet adequate. Demand has mushroomed as assessment, screening and diagnosis have improved.
Educational choices
Children with special needs are either integrated into mainstream government or private schools or, if their difficulties are severe, they attend special schools. The Committee on Special Educational Needs under the Curriculum Development Council is responsible for formulating policy and overseeing curriculum development for them.16 In the 2012/ 2013 school year, there were 60 aided special schools. These are subvented by the government and operated by NGOs. Some serve as resource centres to support ordinary schools which cater for students with SEN. There were also 31,390 SEN pupils in ordinary schools. The EDB provides additional resources and professional support to allow all such schools to admit students with SEN. There is also funding for Englishmedium primary and secondary education for students with special needs. HK$28.3 million a year goes to the Jockey Club Sarah Roe School and learning support centres in some English Schools Foundation schools.
Much to be done
While more attention is being paid to those with learning difficulties than in the past, there remain pockets not only of prejudice, but of inadequate support. Special educational services have made strides, but there is much to be done to raise public awareness of the effects of ignorance and stigma, to upgrade and extend teacher training, to broaden the scope of parent education and to extend policy for integrated education at tertiary level. In the end, what matters most is not the cost but the quality of integrated education and the opportunity to learn and maximize potential in the company of fellow students. The sense of belonging, inclusion and fulfilment which can result are a fundamental right. It is not only an obligation for educators, but a responsibility for the entire community to aim for that goal.
Overview
Integrated education in Hong Kong schools : how we got here
1977 1981 1986 1990 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 2002 2001 2004 2007
White Paper on Rehabilitation: policy statement for development of Integrated Education (IE) Education Department report replaces many special classes with remedial service 2-year pilot project integrates pre-school SEN children into ordinary kindergartens HK Education Commission Report recommends more segregation in special schools UNESCO Salamanca Statement calls for inclusive education Hong Kong White Paper on Rehabilitation: equal opportunities and full participation Disability Discrimination Ordinance enacted 2-year pilot project begins for integration of pupils with special needs 1 Baseline Survey on Public Attitudes towards Persons with a Disability 80 integrated primary schools and 36 integrated secondary schools Code of Practice on Education under Disability Discrimination Ordinance introduced to schools Whole School Approach to IE initiated Hong Kong Rehabilitation Programme Plan includes AD/HD, SpLD and (ASD) for first time Framework on IE launched training for Campaign and judicial review for right to education for SEN students after the age of 18
st
Notes, sources and further reading 1. Dyslexia affects 9.7% to 12.6%. Chan, DW, et al. Prevalence, gender ratio and gender differences in reading-related cognitive abilities among Chinese children with dyslexia in Hong Kong. Educational Studies, 33, 249-265. 2007. 2. http://www.webmd.com/add-adhd/guide/adhd-symptoms?page=2 3. http://www.dhcas.gov.hk/english/health_pro/files/SeriesII_ADHD_Eng.pdf 4. Ho, CSH. "Understanding reading disability in the Chinese language." Chap 8, Handbook of Chinese Psychology, 2nd ed. Bond, MH. New York: Oxford University Press, 2010. 5. http://www.autismspeaks.org/what-autism 6. http://www.webmd.com/brain/autism/autism-symptoms 7. South China Morning Post, p. C4, 14 June 2013. 8. http://www.autismchildren.org.hk/engpage3.html 9. http://www.autismpartnership.com.hk/eng/aboutautism/what-is-asperger-syndrome.php 10. http://www.psychiatry.org/practice/dsm/summary-oftext-changes-from-dsm-iv-to-dsm-iv-tr 11. Ho, CSH et al. The Hong Kong test of specific learning difficulties in reading and writing (HKT-SpLD) manual. Hong Kong Specific Learning Difficulties Research Team. 2000. 12. http://www.psychiatry.org/practice/dsm/summary-oftext-changes-from-dsm-iv-to-dsm-iv-tr 13. http://www.dhcas.gov.hk/english/scope_ser/scope_ser_oas.html 14. South China Morning Post, op cit. 15. South China Morning Post, op cit. 16. http://www.edb.gov.hk/en/curriculum-development/majorlevel-of-edu/special-educational-needs/index.html 17. Study on Equal Learning Opportunities for Students with Disabilities under the Integrated Education System by Centre for Special Educational Needs and Inclusive Education at the Hong Kong Institute of Educati on, 2012. http://www.eoc.org.hk/ EOC/Upload/UserFiles/File/ResearchReport/201109/DisabilityReport(eng).pdf 18. http://www.eoc.org.hk/EOC/GraphicsFolder/InforCenter/ Research/content.aspx?ItemID=9929
2007/08 SEN in all public sector schools 2010
2nd Baseline Survey on Public Attitudes 2011/12 towards Persons with a Disability revealed changes since 1st survey Special schools: 7,946 students with major disabilities compared to 6,442 in 2009/2010 Mainstream primary and secondary schools: 31,390 students with other disabilities
2012/13
16,280 students identified with SpLD compared to 12,960 in 2009/2010 3,370 students with ASD compared to 2,050 in 2009/2010 3,740 students with AD/HD compared to 2,230 in 2009/2010
HKFYG services for special educational needs
The Federations services to students with SEN are delivered by three units, the HKFYG Jockey Club Student Support Centre (SSC), the Student Guidance Team (SGT), and the School Social Work Unit (SSW). SSC delivers services to dyslexic students, teachers and parents through Project Easy. SGT services are for dyslexic, AD/HD & ASD primary school pupils. SSW serves SEN students of secondary schools. Support for primary and secondary students is also given at the HKFYG Youth Assessment & Development Centre (YADC), used by parents who seek assessments and training. For full details see pages 26-27.
Interviews
answer to special needs M

Catching up
Hong Kongs
rs Betty Ip Tsang Chui-hing is Deputy Secretary for Education. She set the scene for the Youth Hong Kong editorial team, outlining the progress made in the citys integrated education system. The Education Bureau supplied further details for this article and for the two essays contributed by students who attended the interview.
The term Integrated Education (IE) is used in Hong Kong to refer to the assimilation of students with special educational needs (SEN) who will benefit from being at ordinary schools. It has been practised in Hong Kong for some decades, said Mrs Ip. Out of todays population of approximately 600,000 students in aided, caput* or government primary and secondary schools, 31,390 (about 5%) have been assessed to have SEN. Learning difficulties may stem from physical or intellectual disabilities or developmental disorders, but there has been a recent upsurge in Specific Learning Difficulties in reading and writing (SpLD/dyslexia),
Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD), and Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (AD/HD). Over half of all students assessed to have SEN are dyslexic. For most of them IE is of great benefit. The Disability Discrimination Ordinance states that no student can be denied access to a place at an ordinary school. Efforts to bring the relevant EOC Code of Practice on Education into effect were stepped up in the early 2000s when it was evident that support measures were needed for schools to implement the concept of IE. Mrs Ip admitted that, We have been catching up in the last decade. Although we are not yet on a par with western countries we are getting closer.
Sources * a caput school is a non-profit-making private secondary school https://www.ab.ust.hk/hro/PubDoc/new_staff_guide/resources/school_types_in_hk.pdf
Interviews
From child health to vocational training

To understand special education in Hong Kong, it is important to know of the various government departments and sectors that work together to provide the support needed for disabled children and those with learning difficulties.
Department of Health and Hospital Authority

First, when parents take babies to the Maternal & Child Health Centres (MCHCs) for vaccination, nurses will conduct interviews to identify any developmental problems. If necessary, they arrange a preliminary developmental assessment by a doctor. If they are concerned about a childs development, parents can also consult the MCHC nurses and doctors who are trained to identify early signs of potential disabilities. Referral to a Child Assessment Centre (CAC) run by either the Department of Health or the Hospital Authority may follow. CACs have multidisciplinary teams who can provide a comprehensive evaluation and make recommendations on special needs and whether children should go to ordinary primary or special schools. At the age of five, before admission to Primary 1 but at an age when the symptoms of dyslexia may first be manifested, further assessment takes place for those who have been through CACs and are considered at-risk by their parents or kindergarten teachers.
Education Bureau (EDB)

The EDB takes over support and funding once children with special needs start primary school. It provides an annual subsidy of up to HK$1.5 million per school. The sum is governed by the number of children with SEN at the school and the level of support they require.
University Grants Committee (UGC) & Vocational Training Council (VTC)

Educational institutions funded by the UGC have recurrent block grants to support students with SEN and the VTC offers both subvented and selffinanced programmes for such students. In the 201314 Budget, the Financial Secretary proposed injections of HK$40 million to be made to establish scholarships for post-secondary students with SEN. It is expected that about 100 such scholarships will be awarded every year to students studying locally, in full-time, accredited, local post-secondary programmes.
Social Welfare Department (SWD)

If impairments are diagnosed, the SWD then gives support at Early Education Training Centres, Special Child Care Centres, and through Integrated Programmes. These are for two to six year-olds and are offered in about 200 Hong Kong kindergartens, nurseries or other centres. Currently SWD has 6,000 places at these pre-school rehabilitation centres but there is a very long waiting list.
by Lilian Ma
Year 1 Wellesley College, US.
Funding
Mrs Ip told us that the EDB implements IE according to five basic principles and has three major roles to play in the support for students with SEN. First, it provides additional funding for public sector ordinary primary and secondary schools. For the 2012-13 financial year, the approved estimated budget for education was HK$59.7 billion, or 22.6% of all recurrent government spending. In addition, there is HK$1 billion specifically for IE, she explained. This includes a Learning Support Grant (LSG) of HK$10,000 to 20,000 per SEN student. The cap is HK$1.5 million per school. The EDB also provides subsidies for speech therapy services in all public sector primary schools when needed.
Interviews
Five basic principles for IE

The Education Bureau strongly believes that five basic principles are crucial for implementing integrated education (IE) to cater for students with Special Educational Needs (SEN). They are: Early Identification Early Intervention Whole School Approach Home school co-operation Cross-sector collaboration A Whole School Approach (WSA) is adopted by schools to cater for students with SEN. With the improvement in the identification tools and mechanisms, more students have been assessed with SEN in ordinary schools. Not only are more teachers needed to support them, schools must also set up a policy on how to adopt a WSA to take care of them. Schools must also have a mechanism for reviewing their needs, for communicating with the parents and for deciding on the extra support needed from specialists such as educational psychologists and speech therapists. Home school co-operation is needed and schools should be responsible for developing a supportive partnership with parents. Schools may advise parents on how to help their children, particularly at home, and inform them of the childrens progress. Reciprocally, parents must let the school know about their childrens needs. Both parents and schools must adopt a similar protocol at school and at home so that students with SEN can follow guidance and instructions. Cross-sector collaboration is the fifth basic principle. Different students need different types of support and school personnel cannot always provide it. For example AD/HD students may need support from medical professionals about treatment and students with speech and language problems may need therapy from speech therapists. Hence, schools must work collaboratively with various sectors, including but not limited to the welfare, medical and rehabilitation sectors.
Early identification of students with SEN is important because without it, essential early intervention cannot happen. The Maternal and Child Health Centres conduct initial assessments for children suspected to have developmental problems and make referrals to the Child Assessment Service (CAS) which has multi-disciplinary personnel. Primary 1 teachers are also provided with tools to screen for students with learning difficulties at an early stage. Early intervention takes place once professionals of the CAS have identified development disorders or adjustment difficulties. They refer the children with disabilities who require preschool rehabilitation services to the Social Welfare Department for placement and support. Pupils with mild difficulties are encouraged to attend ordinary schools. However those with more severe or multiple disabilities usually go to special schools.
by Chun Yu Yiu
Year 10, Island School
The Chinese University of Hong Kong has developed a resource kit for pupils in Hong Kongs mainstream schools who have ASD (autism spectrum disorder). Called the Social Thinking Training kit, it has cue-cards which have been translated into Cantonese. Social Thinking is relatively new in the field of autism and special education, it is linked to Cognitive Behavioral Therapy approaches. Originally devised by American speechlanguage pathologist, Michelle Garcia Winner, the kit has been localized for use in Hong Kong as part of a joint project of the Chinese University, the Rehabilitation Service of Caritas and the Education Bureau.i Tested in 14 secondary schools it will now go to 154 more schools as well as to NGOs concerted with autism.
10
1. http://www.educationpost.com.hk/resources/education/cuhk-develops-resource-kit-enhance-social-skills-among-autistic-students-be
Interviews
Training
Second, the EDB has implemented a 3-tier teacher training framework and courses at three levels: Basic, Advanced and Thematic. At the end of the 2011/12 school year, 99% of public sector primary schools had 10% or more teachers with Special Education (SE) training. About 80% of these schools had 30% or more with SE training. At public sector ordinary secondary schools, 16% of teachers had been trained at the basic level. This lower figure may be a result of the introduction of the new senior secondary curriculum, which has also involved efforts in teacher development. Nevertheless, 80% of all public sector secondary schools have 10% or above of teachers with SE training. The first round of a 5-year teacher training programme began in 2007/08 and the second is underway. Pre-service teacher training at tertiary level also includes core modules on catering for SEN for all students and catering for students with diverse needs is an element in training for new school principals.
A road map for the development of services

Mrs Ip concluded by talking about the future. We need more support for schools, more teacher training, more collaboration with NGOs, and more publicity, she said. We also need to step up promotion of the Disability Discrimination Ordinance and Code of Practice on Education, now that we have new teachers in our schools. Nevertheless, I think we have most of the elements of inclusive education in place. We have done quite a lot in the past ten years or so and we will do our very best in the coming decade. Mrs Ip ended in Cantonese, In English, We are not there yet. There is always something better to strive for.
(SEN) SEN / SEN ;
Professional support and monitoring

Third, the EDB provides schools with professional support through the assessment and consultation services of educational psychologists, speech therapists and audiologists. It also supports school networking for sharing of good practices, and develops teaching resources for use of teachers and parents, and professional advice on curriculum adaptation, assessment accommodation and teaching strategies. Our inspectors also visit all public sector ordinary schools at least once a term. They look at school-based support for students with SEN, give advice, check progress in teacher training, check how effectively schools are spending LSG and see how effective communication is with parents.
11
Interviews
Integrated education
significant room for improvement
r York Chow, Chairperson of the Equal Opportunities Commission told us about the imbalances and inadequacies in Hong Kongs integrated education system. He was joined by colleagues Dr Ferrick Chu, Head of Policy and Research, and Ms Kitty Lam, Senior Policy and Research Officer. The interview was conducted by Youth Hong Kongs editor Elaine Morgan, and two students, Lucien Wang and Christy Chan.
Integrated Education is a key area for the Equal Opportunities Commission (EOC) which formulated the Code of Practice on Education under the Disability Discrimination Ordinance1 in 2001. It was adopted in Hong Kong schools, but in 2012, recognizing the extent to which there was still significant room for improvement, the EOC commissioned the Study on Equal Learning Opportunities for Students with Disabilities under the Integrated Education System.2 The outcome was a report compiled by the Centre for Special Educational Needs and Inclusive Education at the Hong Kong Institute of Education. Its survey included nearly one quarter of all Hong Kongs publicly funded primary and secondary schools. This revealed that although the Integrated Education programme was implemented over ten years ago, its impact was unbalanced.
Inadequacies and problems

Of the representative sample of 230 schools which participated in the survey only 83% had admitted special educational needs (SEN) students. 48% of them had adopted the Whole School Approach. However, 75% of the 230 schools had 10% of the SEN students between them whereas 25% of the schools had 90%. Dr Chows view is that the maximum number of SEN students in any one school should be 10% of the total in order to be in line with the concept of integrated education.
12
Between the ages of two and six ... is the golden period of intervention when the mind absorbs like a sponge and so treatment is likely to be more effective.
Interviews
Figure 1 What teachers and parents know about resources for integrated education 50% 45% 40% 35% 30% 25% 20% 15% 10% 5% 0%
47% 35% 30% 21% 9% 24% 28% 16% 34%
Principals Teachers
30% 29% 30% 16%
28%
32% 31%
Parents of SEN students Parents of regular students

* EDB: Education Bureau ** SSRC: Special School Resource Centres *** HKEAA: Hong Kong Examinations and Assessment Authority
Extra funding for SEN students from EDB*
Support provided by SSRC**
EDB referrals for SEN students
Support for SEN students provided by HKEAA***
Note: Figures indicate the percentage of the total who know about the resources available
Figure 2 How parents of regular students view SEN students
SEN students disturb my child's learning
59%
39%
30%
27%
0 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% Source Study on Equal Learning Opportunities for Students with Disabilities under the Integrated Education System by Centre for Special Educational Needs and Inclusive Education at the Hong Kong Institute of Education, 2012 http://www.eoc.org.hk/EOC/ Upload/ResearchReport/ IE_eReport.pdf
SEN students occupy too many school resources and aect my child's learning Special arrangements for SEN children (e.g. mentorship after school, extra time for assessments) are unfair to my child SEN students bully my child
Disquieting survey results
40% 16% 70-90% 20% 31%

of teaching staff lack knowledge of resources to support inclusive education (see more in Figure 1) of principals and 59% of teachers are not familiar with the Code of Practice on Education under the Disability Discrimination Ordinance think momentum for integrated education comes from government, parents of SEN children and the general public, not schools of parents with SEN students are dissatisfied with some of the arrangements for learning and teaching in schools of SEN students say they are teased and 26% say they are bullied
more than
13
Interviews
Opportunities and obstacles

Rough transitions
By Lucien Wang
When Dr Chow was Secretary for Health, Welfare, and Food from 2004-2007, he was in charge of government welfare and rehabilitation policies. He initiated the review of the Rehabilitation Programme Plan (RPP), and recommended the inclusion of a new category of Learning and Developmental Disability. This specified Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (AD/ HD) and Specific Learning Difficulties (SpLD). At this point, the government began to give substantial resources for the identification and treatment of students with special needs. Diagnosis improved significantly, resulting in an exponential increase of students categorized as having SpLD. This was also because more parents were willing to come forward with children they were concerned about.
Another potential problem is the smooth transition from preschool and school years, especially through the crucial period of development between the ages of two and six. This is the golden period of intervention, says Dr Chow, when the mind absorbs like a sponge and so treatment is likely to be more effective. Another concern involves attitudes. Some disabled students are easier to deal with than others and Dr Chow says this may have led schools to become selective in admitting SEN students. According to a number of parents, schools in certain districts have far greater numbers of children with severe learning difficulties. Some schools might actively discriminate against and deliberately exclude children with learning difficulties while others might deliberately accept large numbers of them in order to increase overall student numbers and avert the threat of closure.5
Medical factors
As more and more babies survive extreme prematurity, and in-vitro fertilization has grown in popularity. Both may be factors leading to an increase in developmental problems, especially the more subtle learning and behavioural disorders, according to some paediatric experts. The increase in cases is not helped by a shortfall in rehabilitation services. At present, the Social Welfare Department (SWD) subsidises only about 6,000 preschool places for SEN students. Dr Chow recommends more government subsidies for private services in order to clear this and other service backlogs as thousands more are needed. Parents also need skills to support SEN children at home because many of them need intensive, sustained therapy. Dr Chow put it succinctly when he said SEN programmes need not only to treat the child, but also treat the whole family as well.
Discrimination and bullying

The existing policy cannot prevent schools discriminating against those at the bottom of the heap. Although written policy may conform, day to day practice may diverge widely from it. When there is discrimation it will affect attitudes throughout the school, of students and teachers alike. Most schools want to cooperate but many have their own problems: such as shortage of manpower and inadequate training. Providing more incentives for schools that handle children with behavioural or other difficult disabilities, including higher subsidies and designated manpower to deal with their therapy, would help. At the same time, there needs to be a quota, and an overall limit. Another obstacle to equality that Dr Chow sees is the proliferation of bullying throughout schools against SEN students. Bullying may be due to ignorance but schools need to take a very firm stand. It is imperative for schools to adopt a no-bullying policy, as students must understand how much it hurts to be insulted, victimized and vilified.
14
Interviews
Getting onto the right track
The EOC is negotiating with the government to make sure the right policy is in place to support young people with disabilities, including the specific learning difficulties that have only been recognized recently. Its strongest recommendations include better early identification at pre-school level especially for 2-6 year-olds, says Dr Chow. Adequate financial and human resources are needed, including strengthened training of teachers and effective use of funding. schools, community and government. If we see the situation deteriorating the government needs to know. Where failure of policy is concerned we are prepared to initiate a formal investigation or apply for a judicial review if necessary. We let it be known that we are prepared to go as far as this, but it is the last resort. Dr Ferrick Chu, EOCs head of Policy and Research, pointed out that although government efforts so far have made a big difference, there are still many shortcomings, and policy implementation has often just meant, doing bits and pieces.It is all about resources. There are not enough, but deciding what really is enough can only be done by measuring outcomes based on the reports of EDB inspectors. It is not easy, concluded Dr Chow. We need a coordinated basket of measures to serve the needs of the children, their parents and the schools. If we take government to court because they fail, their focus and effort will be on defending themselves. That is not what we want. Our aim is to improve the system and help students and parents in need.
Effective help for SEN students?

We are the guardians of the Discrimination Ordinance and we will fight for individuals rights, says Dr Chow. Equal opportunities need to be built into the value system. If that fails, the EOC can offer conciliation services. The next step is legal assistance and suing for compensation for an individual. The EOC also has an advocacy role to play. It is our duty and responsibility to work with the
2-6
Notes and sources 1. Code of Practice on Education under the Disability Discrimination Ordinance, 2001. http://www.eoc. org.hk/eoc/otherproject/eng/color/youthcorner/education/cop_edu/cop_edu_b.htm 2. Study on Equal Learning Opportunities for Students with Disabilities under the Integrated Education System by Centre for Special Educational Needs and Inclusive Education at the Hong Kong Institute of Education, 2012 http://www.eoc.org.hk/EOC/Upload/ResearchReport/IE_eReport.pdf 3. Tier-1 support generally refers to good quality teaching for all pupils, including those with diverse needs, in the regular classroom. 4. Tier-2 support is normally provided in the form of small group supplemental teaching for students with greater learning difficulties. 5. Tier-3 support refers to intensive individualized support. 6. http://www.edb.gov.hk/attachment/en/edu-system/special/support/wsa/3_tier_e.pdf 7. 2011 Baseline Survey on Public Attitudes towards Persons with a Disability by Policy 21 Limited, commissioned by EOC, 2011. http://www.eoc.org.hk/EOC/Upload/UserFiles/File/ResearchReport/201109/DisabilityReport(eng).pdf
Lucien Wang, Year 12, King George V School and Christy Chan, Year 1, University of Hong Kong, both took part in this interview.
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Interviews
recognition of problems, empowerment to cope
he READ & WRITE Project supports pupils with dyslexia in Hong Kong. Professor Connie Ho Suk-han, Department of Psychology at the University of Hong Kong, was Principal Investigator in Phase I (2006-2011) of this major project and Professor Pui-wan Cheng, Department of Educational Psychology at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, is Principal Investigator in Phase II (2011-2014). They explain the origins and progress in their work.
Dyslexia with Chinese characteristics

Chinese dyslexics have a different cognitive profile from those using alphabetic languages. They are below average in the ability to quickly name objects by connecting visual and verbal information, and in the orthographic skills of writing and spelling. Prof Hos research suggests that orthographic deficits may be the crux of the problem. Given the complicated writing rules for Chinese characters, orthographic skills can be a major hurdle. In addition, given the large number of homophones in Chinese, lack of morphological awareness, or the recognition, understanding, and use of word parts that carry significance, is another major predictor of dyslexia. A survey of dyslexia in Hong Kong children done by Prof Ho and colleagues in 19992000 revealed a prevalence rate of 9.7%-12.6%.
Sources and further reading
Dyslexia, now recognized as the most prevalent of all special learning difficulties in Hong Kong has been widely investigated in alphabetic languages, but the problem of Chinese dyslexia has only received attention recently. Prof Ho says that Chinese children have a different form of dyslexia compared to those who first learn an alphabetic language such as English (see box opposite). Not only are they at a disadvantage in terms of articulation and pronunciation, but their visuospatial processing is impaired. Therefore, it is very important to have local norms against which they can be measured.
Chan, DW, Ho, CSH, Tsang, SM et al. Prevalence, gender ratio and gender differences in reading related cognitive abilities in Hong Kong. Educational Studies, vol 33 (2), pp249-265, 2007. Ho CSH et al. Cognitive profilingin Chinese developmental dyslexia. Cognition, vol 91, pp43-75, 2004. Ho, CSH. Understanding reading disability in the Chinese language. Chap 8, Handbook of Chinese Psychology, 2nd ed. Bond, MH. New York: Oxford University Press, 2010. Ho, CSH. Encyclopedia of Language and Literacy Development. Canadian Language & Literacy Research Network. 30 January 2009. http:// literacyencyclopedia.ca/index.php?fa=items.show&topicId=261 Wai Ting Siok, Spinks, John A, Zhen Jin, Li Hai Tan 2009)."Developmental dyslexia is characterized by the coexistence of visuospatial and phonological disorders in Chinese children." Current Biology vol 19, 2009.
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Interviews
READ & WRITE Phase 1:

Assessment tools and support model for Hong Kong
Until the late 1990s there were no locally designed tools for identifying dyslexic children. Therefore, the Hong Kong Specific Learning Difficulties Research Team, set up by Prof Ho in 1998, began developing a set of standardized screening and assessment tools with local norms. This was very important because dyslexia in Chinese is so different.
Such programmes are rare in Chinese learning settings. Traditional approaches often identify and help students with a reading disability using a waitto-fail model rather than an early prevention model.
The full extent of the problem was revealed when the READ & WRITE project began in 2006. It provided evidence that 25% of Hong Kongs pre-school children were at risk of reading and writing difficulties. Worldwide, approximately 10% of all students are considered to have specific learning difficulties (SpLD) in reading and writing (dyslexia). About 30% of those also have AD/HD (attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder) and 2% of the entire school population are severely dyslexic. A survey of dyslexia in Hong Kong children done by Prof Ho and colleagues in 1999/2000 revealed a prevalence rate of 9.7%-12.6%. Standardised screening and assessment tools, plus a tiered school-based intervention model and support packages for Chinese mother-tongue students were then produced by the researchers for use from preschool to secondary levels. Prof Ho explained, We began training teachers and frontline workers and
Strikingly different: Hong Kong and Beijing

Prof Hos research revealed that not only are there differences between dyslexia in Chinese and alphabetic languages, but there are also distinct regional variations. Children in Beijing speak Mandarin, read simplified Chinese script and learn to use the Pinyin system from the age of 6. In Hong Kong, where Cantonese is spoken, language is taught using traditional characters. Learning to read is done with the look-and-say method. These differences in the ways in which language is taught have a significant effect on developmental dyslexia because they place different demands on a child who is learning to read and write, even in the same language.
they were empowered to support dyslexic children. We also increased public awareness of children with reading and writing difficulties. As a result, about 21%-24% of children with reading and writing difficulties then reached the benchmark of Chinese literacy which beforehand they had failed to attain. As Prof Ho writes in her contribution to the Handbook of Chinese Psychology, It has been a challenge to develop an evidence-based approach for teaching students with reading difficulties, and such programmes are rare in Chinese learning settings. Traditional approaches often identify and help students with reading problems using a wait-tofail model rather than an early prevention model.
17
Interviews
READ & WRITE Phase 2:

Empowering teachers, frontline workers and parents
Prof Cheng said, "Primary school teachers in Hong Kong are encouraged by the Education Bureau to identify children with learning difficulties as early as Grade 1 so that timely support can be offered. However, if we trace back the history of those who were identified as dyslexic at this level, we find that they already had reading difficulties at pre-school age. The project grew in a context where biliteracy and trilingualism is expected, she continued. This means that frontline personnel need to understand not only the nature of the child with specific learning difficulties but also their cognitive and emotional development. More than half of Hong Kongs existing educational psychologists need to be trained to provide adequate support to dyslexic students. This training is underway, but Prof Cheng noted that to sustain long-term support for primary students with reading difficulties, teachers need to develop training skills themselves so that they can become trainers for colleagues and parents. So far, 70-80% of all primary language teachers and about 22% of the total, have basic training.
Phase 2 of the project is addressing their needs, providing further training for primary teachers and educational psychologists, and offering parents support. 96% of local primary schools have teachers enrolled in the READ & WRITE 30-hour teacher training course so far and about 4,700 primary teachers have completed the training. The goal is 5,000 by the end of the project next year. Teacher training is also offered to kindergarten school principals and teachers in Phase 2. The response to training programmes at kindergartens has also been overwhelming: 1,000 trained so far with a target of 1,500.
The future
There are still grey areas in teachers attitudes, concluded Prof Ho. In the past they would say, Its not my problem. Today more of them understand that it is their responsibility to take care of special needs students in the ordinary classroom. Some told us they used to be scared, but they now feel better equipped. Prof Cheng says teachers engagement in all schools is essential if students with special needs are to have equal opportunities. We must remember that these teachers dont only have to teach dyslexics but many other kinds of special needs students as well, on top of their normal work and administration loads. Although attitudes are improving and both the schools and parents appreciate the improvements, some teachers still feel helpless, especially in the less affluent areas where there are schools that have classes with up to 30% of special needs students.
Some teachers still feel helpless, especially in the less affluent areas where there are schools that have classes with up to 30% of special needs students.
18
Interviews
Some community services for SEN in Hong Kong

SEN in general
Child and Family Centre http://childandfamilycentre.com.hk Email: info@childandfamilycentre.com.hk Tel: 2543 0993 Heep Hong Society http://www.heephong.org.hk Email: info@heephong.org Tel: 2776 3111 Po Leung Kuk http://www.poleungkuk.org.hk/en Email: plkinfo@poleungkuk.org.hk Tel: 2277 8888 Watchdog Early Learning Centre www.watchdog.org.hk Email: info@watchdog.org.hk Tel: 2521 7364
AD/HD
F.O.C.U.S. www.focus.org.hk Email: info@focus.org.hk Tel: 2849 8218 Hong Kong Association for AD/HD www.adhd.org.hk.org Email: info@adhd. Tel: 6356 4053 Pathways Foundation http://www.pathways.org.hk/en/?page= Email: info@pathways.org.hk Tel: 2870 1377
Autism spectrum disorder

Autism Children Foundation http://www.autismchildren.org.hk Email: info@autismchildren.org.hk Tel: 2854 9115 Autism Partnership Hong Kong http://www.autismpartnership.com.hk Email: info@autismpartnershiphk.com Tel: 2526 3812 Childrens Institute of Hong Kong http://www.tcihk.org Email: info@tcihk.org Tel: 2812 2144, 2816 5222 Autism Recovery Network http://autismrecovery.hk/ Email: info@autosmrecovery.hk Tel: 2854 9113
Dyslexia
Dyslexia Association of Hong Kong www.dyslexia.org.hk Email: info@dyslexia.org.hk Tel: 2719 2945 Hong Kong Association for Specific Learning Disabilities http://www.asld.org.hk/ email: ha@asld.org.hk Tel: 2340 0803 The Society of Boys' Centres Hongkong Bank Foundation Learning Development Centre http://www.sbclds.org.hk Email: lds@sbc.org.hk Tel: 8200 3522
READ & WRITE project major components Research, development & production of screening and assessment tools Tiered school-based support and intervention model Training for primary school teachers of Chinese Training for principals and teachers in kindergartens Training and support for parents, social workers and educational psychologists Public education to enhance awareness and understanding of dyslexic children
READ & WRITE is supported by The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust and organized in collaboration with the Education Bureau, The University of Hong Kong, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, the Heep Hong Society and the Society of Boys Centres. Phase 2 of READ & WRITE will end in 2014. More information at http://www.fed.cuhk.edu.hk/~tdspld/content/eng/ Go to http://web.hku.hk/~hksld/index_e.html for information about the Hong Kong Specific Learning Difficulties Research Team and its work.
1990 2006
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Profile
with words
Struggling
Training has helped me focus my minds eye. Three intertwined strands hold it in place. Like an anchor rope.
rin, now 22, had a squint corrected with surgery when she was three. Then her A lot of my Hong Kong teachers meant well parents saw her index finger and thumb Erin but it was still awful. A counsellor recognized would not close. She went to school and had I was dyslexic but knew the school had no trouble reading. Then she tried to play the resources for handling people like me, so she didnt pass on the information. A Chinese teacher wanted piano with her shoulder.
My mother is originally from New to help but had to work out for herself that I was dyslexic. Some people are intuitively like peas in a pod. I am a long way outside the pod. Others, like that teacher, act like a magnet and draw me closer to the pod. That makes it easier to communicate.
was brought up in Hong Kong. They wanted me to learn Chinese so I went to a Chinesemedium government school. It was not a pressure cooker school but there were people there who thought I was stupid when they saw I couldnt read.
Erin Zealand, as is my Chinese father, but I
Anchoring words
Mother would not be able to read. For a long time
I never expected that a daughter of mine
I thought it was a deficiency in me. I tried They put me in RC, the remedial class, with all the other problem children. Then one of my teachers recognized to teach her. Home was like a library. I expected her to be able to read early, like me, before primary school. The that I had gross motor skill problems. It was my first first book she read was Harry Potter at the age of 11. piano lesson. To make my hand move it looked to her as if I was trying to play the piano with my shoulder. When I left my Hong Kong school they were Erin relieved. It was, half way through the year when Just left handed? I should have taken the public examinations. Now, training has helped me focus my minds I kept telling the doctors, theres something Mother wrong with her. They kept saying she eye. Three intertwined strands hold it in place. Like an anchor rope. It helps words and letters stay still. It was left-handed. Our first real diagnosis gets tangled up though, especially when Im tired. came from a Queen Mary Hospital paediatrician and a government educational psychologist. We were told Reading and writing for me is like being blind to deal with the gross motor skills disabilities first, or deaf. An idea is like a movie. Imagine reading then the intellectual skills, then finer motor control. something over and over and never being sure what you have read. For 3 years I walked past a sign that We tried special schools in Canada, the US, and said, No Dogs. I was sure it said No Dogs. Then Australia. Then we tried a lot of work with phonics somebody told me it actually said No Buses. at home, but in the end secondary school in New Zealand was the solution, even though they still use some of the teaching techniques that caused Ed: Erin is now in New Zealand doing a degree in problems in the government school in Hong Kong. social work with assistance from a reader/writer.
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Guest
Starting to support
those who are different
by whitecat sg
eidi Hui Sim-kiu teaches the Common Core Curriculum course on Being Different: Understanding People with Disabilities at the Department of Social Work & Social Administration at the University of Hong Kong. With Her experience and familiarity with Integrated Education dates back to the 1990s. She comments on developments since then and shortcomings now.
Health or the Hospital Authority. Pre-school children who have been assessed at a CAC can get help at various centres once at primary school. For those with no past history of disabilities or learning difficulties there is a preliminary test which identifies problems such as dyslexia. If necessary, the children will then be referred to specialists through the Student Support Team. Compare this to New Zealand, for example, where parents can fill in a form as the child enters school, list any problems they have noticed and say what help they think is needed. In Hong Kong parents are never consulted in this way. They are given support but the process is slow and bureaucratic.
I was a member of the Steering Group for the Education Departments 1997-1999 Pilot Scheme on Integrated Education (IE). Its work led to the first integration of pupils with special needs in seven ordinary primary schools and two ordinary secondary schools. By 2002 there were 80 integrated primary schools and 36 integrated secondary schools. Today its illegal for primary schools and secondary schools to refuse students because of their special educational needs or disabilities. Little attention was paid to learning difficulties such as dyslexia before then because little was known about them in Hong Kong. Furthermore, it was believed that dyslexia did not affect Chinese. Now, assessment for special educational needs (SEN) is much better, but there are long queues, especially for pre-school rehabilitation.
Improvements with shortfalls

At kindergarten level or earlier, if parents notice something unusual about a childs language development, or if he or she has other difficulties, they can visit a Maternal & Child Health Centre. Subsequently they can request a referral to a Child Assessment Centre (CAC) run by the Department of
Parents of disabled children have cried out for help for years. ...They believe that with better nurture and education, there is a higher chance of their kids becoming self-reliant.
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Guest
by happy via
Provision, frustration and complaints

Although the situation is better than it was, much depends on a schools culture. I think limited resources, heavy workloads and the poor teacher to student ratio all affect that culture. Some even comment, rather extremely, that integrated education should be abolished if it does not have sufficient resources and support. We have to bear in mind that before the formal implementation of the pilot scheme in 1997, children with SEN had been attending ordinary schools, particularly those children with ADHD or dyslexia. Without any support, they were usually described as naughty and disobedient. In the 1997-1999 Pilot Scheme we recommended that integrated mainstream schools have one additional resource teacher in each class with five SEN students. When there were eight SEN students we recommended one additional resource teacher plus one part-time teaching assistant. Today, we still dont have this. As a result, provision is considered inadequate. As a parent of a disabled child myself I have been very frustrated. Some parents have complained and advocacy groups have been trying to approach the Education Bureau (EDB) and Equal Opportunities Commission via the Ombudsman. Parents of disabled children have cried out for help for years. They have requested adequate resources and supportive services for their children from the government and other concerned organizations. They believe that with better nurture and education, there is a higher chance of their kids becoming self-reliant.
Inclusion, integration and labelling

In the pilot scheme, we recommended that the Education Department (now the EDB) adopt integrated not inclusive education. Now, they sometimes use the terms inclusive school, inclusive practice and inclusive values. Maybe this sounds more positive than integrated education. In inclusive education there are no special schools, no special education and children with all forms of disability are in the regular classroom. In integrated education those who will benefit from mainstream schools have the right to go to them. Inclusive education, per se, is not necessary in Hong Kong because of geographical proximity. If you do not accept the label of SEN here, your child, and the school she and he attends, will not be entitled to special services and subsidies. For each child who needs an Individualized Education Programme because of their SEN, the school will get a subsidy of HK$20,000. Students may also have a longer time to do exams, or have a reader/ writer to help them, or maybe a computer. It all depends on professional assessment and recommendations. The number of students around the world diagnosed as dyslexic or with AD/HD has risen dramatically, but over-diagnosis may not exist in Hong Kong. Professionals are quite hesitant to label children and usually advise the parents to wait. Formal assessment is usually offered only after children enter primary school. But still, even with the label, the resources are not forthcoming. The big issue is where to draw the line, where to place the cut-offs for varying levels of disability and learning difficulty.

Ms Hui has been the Vice-Chairman of the Heep Hong Society Services Committee since 2003, she was a Member of the 2005-2007 Rehabilitation Programme Plan Review Working Group, is a Certified Cognitive Therapist and the mother of a child with Downs Syndrome.
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Guest
impaired child S
ince 1985 the author has been working in Hong Kong as a Speech and Language Therapist. In this guest contribution she explores the roots of language-based learning difficulties and the ways in which the local environment affects them.
by Katherine Just Photography
The language
by Melinda Sturges
The precise causes of specific learning difficulties are uncertain. However, it is known that there are differences in the way the brains of affected individuals process information. The varied nature of their problems suggests a fairly complex interplay between genetic and environmental factors and where language learning is involved there is a close relationship with specific language impairment (SLI).
have poor memories and weak listening skills. This is usually apparent right from the start of language development and helps to explain why speaking first words is delayed and vocabulary growth is slow. Specific language impairment (SLI) is a serious language disorder that is seen in very young children from the early stages of language development. It is neurologically based, and most likely genetic. Some of these children will go on to develop fairly normally, but many will have difficulties at school because language is so fundamental to learning. Some SLI children will show the signs of dyslexia when they start learning to read. In retrospect, some children with dyslexia will have a history of SLI but not all.
The brain: processing sounds of speech

The processing problems in SLI seem to relate to how the brain processes the sounds of speech and how it stores specific information about those sounds. Children with language-based learning difficulties also often
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Guest
Therapy: at clinics, school, and home

40% to 75% of preschool children diagnosed with SLI in English have reading difficulties. Speech Language Therapists (SLTs) are usually first involved with them between the ages of 2 and 4. The children are also often late talkers, have unclear speech, a very limited vocabulary that grows slowly, and difficulty constructing phrases or sentences. All of these restrict their ability to put thoughts into words and so affect their communication skills. SLTs work with a wide range of communication impairments including speech sound disorders, articulation problems, speech and language delay, fluency and voice disorders as well as autism spectrum disorders. Therapy is usually play-based in young SLI children and includes showing parents how to support them at home. Once the child with SLI is at primary school he or she may be considered to have a Specific Learning Difficulty, and both reading and writing would then be targeted by specialist teachers or therapists.
Culture, choice and attitudes

Because of the severe competition for Primary 1 places at prestigious schools, parents who seek a place there for a child may be reluctant to admit a problem on their application form. However, if supportive schools know in advance, they can make better arrangements. On the other hand, if a school isnt willing to deal with the childs learning difficulty then it isnt the right school for the child. This is difficult for parents to accept when there is so little choice. Monolingual English-speaking families often have no choice but to go to a private speech therapist anyway. Parents vary in their attitudes towards learning difficulties. Some are more likely to think there is something wrong with the particular child - something they were born with. They might even recognize similar difficulties in themselves. Others may tend to view the child as lazy, which could also be interpreted as reflecting on them. They might have great difficulty accepting the innate limitations of their child, believing that if they work hard enough and have enough tutoring, then the child will become normal. This can be very tough for children with learning difficulties who might forever feel they are not trying hard enough.
Parents preferences for private treatment

Parents may find very long waiting lists in government clinics and the lack of individual attention may lead them to seek a private therapist. There may also be concern about inadequate provision at school, teachers failing to identify the problem, and inability to provide individual support in a large class, despite the good intentions of a school. Furthermore, perhaps some parents dont want the school to find out there is a problem with the child, although this would always be picked up eventually. Hong Kong parents often choose private therapy because they can usually get an appointment straight away. They feel more in control, there would usually be much better follow up with teacher and other professionals are involved and there are regular discussions with the parents. These disorders are longlasting and a good supportive relationship between the therapist and the family is very important.
These disorders are longlasting, and a good supportive relationship between the therapist and the family is very important.
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Guest
Speech therapy: private sessions, typical fees

Universities offering Speech Language Therapy degree courses have clinics where fees for therapy with a student clinician are about HK$300 for a 45-minute session; with a staff clinician the rates are about HK$600 for 30-minute session. Rates in excess of HK$1,500 an hour may be charged in some of the more expensive private practices but there is a wide variation in Hong Kong depending on the type of practice. Theres usually an initial assessment charge which is at a higher rate as it includes a significant amount of follow-up and the cost of writing a detailed assessment report. Some therapists offer a course of therapy which could last from 6 to 20 weeks, whilst others might continue for an unspecified period. Some practices bill monthly, in advance, or per session
by kokoshiko1
Stress in a multilingual environment

High expectations put additional pressure on children who are already pretty stressed by the Hong Kong lifestyle with its early starts, hectic afterschool activities, additional courses and tutoring, extra languages and packed weekends, leaving little free time or opportunities for unstructured play. This undoubtedly has an impact on how well children deal with a whole range of difficulties. If they have developmental or learning difficulties as well then they will have fewer inner resources available to cope with them, and can be put under additional stress by ambitious parents. The language background of a child can also exacerbate the problem, especially if there is no dominant language. Many children here spend much of their time with weak models of English, such as helpers, and may attend bilingual or trilingual kindergartens. The extra pressure on children to learn Mandarin from an early age as well makes this worse. An SLI child who is already struggling with learning one language is going to find a multilingual environment very difficult and confusing. Usually the advice is to restrict the input to one language to ensure that this language at least has a chance to develop properly before re-introducing the other languages.
Melinda Sturges 1985
The writer works for Psychology Resources Ltd, 1-13 Hollywood Road, Central, Hong Kong
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Services
HKFYG
Support,
guidance and assessment

for special needs
he Federation offers a range of services to meet the needs of students with special educational needs. Support is given at the HKFYG Jockey Club Student Support Centre (SSC) in Tai Kok Tsui, by the Student Guidance Team (SGT) in primary schools and by the School Social Work Unit (SSW) at secondary schools. The HKFYG Youth Assessment & Development Centre (YADC) in Causeway Bay is used by parents who seek assessments and training.
What is the work of the HKFYG Jockey Club Student Support Centre?
The HKFYG Jockey Club Student Support Centre (SSC) was set up in January 2011 at G-1/F and 4-5/F, 54 Bedford Road, Tai Kok Tsui, Kowloon. It offers services to students with special educational needs (SEN) at schools and at the Centre in Tai Kok Tsui. Programmes are tailor-made and include strategic, interesting Chinese learning courses for dyslexic students to enhance learning skills and motivation. Attention training is also provided for students with symptoms of AD/HD. Sponsored by the Community Chest of Hong Kong, SSC launched Project Easy Dyslexic Students Counselling Service two years ago. It received a favourable response so a second phase was launched in August 2013 to run till July 2014. All-round services include school-based training, therapeutic groups, casework and self-esteem building programmes for potential and diagnosed dyslexic students. Talks and training workshops are provided for parents, teachers and youth workers to enrich their knowledge about how to help these students.
26
Services
How do the Student Guidance Team and School Social Work Unit work?
The Student Guidance Team (SGT) and School Social Work Unit (SSW) deliver services to dyslexic, AD/HD and ASD primary school pupils. SGT also organizes courses on language learning for dyslexic students, concentrating on multisensory skills to develop their reading and writing ability. Seminars and workshops are organized by SSW for dyslexic students to enhance learning motivation and build self-esteem.
What does the HKFYG Youth Assessment & Development Centre do?
Set up in August 2012 on 23/F Congregation House, Causeway Bay, The HKFYG Youth Assessment & Development Centre (YADC) offers assessments for dyslexia, AD/HD, IQ, speech impairments, autism spectrum disorder (ASD) including Aspergers syndrome, sensory integration/fine motor skills, emotional and behavioural problems. The emphasis is on dyslexia, AD/HD, IQ tests, speech disabilities and emotional/behavioural disturbances. YADC also offers the Comprehensive Ability Test for kindergarten children. It focuses on speech, cognitive and fine motor development. Parents concerned about development can take children to YADC where educational psychologists clinical psychologists, speech therapists, occupational therapists and special child care workers make assessments. They make referrals to child psychiatrists for medical follow up if necessary. YADC also provides individual or group training on social skills, attention, fine motor and sensory integration skills for children in need. Parents are also advised on appropriate parenting skills.
Some training materials used at YADC For dyslexia and attention: word cards, hand writing training tools, toys For speech therapy: story cards, toys with sounds. For occupational therapy swings, tunnels, cushions, bouncing balls, brushes, etc.
Enquiries
Student Support Centre http://ssc.hkfyg.org.hk Tel: 3422 3161 Fax: 3422 3165 Email: ssc@hkfyg.org.hk Open 9:30am-5:30pm Mon-Fri 9:00am-1:00pm on Sat Closed Sunday
Youth Assessment & Development Centre http://yadc.hkfyg.org.hk Tel: 2130 4050 Fax: 2130 4060 Email: yadc@hkfyg.org.hk Open 10:00am-6:00pm Mon-Wed 10:00am-8:00pm on Thur and Fri 10:00am-6:00pm on Sat Closed Sunday
27
Services
Educational psychologists provide consultations for teachers who need to motivate students with learning difficulties and help them keep trying. It is also important to share information on strategies with parents and encourage them to stay positive.
Working with teachers and parents

Normally, teachers share their concerns with parents before contacting me. When students are referred to me I find out about their behaviour and performance in class, and sometimes at home too. After making sure teachers and parents understand individual characteristics, we formulate supportive plans and meet periodically to monitor progress. Normally, we handle cases at school, but occasionally we need to meet in hospital with a doctor.
I visit schools only once every 2 to 3 weeks and the school staff are usually busy, so I can only follow up some cases after initial consultations. Since the social worker or social guidance teacher is the main contact point, their efforts have a great impact. However, if parents do not accept the students problems, and work against the school, it is very difficult to help.
Inclusive culture
The quality and intensity of support schools offer varies due to the differing needs of students and the ethos of each school. Teacher training is essential, but there are very few courses in Hong Kong which specialize in SEN. Teachers may have done only one module or just a few seminars during a 3-4 year undergraduate programme.
Strategies for parents

Key strategies for parents include a regular routine and good study habits. Chinese parents tend to be conservative and do not give compliments easily. I recommend encouraging rather than being critical. Parents should accept the child as he/she is, helping him/her to find their strengths and talents instead of spending all the time on remedial work and tutorial after tutorial. Parents also need emotional stability, then children will have a trusting and supportive home where they can ask for help.
Structure, not nagging

One boy had four different types of SEN. He was living with his mother and his father was dead. The mother worked part-time and received a government subsidy. The boy misbehaved at home and often quarrelled with his mother. I interviewed her and found she criticized, nagged and disciplined her son too much. I set up a meeting with them both and helped them set structured house rules.
by Annie Lee, Educational Psychologist, HKFYG, YADC
Understanding Dyslexia a Guide for Teachers and Parents from HKFYG This new book for the general reader has practical suggestions and case studies. Price: $80. Order form on page 53
Project Bridge: work for SEN youth from HKFYGs Youth Employment Network
Project Bridge, supported by the Keswick Foundation, is for youth diagnosed or considered to have learning difficulties. It provides them with a bridge to work. Youth with dyslexia, dyscalculia, language impairment, etc. are assessed and then given training to understand their strengths and vocational aptitudes. Employers who will give job placements and job trial opportunities are sought. HKFYG appeals to all potential employers to contact us. Call Daniel Fung, tel 3113 7999. Go to yen.hkfyg.org.hk/bridge for more details.
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by Mary(n_
In my six years experience as a school based psychologist for eight goverment-aided primary schools. I found that dyslexic students normally struggle academically.
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Problems faced
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A specialists observations
677117
Insight
A mothers way of helping T

his mother of two boys with special needs, is an untrained special support assistant who grew up in Hong Kong. She has taught SEN primary school children in another country for the last 6 years.
The students I help have dyslexia, ASD and AD/HD mostly. They lack focus and cant stay on task. They often need to move to think, so we walk a lot after the teacher has given the initial lesson information. While the rest of the children start working. I ask them to explain what the teacher was saying. If they grasped the concept great, but if not I try to explain. Then we think up ideas, return to class, write down a plan, make a draft and write it up. Some have difficulty writing so we do occupational therapy exercises with clay work and pegs. Some have difficulties with numbers and require more time to grasp the concepts. Some like my son are dyslexic and have tracking, reading, left to right confusion, spelling difficulties and can't grasp phonics so they are trained in sight reading. Those with speech and language difficulties are seen once a week for half an hour by a speech and language specialist. Parents often fail to acknowledge a problem and if they do, trying to get them to help is very challenging. I have no formal training but I am now at college doing a degree in education. I did a lot of online courses before that and constantly read about SEN because of my own childrens problems. I am spread too thin, so consistency and parental support are the biggest problems. When the children get the concept they are delighted, they feel part of the class and can join in and answer questions. Often they whisper the answer to me and I nod and encourage their response. It is wonderful to see their enthusiasm. I now look for and encourage the talents and interests they have and dont push them for academic results. By encouraging one, the other will eventually, in good time, come. I have one dyslexic son with low confidence and motivation. The other is on the autism spectrum. Both have learning and social skills deficits, both have AD/HD and severe executive functioning skills. They are on slow release Ritalin to enable them to cope. I believe some of their problems are genetic. They are the reason I gave up my US$100 per hour job as a massage/beauty therapist and became a US$70 dollars per day special support assistant at their school.
29
Youth watch
China
According to Chinas Ministry of Education statistics, there were 1,767 special education schools with 398,700 children who had disabilities in 2011. Mainstream schools provided education to another 225,200.1 However, statistics from the China Disabled Persons Federation show that about 28% of school-age children with disabilities do not go to school and 80% of them are in rural areas.2 In its policies and plans for education the Chinese government has outlined targets to raise the enrollment rate for children with disabilities so that it matches that of children without disabilities and reaches at least 90% enrollment by 2015.3 The World Health Organization estimates that China has at least one million children with autism. At present, they are taught or treated in schools with others who are mentally challenged.4
Japan
A 2006 revision of legislation added special needs education for students with learning disorders, such as dyslexia, and developmental disorders, including AD/ HD.5 A 2002 education ministry survey of about 40,000 public primary and junior high school students found about 2.5% exhibited difficulty reading and writing despite not being mentally disabled.6 Special schools are reserved for students whose severe disabilities cannot be accommodated in a local school. At local schools, children study full time in special classrooms, spend some time in resource rooms or are integrated in normal classrooms.7
United States
The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act25 requires that students with special needs have a free appropriate public education after an evaluation to determine their needs.26 5%-10% of all school children have Specific Learning Disorders. Dyslexia is the most common type.27 The percentage of US children with ASD (including Aspergers) was estimated at 2% in those aged 6-17, according to a national survey completed in 2012.28 Rates of AD/HD diagnosis increased by an average of 5.5% per year from 2003-2007.29 The American Psychiatric Association states that 3%-7% of school-aged children have AD/HD.30
How other places deal

with students
different
India
In India, the majority of children with special needs receive no formal education, in spite of the practice of integrated education in some schools. Children with disabilities and learning difficulties are normally segregated.17 According to Indias Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, one in every 88 children born in India is autistic. However there is low awareness of the disorder. Families with an autistic child and their children face harassment due to ignorance.18 The government first recognized the disorder in 2001. The Indian Disability Assessment and Evaluation Scale is now one of the tools now being used for diagnosis of autism.19
who are
Britain
Almost one in ten children has been classified as having special needs of some kind.20 In 2012, 53.7% of such pupils were placed in mainstream schools, 39% were placed in state-funded special schools, others went to private institutions.21 An estimated 10% of children (750,000) suffer some degree of dyslexia.22 There are 61,570 schoolchildren in state schools who have been recorded as having some kind of ASD - almost 1% of the entire school population or one in every 125 children.23 About 5-10% of children and adolescents in Britain have AD/HD. 1% are severely affected by it.24
30
Youth watch
South Korea
Students with mild to moderate special needs are encouraged to remain in mainstream schools, either in special classes, or in a combination of special and mainstream classes, according to ability.8 The education ministry requires at least one special school in each province to serve the estimated 2.4% of students who need more specialised education. It is expanding compulsory special needs education to children as young as four. One study found that in urban areas of South Korea, some families of children with developmental delays avoid a diagnosis of autism as they see it as a genetic mark of shame.9
Sources 1. http://www.moe.edu.cn/publicfiles/business/ htmlfiles/moe/moe_633/201208/141305.html 2. http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/ china/2012-05/31/c_131623811.htm 3. http://www.moe.edu.cn/publicfiles/business/ htmlfiles/moe/moe_633/201208/141305.html 4. http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2011-11/21/ content_14128634.htm 5. http://ajw.asahi.com/article/behind_ news/AJ201206140019 6. http://ajw.asahi.com/article/behind_ news/AJ201206140019 7. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special_education 8. http://www.ncee.org/programs-affiliates/centeron-international-education-benchmarking/ top-performing-countries/south-koreaoverview/south-korea-education-for-all/ 9. http://sfari.org/news-and-opinion/news/2011/ researchers-track-down-autism-rates-across-the-globe 10. http://www.moe.gov.sg/education/programmes/ support-for-children-special-needs/
Singapore
In 2005, Singapores Ministry of Education started initiatives to support children with special educational needs such as dyslexia, ASD and AD/HD. All primary schools have at least one specialized teacher to support students with special needs and 64 secondary schools have some extra resources. There are an estimated 5,472 children under 19 (of a population of four million) who suffer from ASD. It is estimated that 216 new cases of children with autism are diagnosed annually.11 Pre-school children can undergo screening to evaluate signs of dyslexia. The Dyslexia Association of Singapore offers a Chinese remedial programme.12
10
11. http://autism.org.sg/aboutus/mission.php 12. http://www.das.org.sg/assessments.html 13. http://www.ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/ public/---ed_emp/---ifp_skills/documents/ publication/wcms_112407.pdf 14. http://www.crsprogramquality.org/storage/ pubs/education/edhowto_vietnam.pdf 15. http://www.thanhniennews.com/index/ pages/20130313-autism-increases-amongvietnam-children-conference.aspx 16. http://www.thanhniennews.com/index/ pages/20130313-autism-increases-amongvietnam-children-conference.aspx 17. http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tpfeatures/tp-opportunities/inclusive-education-forchildren-with-special-needs/article3959638.ece 18. http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/ asiapacific/lack-of-awareness-about/692608.html 19. http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/201304-02/ahmedabad/38216941_1_autismsociety-autistic-person-autistic-child 20. http://autismnewsreports.com/numberof-schoolchildren-classified-as-beingautistic-soars-by-56-in-five-years/
Vietnam
Vietnams government plans to provide inclusive education for all children with disabilities by 2015.13 Many provinces have at least one centre for disabled children, but they are encouraged to attend local schools if possible.14 The number of children diagnosed with autism in a Hanoi hospital in 2007 was 50 times higher than in 2000.15 In Ho Chi Minh City, 324 autistic children received treatment at local hospitals in 2008, a 160-fold increase from just two in 2000. A 20092010 study found 76.5% of parents of autistic children said the disorder was not detected until their children were more than two years old.16
21. https://www.gov.uk/government/ uploads/system/uploads/attachment_ data/file/219234/sfr14-2012v2.pdf 22. http://www.dyslexic.org.uk/aboutdyslexia15.htm 23. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/9160322/ Number-of-children-with-autism-soars-bymore-than-50-per-cent-in-five-years.html 24. http://www.counselling-directory.org.uk/adhd.html 25. http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/20/1414 26. http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/20/1414 27. http://www.webmd.com/parenting/ helping-children-with-dyslexia 28. http://news.yahoo.com/autism-raterises-1-50-kids-095325337.html 29. http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/adhd/data.html 30. http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/adhd/data.html
31
Teachers speak
Hands-on, patient and passionate
a contribution from Education Post
raining for special needs teachers is very important, but hands-on experience, patience, and wanting to tackle challenges are vital. Most essential of all is a genuine love of working with children who have learning difficulties.
Photo courtesy of Education Post, May Tse/SCMP
Formal training courses for special educational needs (SEN) are offered by the Hong Kong Institute of Education (HKIEd) and the Open University of Hong Kong (OUHK). These compliment and supplement inservice teacher training commissioned by the Education Bureau, as described elsewhere in this issue. But what else should prospective special education teachers know?
Satisfying but hard going

As a believer in whole-child development, teacher Pamela Kwok emphasizes the importance of giving students the opportunity to learn, have fun, and reach their full potential. Working with children who have learning difficulties and seeing them make progress gives me an indescribable sense of satisfaction, she says. Ms Kwok, who began her career as an assistant teacher, is now equipped with a Masters degree in psychology and a postgraduate diploma in education (PGDE). She stresses that qualifications are important, but so is a genuine love of working with children who have physical and learning difficulties. Without a passion for the job and the teaching environment, SEN teachers would find it very tough going. She points out that patience and good communication skills are also a must. Progress is often slower in the SEN classroom and teachers liaise not only with parents and colleagues, but also many other professionals such as speech and occupational therapists.
32
Photo courtesy of Education Post, Jonathan Wong / SCMP
SEN teachers need the personality to face challenges and the right mentality to relate to different displays of behaviour. Realism and a sense of humour
Laura Lee, an experienced teacher who has recently moved into education administration, says she was initially drawn to the profession after working with autistic children as a volunteer. I believe in the work I do, says Lee, also a PGDE holder, with a major in special needs. I feel comfortable dealing with behaviour that some people might have difficulty accepting. Lee advises those interested in working with students with severe learning disabilities to gain hands-on experience through volunteer work first. She adds that a SEN teachers personality needs to fit the challenges involved. I dont think the theory in the classroom really translates to the workplace until you experience firsthand what working with students who have complex learning difficulties requires, she says. Lee believes that having a sense of humour and creating a fun environment in the classroom is essential. You have to realize there are limitations for some students in what they can achieve. So, while we strive for excellence in the way we work with children, achieving academic excellence is not often a realistic outcome.
Teachers speak
Small steps towards long-term goals

Virginia Wilson, chief executive at The Child Development Centre (CDC), which offers a full range of SEN services for students up to six years old, says early intervention is one of the most effective ways of helping. The CDC, which teaches in Cantonese and English and is partly supported by the Social Welfare Department, has a dedicated team of skilled professionals. This includes teachers with special needs training, occupational therapists, physiotherapists and speech therapists. SEN teachers also work closely with parents to enhance children's physical, psychological and social development.
Working with children who have learning difficulties and seeing them make progress gives me an indescribable sense of satisfaction.
Often, our teachers are working with children to achieve long-term goals, says Ms Wilson, adding that evaluation Teamwork and cooperation and monitoring ensures children are on the right track To help teachers develop strategies to work with students and that parents are happy and comfortable with their who have reading and writing problems, including achievements. Small developments are very rewarding dyslexia, the HKIEd introduced a school networking for teachers, parents and of course the child. system. The initiative is designed to allow teams of teachers to work with university lecturers who are SEN at ESF experts in the field. Professor Kevin Chung of HKIEds The English Schools Foundation (ESF) offers SEN classes Department of Special Education and Counselling, across its teaching platform and the Jockey Club Sarah believes it fosters mutual cooperation. Teachers are Roe School caters for students aged five to 19 who able to learn and share what they are doing in their have more complex learning needs. Laura Ferretti, SEN classrooms and pass on the knowledge to other teachers. In addition to the mainstream educational institutions, a number of other organizations offer support for children with various learning difficulties. Teachers with specialist training who work in private education facilities and schools frequently teach children with autism, cerebral palsy, Downs syndrome, and visual and speech disorders.
adviser (kindergarten and primary) at the ESF, says, We see the specific learning difficulty as less of an issue and, more importantly, our teachers have the training and support to ensure students receive the best education possible in an inclusive environment. When recruiting SEN teachers, ESF looks for local or overseas candidates, preferably with a special education qualification.
www.educationpost.com.hk Ed: See pages 28-29 for more feedback from SEN childcare workers and a listing of Hong Kong NGOs concerned with SEN
33
On the agenda
Tackling child poverty

S
hould young people, often referred to as the future pillars of society, do something about poverty? Three young writers, Christy Chung Pui-yin, Tiffany Cheung, and Sarah Shum Wan-yu have no doubts.
Courtesy of the Society for Community Organization p
Breaking the cycle by Christy Chung Pui-yin

How can we do something for the underprivileged? Inspired by Nelson Chows words in the March issue of this magazine, we realize that to get a true picture we need to go and visit people in Sham Shui Po, Kwun Tong, Kwai Tsing or Tin Shui Wai. Its not easy, but thats what we will do. We will take photos of a cubicle home, interview a family, make a video. Next, we will organize events which focus on the housing, clothing, food and transport of the grassroots poor who are trying to make ends meet. We will set up an exhibition in a Mong Kok pedestrian-only street with a cardboard replica of their cubicle, encouraging passers-by to reflect on the plight of the poor and make a commitment to help. The mental state of children living in poverty is something else we want to draw attention to. Living in a narrow, unsanitary cubicle apartment means loss of confidence, of self-esteem and prospects. These children rarely have hopes for the future and dare not dream of a better life. So we want to encourage them to dream. For those who are already striving to realize their dreams, even if it is just to play the piano well, we will try to make them feel appreciated and learn from them.
Christy Chung Pui-yin,

Year 1, School of Science, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology.
In such a materialistic city as this, many Hong Kong youngsters do not understand the real situation. Poor people live in an awful environment and struggle to survive. We hope to raise awareness, dispel preconceived ideas and reduce discrimination against them. If everyone gave them a hand maybe they could break the vicious cycle and poverty would disappear from Hong Kong.
34
On the agenda
Low expectations, but high hopes by Tiffany Cheung
Hong Kong has been called one of the Four Asian Dragons, indicating a well-developed economy and an influential financial sector. However, behind its high GDP and the size of its fiscal reserves, lies a high Gini coefficient, the highest in Asia. Hong Kong people living in poverty have a low quality of life and few expectations. Their children are born into poverty and they lack the resources and opportunities to escape. Interviews in this magazine told us about the help poor children get from the government, like education, welfare and housing. For Poverty Action Day in October, our Direct Service team* wants to help by offering workshops and by training Child Ambassadors. We want them to feel loved and cared for them and realize that they have not been isolated and ostracized by all of society. Poverty Action Day will be held at community centres in Wong Tai Sin, and we hope to enlist a group of children as Child Ambassadors. They will join us on visits to people in need. We will also ask grocery stores, supermarkets and transport companies to sponsor gifts for poor children as an encouragement and reward for their proactive participation. Opinion polls tell us that what these children need is hope: the hope that they can find the power to escape from the conditions they live in. We want them to know we are here to help.
Tiffany Cheung
Year 12, Tsung Tsin Christian Academy
Too little, but not too late by Sarah Shum Wan-yu

It is not fair to say that the government is doing nothing to solve child poverty but a longterm, effective strategy that we can employ is to advocate concrete, practical policies. Take the Child Development Fund, implemented in 2008, for example. The scheme aims to provide more personal development opportunities for poor children. But until now, it has only served 4,000. I think that is too little. Furthermore, there is a shortage of mentors,1 and most existing mentors are busy at work. To keep in touch with mentees they rely heavily on social media and instant messaging. Can one create true, strong relationships like that? Another example is the Internet Learning Support Programme.2 The government wanted to end it because the numbers enrolled were low and the costs were high. In fact, there has been insufficient promotion of the scheme and the organizations concerned cannot target the most eligible children because of data privacy. This is the real cause of low enrollment. But should the government cancel the scheme without trying to improve it first? I think not. The news shattered the dreams of many poor children who cannot afford internet access, difficult though you might find that to believe. They will lag behind others and lose competitiveness. We hear a lot of talk about youth being the future pillars of society. Can poor children become these pillars too? Of course they can, but they have more obstacles ahead of them than you or I. There are many ways to help them, like participating in voluntary service, but that is not a once-and-for-all action. Education is vital and its never too late, but only by advocating and implementing appropriate policy can the majority of children benefit and the root of the problem be tackled through a fair redistribution of resources.
Sarah Shum Wan-yu

Year 1, Faculty of Social Science, University of Hong Kong
HKFYGs 2013 "Hong Kong 200" Leadership Project has organized students into three teams to offer volunteer services to the needy. The team to which these three young writers belong is working on child poverty. On 5 October, at the Wong Tai Sin Temple booths will be set up by all the teams where the students will advocate policy change to the public, government officials and the media.
Sources 1. https://www.qmn.hk/b5_newsDetail.php?id=47 2. http://www.mingpaovan.com/htm/News/20130607/HK-god1.htm?m=0
35
On the agenda
Waste not, want not

Hong Kong's growing waste disposal problems are notorious. Food waste makes up about 40% of the 3,600 tonnes dumped in landfills every day. The amount of food waste the city produced last year increased by almost 11% from 2010 to 2011 and discarded food accounts for an increasing proportion of the solid waste from households. The surge in food waste began in 2006, when the authorities started to phase out pig farming in the wake of the SARS outbreak. Now, a fraction of the excess is channelled to food waste processors, such as those operated by the Hong Kong Organic Waste Recycling Centre. Two bio-waste recycling centres are due to open in the coming years, at Siu Ho Wan on Lantau in 2014 and at Sha Ling in North District in 2016. They have a combined capacity to convert 500 tonnes of food waste into compost or biogas.
300,000 children in Hong Kong do not get 3 meals a day 1 in 3 elderly people struggles to meet their basic nutritional needs Hong Kong government spends HK$ 2.4 million every day (HK$ 870 million per annum) to process waste
LANDFILLS WILL BE
1/3 OF SOLID WASTE

BUS
COMMERCIAL & INDUSTRIAL FOOD WASTE
SUPERMARKETS DISPOSE OF
IN HONG KONG IS FOOD

BUS
BUS
DOUBLED
IN RECENT YEARS
29 TONNES OF
PER DAY
EDIBLE FOOD
2018
EXHAUSTED BY
3 , 6 0 0 TO N N E S O F F O O D A R E S E N T T O L A N D F I L L S E V E R Y D AY (1 2 0 DOUBLE DECKER BUSES)
However, there are a growing number of Hong Kong companies in the business of sustainable waste management. Some of them, like Food Angel, make it their business to collect food that would otherwise be thrown away and redistribute it to the needy. For example, the Bo Charity Foundation founded Food Angel in 2011. Its stated goals are to Reduce Food Waste at Source, Alleviate Hunger, Relieve Poverty, and Educate the Next Generation. Their volunteers strive to improve the quality of life among societys needy through a food collection and provision operation, community outreach services, and educational programmes. The Food Angel team rescues edible surplus food from the food industry in Hong Kong that is otherwise wasted. Instead it is made into nutritious meals in a professional central kitchen and redistributed to underprivileged communities free of charge. Food Angel works with about 70 food donors including supermarkets, caterers, hotels and food wholesalers and prevents more than 1,000 kg ( I tonne ) of edible surplus food ending up in landfills every day. Nearly 70% of Food Angels beneficiaries are the deprived elderly. Others include low income families, underprivileged women and children, cage home dwellers and the homeless. Today, Food Angel serves over 2,000 free, nutritious, hot meals daily to individuals and organizations in need of food assistance, but more importantly, in need of societys loving care.
Photographs courtesy of Food Angel
Other organizations in Hong Kong concerned with food waste

Environmental Protection Department, Food Wise Hong Kong Campaign http://www.foodwisehk.gov.hk/en/index.html Feeding Hong Kong http://feedinghk.org/about/our-mission/ Food Recycling Scheme http://foodrecyclinghk.wordpress.com/ Friends of the Earth http://foodwaste.foe.org.hk/html/eng/e_action.htm Green Idea (Environmental Recycling Limited) http://www.greenidea.com.hk/ Hong Kong Organic Waste Recycling Centre http://www.hkowrc.com/eng-service.html Kowloon Biotechnology http://kowloonbio.wix.com/index
36
tel 3118 2348; foodangel.org.hk http://www.bofoundation.org.hk/en_projects_id1.php
Internetscope
how gadgets can change your life

Gadgets for convenience
It used to be troublesome carrying thick, heavy books around. So as technology advanced, I decided to buy a handy electronic device, dedicated to reading. Many people cant get used to reading on a device and prefer the texture of books, but for me its all reading, just the same.
by goXunuReviews
Reading
By Joanna Lee
available, real-time information, is that it is superficial. If I want more in-depth knowledge of current affairs I try to read good books or journals as well.
Learning from reliable sources

To find reliable sources I usually rely on recommendations, like the ranking in bookstores, reviews and websites, but most importantly, my teachers. Sometimes I jot down recommended books when reading journals as well. Like many people, I always make notes or write reviews about what I read. This is a very important step. It helps me truly understand and absorb what I have learnt. Quotes from books remind me directly of the authors core ideas while writing book reviews helps me learn systmatically and reinforces my memory. Besides, quick analysis of passages from journals and magazines helps me to remember and clarify information.
by tokyoexpressway
With my Kindle, I can take as many books as I want, all the time. Together with my mobile phone apps and desktop computer for newspapers, I can get all the information I need whenever I want. Hardcopy is now my second choice, except for magazines. As a journalism student, I have to stay up to date so reading online newspapers and blogs is necessary too.
Nourishment for the mind
Reading for me is more than just learning or habit. Sometimes, when I do interviews or talk to friends, ideas pop out quite naturally. This is because of the knowledge I accumulated through reading. I Moreover, it is very important for me to have efficient started at primary school and I have read every day access to information, and to be aware of the ways in since then. Through reading I realize how little I which the media ecosystem works in different situations. know. The secrets of the universe are infinite so I However, one of the disadvantages of most instantly am motivated to keep reading. It de-stresses me and brings spiritual nourishment. Its part of life.
Current reading
News Wall Street Journal, Financial Times, CNN, Nan Fang Daily, Bloomberg, The New York Times, CBN weekly, ViVi Sheryl Sandberg Lean In: Women, Work, and the Will to Lead. Knopf, 2013. Eric Schmidt and Jared Cohen The New Digital Age. Knopf Doubleday, 2013.
by Joanna Lee
Year 1, at Renmin University of China, majoring in journalism
37
Internetscope
Special educational needs
how technology helps
nformation technology is used in all phases of learning, from pre-school to tertiary levels and in special schools as well. It gives students access to an infinite variety resources and has flexible learning systems built-in. Thats ideal when there are special learning difficulties.
Information technology (IT) has made huge strides in mainstream schools but teachers in special schools have had doubts about it in the past. This was partly because of the difficulty in communicating and physical coordination problems of some students. These can make it very hard to acquire basic computer skills or use computers alone. Some teachers have also suggested that computer training can never replace a teacher trained in the special needs.
Special ed-tech
A revolution is under way in IT. As The Economist reports, at its heart is the idea of moving from one-size-fits-all education to a more personalized approach, with technology allowing each child to be taught at a different speed, in some cases by adaptive computer programs, in others by superstar lecturers ... while the job of classroom teachers moves from orator to coach. High-speed mobile networks, cheap mobile devices, technological advances which allow for the cheap processing of huge amounts of data, sophisticated online games and adaptive-learning software are what make this possible. It bodes well for special education because it means that data derived from a childs responses to a lesson can be used to tailor what he or she sees or hears on the computer screen.
Source http://www.economist.com/news/leaders/21580142-long-overdue-technological-revolution-lastunder-way-e-ducation
Different adaptations for different students

However, technology which focuses on the needs of SEN students has progressed and more resources and support have been devoted to this purpose so special schools have been able to develop their own teaching materials. The most popular e-learning systems are called ComputerAssisted Instruction (CAI), Computer-Based Instruction (CBI) and Computer Aided Learning1 (CAL). They enable teachers to modify teaching materials according to individual needs. Taking CAI as an example, it includes modules such as Tutorial, Drill and Practice, Testing, Problem Solving, Games, Simulation, Dialogue and Modelling, all of which can be adapted for use in special education contexts. This can boost motivation and allow for help when learning at home.
Scanning for dyslexia

Brain scans may help to detect dyslexia in pre-school children before they start to read, according to recent findings from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology McGovern Institute for Brain Research.1 The part of the brain affected is called the arcuate fasciculus. This region processes word sounds and in children where it was smaller, pre-reading tests scores were lower. More work needs to be done to establish a definitive connection and the study will continue in a large research effort taking place with 1,000 children, in Massachusetts and Rhode Island.
Source Saygin, ZM et al Journal of Neuroscience, 14 August 2013, 13251-13258
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Internetscope
Web 2.0 Era
With the rapid development of technology and the integration of the internet into teaching, Web 2.0 has enabled teachers to merge different tools to make their own learning platforms. Functions like social bookmarking, blogs, podcasting and the use of audio, video editing and sharing, digital story telling etc, can all make the learning more interactive and person to person (P2P), a very useful feature in the special needs context. For example, a student who uses a wheelchair can join his/her classmates on a field trip by using FaceTime technology or by joining online discussion forums, allowing him/her to complete lessons or collaborate in group project work without leaving home. With the special design of some learning materials, IT can even help SEN students to find their own learning platforms.
App for eyesight

Lend an Eye is a software application conceptualised to enrich the lives of the blind. By using FaceTime or Skype the app turns a smartphone into eyes for a blind person.The app not only helps them get from A to B unsupervised, but also enables them make choices, like deciding what to buy in the supermarket. All they need to do is double tap their phone to launch the app, which then contacts several volunteers simultaneously. The volunteer who answers the call becomes their eyes. Using the in-built camera on the blind persons smartphone, the volunteer then guides him or her to wherever they wish to go or in whatever they wish to do. Grey Group of Singapore developed the mobile app. The volunteers version can be downloaded here: https://play.google. com/store/apps/details?id=air.lend.an.eye&feature=search_ result#?t=W251bGwsMSwxLDEsImFpci5sZW5kLmFuLmV5ZSJd More information at http://www.lendaneye.com/
Notes and further reading This article is based on Achieving equal learning opportunity (sic) by information technology in special education [ ], by Sin Kuen-fung and Lui Tze-Leung, Hong Kong Institute of Education, in HKFYG Journal of Youth Studies, January 2103, Vol 16 (1), Serial no 31, pages 56-64. 2011 45 35-38 Shah, N. Special education pupils find learning tool in iPad applications. Education Week, 30(22), 16-17, 2011.
1. http://computeraidedlearning.wikispaces.com/ 2. http://www.apple.com/education/special-education/ios/
Making use of tablet computers

Apart from Web 2.0 technology, tablet computing has also brought another facet into special educational needs (SEN) teaching. Take the iPad as an example. It is very user-friendly and welldeveloped for the purposes of many SEN students.2 It has developed solutions for students who have learning and literacy problems, vision problems, hearing problems or physical and motor skills problems. These special features are included in the Guided Access function which helps students with autism or attention problems to stay on task. Many other software developers are keen to develop apps and other software which can be used on mobile devices. Some examples are Proloquo2Go which enables parents to have better understanding of children who are autistic or have communication problems.
What to expect
Researchers suggest that the application of IT at all teaching levels can contribute to equal opportunities for SEN students, especially in examinations. In the future, IT in special education will not only focus on training assistance or multi-media simulation. Through the further development of hardware and fuller understanding of the special needs of SEN students, IT will help them to become better equipped to experience, communicate, analyze, and become fully integrated with the communities to which they belong.
39
City space
Doctor-patient
relationships: trust, healing and time
by Rachel Yiu
by ReSurge International
rust is a cornerstone for effective doctorpatient relationships. It relates to the vulnerability of being ill, feeling dependent on a doctor, and the likelihood of taking your medicine. Without trust some potential patients may not see a doctor at all, let alone tell him or her all the relevant information. This young writer argues that trust and time are both vitally important for health.
Doctor-patient- parent relationship p
Everyone has been to a hair salon: you drop by, get your hair washed by the apprentice, then have your hair cut by the stylist. Some people always use the same stylist. They consider going to a stranger as risky, like investing in a company with which you are not familiar.
of health. Many people are unsure of a new doctor but trust plays a large part in adherence to treatment. Time is also important for a good patient-physician relationship. The average visit to a general practitioner in Hong Kong is 5-8 minutes, similar to the UK. In the US and Sweden it is double that. Healthcare decision-makers always try to evaluate healthcare costs and healthcare quality, but it is not easy to establish an explicit link between visit length and patient care quality. Nevertheless, time can cure. A consultation in an oncology ward comes to mind. The oncologist broke the bad news of Stage 2 lung cancer to an elderly woman and her husband. The consultation lasted for more
Health: trust and time factors

Having been at medical school myself for two years, I realize that going to the hairdresser is like going to see your doctor, who refers you to a specialist if needed. It is a chain service, requiring close cooperation and mutual trust between patient and physician. It is even more personal than going to the hairdresser since the patient allows access to both mental and physical state
40
City space
than half an hour and my job as a medical student was to observe the patient-physician interaction. The woman was emphatically against chemotherapy in the first half of the consultation, firmly believing that she would prefer no cure to the torture of treatment. Then, to my surprise, she changed her mind. The patient and her husband looked trustingly, with hope, at the oncologist. I thought he was heroic, eloquent. It was unbelievable. They trusted him. A 30-minute consultation may not be a magic wand, but the sincere care of the oncologist spoke to me of the virtues of a good physician. Time may not guarantee quality patient care, but it heals by offering doctors more opportunities to see patients, and then listen to them and discuss the best regimens.
Another challenge is work pressure. The greater demands on medical practitioners can have a negative impact, not only on the physical condition and performance of the doctors, but also on the morale of medical teams, as well as potentially being detrimental to healthcare. A 48-52 hour working week for GPs in Great Britain is common. It can be 60-70 hours a week here. Last but not least, for good doctor-patient relationships to flourish it is worth rethinking priorities. Both medical schools in Hong Kong have already taken steps to emphasize the importance of patient-oriented medical practice. The University of Hong Kong has introduced a new foundation course on medical ethics and humanities into their new curriculum and The Chinese University of Hong Kong is doing the same. I believe that the trend of patient-oriented medical practice replacing the old-fashioned diseaseoriented approach can help build and consolidate trust among patients, doctors and their colleagues. This can bring about a remarkable transcendence of the quality of medical care in our city.
Pressure, efficiency and multilingual skills

In the state-of-the-art medical practice, demands on physicians time are mounting: consultations, administration, teaching and keeping up to date1. It would be a huge challenge to increase visit lengths as well. Alternatively, doctors could improve their efficiency and their communication skills, which are also of paramount significance to better patient care. Given how important communication is for quality healthcare, increasingly it is becoming necessary to be multilingual in Cantonese, Mandarin and English. In this vibrant city, we have unique language complexity with a fusion of nationalities and cultures. The majority of patients speak Cantonese but closer economic ties with the mainland means Mandarin is heard more and more, and English is used as a medium of instruction in medical school. Mastery of all three languages, as well as the skill of translating specialist jargon into a layman's vocabulary, is a great advantage.
Queen Mary Hospital p
Rachel Yiu
is a 1st Year medical student at The University of Hong Kong
Source 1. Dugdale, David C et al. Time and the patient-physician relationship. J Gen Intern Med. 14 (Suppl 1) S34S40, 1999.
41
City space
Communication in hospital:
a summer in Vietnam
M
After travelling in Vietnam and Cambodia last summer and finding it such an interesting region, I wanted to go back again this year. Some hospitals in Vietnam accept international medical students and I contacted a hospital in Hue to arrange the placement. I have just completed a months placement at Hue Central Hospital, with half my time in the Obstetrics department and the other half in Paediatrics.
by Louise Cribbin
ost medical students in the UK have the opportunity to undertake an elective anywhere in the world during their training. It is seen as an opportunity to experience a different health care system, gain further skills in a specialty area and broaden horizons generally. This medical student, orginally from Hong Kong, reports on her recent experience in Vietnam.
Different world, different attitudes

In Vietnam, national resources for the health service have been declining for some years and hospitals are mainly funded by patient fees and other donations. Hue Central hospital is one of the three largest hospitals in the country. It serves 15.3 million people. They include those living in traditional rural areas, an increasing urban population, and several groups of ethnic minorities living in the isolated Central Highlands. In our training in the UK, we are taught extensively about the importance of patient autonomy and the doctor-patient relationship is far from paternalistic. In Vietnam, although the doctors were efficient and hardworking, their communication with patients was not a priority. Doctors rarely spoke to patients and never explained procedures or gave them any choice in treatment. In return the patients were never demanding and fully expected the doctors to make all the decisions. Otherwise, hospital procedures were similar, but there did not seem to be the same rigorous standards of care, particularly in the areas of infection control and documentation.
Communication with patients was not a priority. Doctors rarely spoke to patients and never explained procedures or gave them any choice in treatment.
42
City space
The hospital was well equipped, but the equipment was usually old and much of it had been donated by other countries. The hospital wards were fairly basic and in Paediatrics there was often more than one child to a bed. Patients needed to pay extra for air conditioning and the nursing staff seemed rather unsympathetic. Much of the care of the patient was left to family members.
Inauspicious days, unfamiliar practices

It was interesting to discover how the lunar calendar influenced individuals use of the hospital. Parents would not bring their children for treatment on inauspicious days and this could have an effect on their recovery. Often the families would remove the child against medical advice as hospitals are considered such unlucky places. In the Obstetrics department, women are not allowed to have any family members present at the delivery and the baby is not handed to the mother after birth. This is very different from my experience in the UK where early bonding is considered to be of great importance. It was surprising that none of the women wanted to see or hold their babies at such a significant time. It was difficult for me not being able to speak to the patients and few of the doctors had very good English. None of them had done any of their training abroad. However, on the children's ward language barriers were not such an issue especially as they had such fun playing with the cameras on our mobile phones!
The overall quality of health in Vietnam is considered to be fairly good for a developing nation. 2010 estimates of life expectancy were 76.86 years. Infant mortality stood at 20.24 per 1,000 live births. However, malnutrition is still common in the provinces and both life expectancy and infant mortality rates have been stagnating. In July 2013, the Asian Development Bank pledged to provide approximately US$40 million to support Vietnam's healthcare sector every year. Future healthcare reforms focus on reducing patient overload, controlling infectious diseases, improving preventive medicine and upgrading training for medical workers.
Further information and sources

http://www.slideshare.net/edenstrategyinstitute/quality-healthcare-access-for-vietnam https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Health_in_Vietnam http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/health/2013-07/06/c_132516821.htm
Overall my elective placement in Vietnam gave me the opportunity to return to a region I love. I got to know several other medical students from overseas who became good friends. I was able to gain further experience in Obstetrics and Paediatrics and I shall be returning to the UK with a greater appreciation of the NHS and a deeper understanding of the impact of different cultures on patient attitudes towards health care. Louise Cribbin
21, is just beginning her 4th year of medical school at Sheffield University, UK. She was born in Hong Kong, grew up here, and attended West Island School.
43
HKFYG
A new image for HKFYG Jockey Club Sai Kung Outdoor Training Camp
he third phase of redevelopment of the HKFYG Jockey Club Sai Kung Outdoor Training Camp has nearly finished. A Corporation Briefing Day is planned for November to introduce the new facilities.
The newly revitalized camp covers 18,000 sq metres of land, has 460 camp beds and its facilities provide the best package for young people and corporations alike to experience the outdoors in Sai Kung.
44
HKFYG
New features
Green Roof There will be a Green Roof on the new building, lowering the temperature on the top floors, and eventually decreasing power consumption. The camp also has a wetland area and tree reservation zone. Day Camp and Evening Camp Daytime camp hours will be 9am-4pm and Evening camp will be from 2pm-9pm, both for 200 participants. Adventure activities and water sports will include sport climbing, a high wall and abseiling. Catering There will be BBQ facilities and the canteen will serve 400 diners for breakfast, lunch, dinner, tea and night time snacks. There is also a new caf which will serve freshly ground coffee, cheesecake and other desserts.
OTC Corporation Briefing Day

The OTC Corporation Briefing Day will introduce the new facilities to partners with a slide show about HKFYG camps and what they offer. Tours and live demonstrations will be given by volunteers. The environmentally friendly recreational activities and healthy food will make the camp highly suitable for corporation staff training and corporate social responsibility. Date End of November Time 2pm-5pm *Free pick up and return to Kowloon Tong and University train stations. For more details, please contact Ms Lau, tel 2792 2727.
Some camp facilities

Theatre for 140 participants Hall for 500 participants with basketball
court and indoor rock climbing wall and interactive teaching
Rooms for meetings, functions Dock for water sports including

canoeing and wind surfing
Exhibition and gallery for information about

the environment including protection of mangroves, wildlife and birdlife on mudflats
Pool for 50 swimmers Reading corner, information centre,

computers and table tennis
45
de nt s bo rd er st u
g sin hou
Youth trends
t men y o l emp
poverty
beh ion t avio a ur duc e
cr os s-
Youth Trends in Hong Kong
2013
by the HKFYG Youth Research Centre
Figure 1: Quarterly youth unemployment rate
Y
30% 25% 20% 15% 10%
outh Trends in Hong Kong compiles and analyzes statistical data and research findings. The latest Trends is the eleventh in the series that has been published by the HKFYG Youth Research Centre since 1997. Six important topics of concern covered by the book are summarized here.
15-19 year-olds
20-24 year-olds
5%
overall labour force

0 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013
Source Census and Statistics Department, HKSARG
Employment
Youth unemployment in Hong Kong continues to be 2-5 times greater than in the population overall. In the second quarter of 2013, unemployment rates for 15-19 year-olds and 2024 year-olds were 17.8% and 8.3% respectively, equivalent to 31,300 unemployed youth. Within the labour force, young people aged 15-24 who have attained only junior secondary education or less have little work experience. It is difficult for them to secure employment. Even if they can find jobs, their salaries are relatively low due to their weak bargaining power.
46
Youth trends
Figure 2: Comprehensive Social Security Assistance by age group

0-14 year-olds 15-24 year-olds 25-39 year-olds 40-64 year-olds =>65 year-olds
20% 16% 12% 8% 4% 0%
18.9%
19.1%
19.3%
19.2%
18.7%
18.3%
17.9%
17.5%
16.9%
16.0%
10.5% 5.3%
5.4% 2.9%
12.0%
12.4%
12.2%
11.5% 6.6%
5.6% 2.7%
10.5% 6.3%
5.2% 2.4%
10.2% 6.1%
5.1% 2.3%
10.2% 6.3%
5.1% 2.2%
9.8% 5.9%
4.9% 2.1%
9.1% 5.4%
4.6% 1.9%
6.2%
6.0% 3.2%
6.6%
6.0% 3.2%
6.7%
5.9% 3.0%
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
Source Social Welfare Department, HKSARG
Poverty
The Comprehensive Social Security Assistance (CSSA) Scheme, operated by the Social Welfare Department (SWD), provides a safety net for those who cannot support themselves financially. It is designed to give them enough to meet basic needs. CSSA figures from SWD show that there was a drop in the number of CSSA recipients in 2012. Young people aged 1524 in receipt of CSSA numbered 46,676, accounting for 5.4% of the population. Hong Kongs phenomenon of regionalized poverty also affects the young. 40% of 15-24 year-old CSSA recipients live in Yuen Long, Kwun Tong and Kwai Tsing. These three districts have the highest concentration of youth living in poverty. In view of this situation, the government is urged to develop policies that counter continuing poverty among young people and to address the issue of regionalized poverty. It is also recommended that policies make it possible for poor youth to enhance their upward mobility. This can be done by providing them with more opportunities and a wider variety of career choices.
Behaviour
Although the most commonly used drug among those aged under 21 is ketamine, its use has been decreasing since 2009 while the use of methylamphetamine (Ice) and cocaine has been rising. It is possible that the effects of the two other drugs are less well known by youth than those of ketamine. Therefore, Youth Trends 2013 suggests that the government should educate youth more about the side effects of all drug types to enhance awareness of the dangers and risks.
Figure 3: Common drugs abused by under 21s
Cannabis Cocaine MDMA (Ecstasy) Ketamine Nimetazepam Methylamphetamine (Ice)
100% 80% 60% 40% 20% 0%
2009
2010
2011
2012
Source Narcotics Division, Security Bureau, HKSARG
47
Youth trends
Cross-border students
One of the main factors affecting cross-border issues is the permanent residency rights granted by the Basic Law to Chinese citizens who are born in Hong Kong. There were 43,982 babies born to mainland mothers in Hong Kong in 2011, accounting for more than 40% of all infants born here. Up to 81.3% of the parents of such infants are not permanent Hong Kong residents. Since children born to non-local parents add pressure on the medical, education and other services, the government decided to implement a zero delivery quota policy for mainland mothers whose husbands are not Hong Kong residents as of 2013. This means they cannot make any bookings to give birth at public hospitals in Hong Kong. The number of mainland children crossing the border daily to attend Hong Kong schools has also increased, from 3,803 in 2004-2005 to 16,356 in 2012-2013. To ease the pressure on places in North District schools, which are overloaded with children from the mainland, about 900 places will be set aside for them by the Education Bureau in areas such as Tuen Mun, Yuen Long and Tai Po. There are to be at least two such places for them per Primary One class. Youth Trends 2013 also suggests that a comprehensive assessment of cross-border students should be carried out with planning for various potential social needs and the formulation of an appropriate population policy.
Figure 4: Number of cross-border students
Kindergarten Primary school
16356
16 00 0
Secondary school Total
12895
9899
10
7454
00
12
00
14
1881
00
2012/13
18
00
8038 6768
5708 5276
5859 3803
2589 4575
4498
2998
3910
4474
3466
1780
1456
1538
733
797
481
538
799
937
1078
962
1267
2004/05
2005/06
2006/07
2007/08
2008/09
2009/10
2010/11
2011/12
Source Census and Statistics Department, HKSARG
48
20
0
Total number of cross-border students
6749
4090
3786
2878
2681
2153
00
40
00
60 00
80
00
80 00 70 00 50 00 60 00 40 00 30 00 00 20 10 00
Youth trends
Education
28,418 candidates who took Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education Examination in 2012 matriculated. However, only 16,760 (approx. twothirds) entered university. This means that 20.6% of the relevant age cohort enrolled for subsidized undergraduate degrees in 2012/13, through the Joint University Programmes Admissions System (JUPAS), lagging far behind the OECD average of 68%. There are more than 18,300 sub-degree admissions for self-financed and publicly-funded sub-degree programmes each year. However, since there are only around 2,300 subsidized senior year undergraduate places, there is extremely keen competition. Increasing global competition has made qualifications at tertiary level more necessary than ever for upward mobility in the job market. In view of this, Youth Trends 2013 urges the government to increase subsidized undergraduate degree places so that first year university enrollment is available for at least 25% of the age cohort. It also recommends speeding up development of local private universities for students who are self-supporting.
Figure 5: Enrollment in UGC-funded Undergraduate Programmes
1st year enrollment for first-degrees (FYFD) Full-time Equivalent Percentage of age cohort (17-20 yrs) enrolled in FYFD programmes
15,427
15,715
14,719
14,973
15,405
15,729
15,960
16,354
16,760
14,575
14,829
14,639
2001/02
2002/03
2003/04
2004/05
2005/06
2006/07
2007/08
2008/09
2009/10
2010/11
2011/12
2012/13*
Note: Only students admitted under the new academic structure in 2012/13 academic year are included. Source: University Grants Committee http://cdcf.ugc.edu.hk/cdcf/statIndex.do?language=EN (10 September 2013).
Housing
In the past ten years, young peoples incomes have remained almost unchanged but the cost of accommodation has kept rising. Many who want to live independently from their parents find property prices and rents unaffordable because the shortage in the supply of housing has pushed up property prices and rents so much. Young people may apply for public housing but have very little chance of being allocated a flat, given the Quota and Points System that is weighted in favour of age and time on the waiting list. Still, the number of non-elderly singleperson applicants for public housing aged 18-29 has more than triple, from 14,600 in 2008 to 45,700 in 2012. The average age of non-elderly, single applicants is decreasing, and it will be very difficult for the young to find suitable accommodation independent of their parents.
Figure 6: Age analysis for non-elderly single applicants for public housing
Age
Under 30
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
14,600 16,500 21,000 29,100 45,700 (38%) (38%) (41%) (46%) (52%) 24,100 26,600 30,600 34,700 42,600 (62%) (62%) (59%) (54%) (48%) 38,700 43,100 51,600 63,800 88,300 (100%) (100%) (100%) (100%) (100%)
30 or over
Total Average age
35
36
35
34
32
Source Hong Kong Housing Authority
5%
0%
10
15
% 0
20
17.0%
17.7%
17.6%
18.0%
18.5%
18.7%
18.5%
18.5%
18.5%
student enrollment rate
19.2%
20.2%
20.6%
25
20 ,00 0 15 ,00 0 10 ,00 5,0 00
49
HKFYG
Channels
at M21s
Online Station
he HKFYG Jockey Club Media 21 now has seven online channels. With programmes made for young people and by young people, the channels have a wide variety of programmes covering current issues, stories about the community, travel and school life, employment, culture, the environment and variety shows. Here are some examples.
50
HKFYG on the Integrated channel

Dream, Work and Traveltakes young people on working holidays abroad. Three Hong Kong youngsters went on an unforgettable trip to east Taiwan in June 2013, working for a guesthouse in return for their accommodation. Another five students had a chance to pursue their dreams of going to Sydney in August. They worked as a cook, a social worker, teacher, artist and anchor. Have a dream? Want to travel? Go to http://m21.hk/travel/ and check it out.
on the School channel

Liberal studies in One minute
invites scholars and authorities to review topics in liberal studies. They analyze social issues in Hong Kong and China, review global environmental problems and so on. The first of 12 weekly episodes will be broadcast on Thursday 3 October.
on the Culture channel

Moonlight Express a weekly chat show, where
artistes and singers tell the hosts about their lives in show business, introducing new books and albums. Some even sing for you! Past guests include C AllStar, Ivana Wong ( ), Chita Yu ( ), Jason Chan ( ), Terence Chui ( ), J.Arie ( ), Cherry Ngan ( ), As One, and Super Girls.
on the Current Affairs channel

Policy Online @M21 Onlineinvites guests
such as CY Leung, Chief Executive of HKSAR, Carrie Lam, Chief Secretary, John Tsang, Financial Secretary, Eddie Ng, Secretary for Education, and Matthew Cheung, Secretary for Labour and Welfare. Coming up on 11 October is Anthony Cheung, Secretary for Transport & Housing, on long term housing strategy.
Spotlight is a weekly interview programme with

bands, beatboxers, magicians, dancers and actors who perform during the show. Past guests include Hong Kong Youth Dance, Twins Dance Association, Popper 88 and Beatboxer Heartgrey, Rehearsal Room, The Show Choir, JL Music, and Wonderland.
Open Mic is an online reality karaoke show

for anyone who loves to sing. Videos of live performances will be uploaded on m21.hk and YouTube. Season 2 starts this month. Just bring your own music and come sing if you dare! Go to http://m21.hk/event/openmic for details and an application.
Stories of HK is a documentary
programme investigating the lives of ordinary Hong Kong people. Launched this month, there will be interviews with people of all ages from all backgrounds. The first installment is about the parents and teenagers.
More information
The Hong Kong Federation of Youth Groups Jockey Club Media 21 Unit No.2, LG2/F, Shek Pai Wan Shopping Centre, Aberdeen, Hong Kong tel 3979 0000 / fax 3979 0099 http://www.hkfyg.org.hk http://m21.hk
51
HKFYG
The Hong Kong Youth Service Award

Organiser: Proudly Supporting:
call for nominations
Supporting Organisation:
Initiated this year by The Hong Kong Federation of Youth Groups, The Hong Kong Youth Service Award honours, acclaims and encourages five outstanding young people aged 18 to 35 who serve the community with commitment, dedication and integrity. An award of HK$20,000 will be made to them, in recognition of the example they set to others. Nominators and candidates apply together, with details of service and commitment to Hong Kong, evidence of impact of past service on community needs, and potential leadership skills and competencies. The ability to be a role model for others, particularly peers, is highly encouraged.
2013 Nomination Period Ends Initial Selection Selection Interview Awards Ceremony More information
Monday 30 September Saturday 12 October Saturday 26 October Tuesday 12 November leadership21@hkfyg.org.hk
Call Iki Chan/Rita Fan tel 2169 0255 for details Many thanks to supporting organisation Home Affairs Bureau proudly supporting Hong Kong: Our Home media partners Hong Kong Economic Journal nowTV
Media Partners:
New in 2013 The Turning Point - Youth

HKFYGs Youth Crime Prevention Centres now makes awards every year to young people who overcome personal challenges involving crime, sex, drugs or violence. Called The Turning Point - Youth Improvement Award, eight young people have received this new award: Wai, Bean, Chak, QQ, Dickson, Eric, Yuki and Yi. Their stories involve, reaching a turning point, helped by outreach workers, taking a new direction and moving on into a new day. Dickson was always getting into trouble even though his father was very ill. But just before he passed away he held Dicksons hand and said, Take care of your brother and sister. Dickson has a hotel job now, but he regrets what he has lost. We should know what to treasure here and now. Then wed never have regrets.
Improvement Award
Yi started smoking and drinking when she was 12. Then she got into drugs and compensated dating. She ended up in reform homes and hated what she had become. For the sake of an outreach worker, her family and her boyfriend, she managed to turn over a new leaf. Eric, a former triad, knows all about violence, drugs, and trafficking. When his friends started disappearing into jail one by one, he started thinking about his future. He discovered what a family and girlfriend could give. Now hes a responsible young man with a stable job. Yuki nearly killed herself with drugs but the experience changed her completely. Now she knows who cares. Not her drug-taking friends. They didnt visit her in hospital. But her family, teachers and social workers stood by her. Regret and self-blame is useless. Ill never forget and Ill never make the same mistakes again.
HKFYG Youth Crime Prevention Centre services

counselling and treatment preventive education crisis intervention and accessment advocacy in crime
Contact
Wilson Chan or Pang Tsz-ching tel 2487 6151 hotline 8100 9669 Mon-Fri 10am-10pm ycpc.hkfyg.org.hk/ http://www.facebook.com/hkfygycpc
by R~P~M
ycpc.hkfyg.org.hk/youthlaw
Download the Youth Law app
52
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App Store is trademark of Apple Inc
New books from HKFYG in 2013

Gang Days: Six Reflections by former Gang Members
2030
Price: HK$80 ISBN: 978-988-18408-5-1 We invited six ex-gangsters, now in their twenties and thirties to share their stories with us and help us understand what they do.
HKFYG
Understanding Dyslexia a Guide for Teachers and Parents
Price: HK$80 ISBN: 978-988-19690-0-2
Most dyslexic students are intellectually normal, but they have difficulty writing and reading. See this issue of Youth Hong Kong for details.
Practitioners Sharing of Online Counselling
Price: HK$80 ISBN: 978-988-19688-4-5
Young people are online so much today that internet counselling is essential. Social workers share their experience and unveil the myths.
Life Planning: Job-tionary
Price: HK$250 ISBN: 978-988-18408-7-5
This wide-ranging tool for young job-seekers includes theories, requirements and an introduction to work in various industries. 48 stories about family conflict are illustrated with cartoons. Families with children in K3, P5 and F2 might find the situations familiar. Suggestions for parents learning to deal with family conflict are also included. Winners from past HKFYG Standard Chartered Hong Kong English Public Speaking Contests write about the competitions challenges. The book features eight essential steps that anyone can take to become competent and confident. This is a bi-annual compilation of statistical data and survey findings by HKFYGs Youth Research Centre. See page 46-49 for more details. Twenty Felix Wong Youth Award winners share true stories of overcoming hardship and difficulties. Readers will find out about routes to a positive and happy life. Starting with the idea of team management, this book incorporates theories and front-line experience of how to manage an efficient volunteer team.
Tension in the Family: Sharings of Parent-Child Conflict
Price: HK$80 ISBN: 978-988-19689-3-7
English Public Speaking 8 Steps to Become a Champion

Price: HK$80 ISBN: 978-988-19688-1-4
Youth Trends in Hong Kong 2013

Price: HK$100 ISBN: 978-988-18407-5-2
2013
My Hardship: My Detour
Price: HK$80 ISBN: 978-988-18406-7-7
Building Effective Volunteer Teams
Price: HK$80 ISBN: 978-988-12444-0-6
When Genius Cat Encounters Love
Price: HK$80 ISBN: 978-988-19688-3-8
Genius Cat would like to share his thoughts about love. With beautiful illustrations, Genius Cat shows that courage can shine, even you have split ears. Local young people went on working holidays in Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, German, Japan and Canada. After a year of adventure, experiencing different cultures and making dreams a reality, they had grown up.
Work Hard, Play Hard : Working Holidays in Six Countries
Price: HK$90 ISBN: 978-988-19688-2-1 Discounts:
Students and u21 members 30% off Bulk purchase Schools and NGOs, 1-29 copies 30% off, 30 copies or above 40% off Other readers 1-29 copies 20% off, 30 copies or above 30% off All books available from 21/F, The Hong Kong Federations of Youth Groups Building, 21 Pak Fuk Road, North Point, Hong Kong, or online at u21.hk Please contact Ada Chau tel 3755 7108 or email cps@hkfyg.org.hk
53
Perspectives
his page carries news and reports on topics recently featured in Youth Hong Kong. In this issue we follow up on poverty, the theme of the March 2013 issue and bring news of a selection of marathon charity events. Please share your own perspective with us by writing to youthhongkong@hkfyg.org.hk
Survival in the City
The Hong Kong 24 Hour Race Running To Stop The Traffick
Photo courtesy of the Society for Community Organization p
Eager athletes awaiting the start p
Poverty: new survey

According to a new study from the Hong Kong Institute of Education, the daily income of half a million people (7.7%) in Hong Kong is less that HK$120 (US$15.40). The study found that among children who are living in severe poverty, nearly 60% of their parents are not working. The HKSAR government will announce a new local poverty line in September.
Poverty Rate Hong Kong People Children Older Persons3 Workers
Notes and source 1. The sample used in the study represents around 5% of Hong Kongs total population. 2. Aged 17 or younger. 3. Aged 65 or older. Source http://www.ied.edu.hk/web//news.php?id=20130801
Estimated Number of in Poverty 1,331,608 228,132 363,275 259,635
Severe Poverty Rate 7.7% 6.0% 25.1% 1.6%
Estimated number in Severe Poverty 545,393 63,078 221,854 57,697
Since its creation in 2010 The Hong Kong 24 Hour Race has been organized solely by a team of students elected from participating schools. The initial idea was to spread awareness about the trafficking of people into exploitative conditions and to raise money to assist an NGO that rescues and rehabilitates children who have been trafficked into slavery from Nepal into India. This event has tremendous support from parents and schools. All Hong Kong schools and universities are welcome to participate.
Start 9am Saturday 30 November 2013 Finish 9am Sunday 1 December 2013 Location Lugard Road, The Peak Go to www.24hourrace.org for more details on the race
18.8% 21.7% 41.1% 7.2%
54
Perspectives
Hong Kong 24 Hour Pedal Kart Grand Prix
clubs compete for 24 hours in a Le Mans style endurance race in custom- and home-built human-powered pedal karts. Specifications for the karts, and racing instructions are available on request. Held annually, this great event for participants and spectators alike, was in May this year. Dates of the 2014 event are to be announced.
Parade 12 noon Saturday Start 1pm Saturday Finish 1pm Sunday Location Victoria Park football pitches, Causeway Bay Contact Pedal Kart Committee Chairman, Gareth Wilde @ gazwilde@hotmail.com Go to http://roundtablehongkong.org/pedal/ for more details
This charitable fundraising event has been taking place for over 25 years. The Hong Kong 24 Hour Pedal Kart Grand Prix sees teams from Hong Kongs universities, schools, big companies and local
Hebe Haven 24 Hour Charity Dinghy Race

charities is Sailability, formed in 2010. Its objectives are to provide facilities and expertise for a waterbased experience for disabled Hong Kong people who would not otherwise have the opportunity. The Hong Kong charity organization is part of the international Sailability World and the Hong Kong programme is open to anyone with residence in Hong Kong.
Start 2pm Saturday 26 October 2013 Finish 2pm Sunday 27 October 2013 Location Pak Sha Wan, Hebe Haven Go to http://www.hhyc.org.hk/page.php?page=page5_27. php&limit=1&fid=1597&id=1597 for further details and entry forms for the race Go to www.sailability.org Contact info@sailability.org.hk for more details on Sailability
Being run for the 11th time this year, The Hebe Haven 24 Hour Charity Dinghy Race includes the popular Children and Adults Raft Race and, for the first time this year, there will be a Stand Up Paddle Board race as well. One of the beneficiary
June 2012
Volume 4 Number 2
September 2012
Volume 4 Number 3
December 2012
Volume 4 Number 4
June
2013
Volume 5 Number 2
Youth
HONG KONG
Youth
HONG KONG
Youth
HONG KONG
Youth
HONG KONG
Job hunting
Real choice
or limited options
YOUTH SPEAK Earning, prospects, ful lment INTERVIEWS Herman Chan Careers and Placement at HKU Stanley Ng Choosing paths, changing tracks Virginia Choi Matching expectations YOUTH WATCH Statistics on money and careers FEATURES Kara Chan on consumerism
Youth, crime and rehabilitation
Advertise in Youth Hong Kong, the magazine for all who are interested in young people. Visit youthhongkong.hkfyg.org.hk for full details.
Growing
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by kmlz http://www.ickr.com/photos/kmlz/2913884347/
Publisher : The Hong Kong Federation of Youth Groups www.hkfyg.org.hkwww.m21.hkwww.u21.hk Youth Hong Kong: 21/F, The Hong Kong Federation of Youth Groups Building, 21 Pak Fuk Road, North Point, Hong Kong Tel : 3755 70843755 7108Fax : 3755 7155Email : youthhongkong@hkfyg.org.hkWebsite : youthhongkong.hkfyg.org.hk
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a quarterly journal from the hongkong federation of youth groups

MEDIA PARTNER Education Post

September 2013 | Youth Hong Kong

Dr Rosanna Wong, DBE, JP Executive Director, HKFYG September 2013

Youth Hong Kong | September 2013

Assisting students with

September 2013 | Youth Hong Kong

Hong Kong Education Bureau Definitions

Youth Hong Kong | September 2013

Shortfalls and shortcomings

September 2013 | Youth Hong Kong

2007/08 SEN in all public sector schools 2010

HKFYG services for special educational needs

Youth Hong Kong | September 2013

answer to special needs M

Sources * a caput school is a non-profit-making private secondary school https://www.ab.ust.hk/hro/PubDoc/new_staff_guide/resources/school_types_in_hk.pdf

September 2013 | Youth Hong Kong

From child health to vocational training

Department of Health and Hospital Authority

Education Bureau (EDB)

University Grants Committee (UGC) & Vocational Training Council (VTC)

Social Welfare Department (SWD)

Youth Hong Kong | September 2013

Five basic principles for IE

September 2013 | Youth Hong Kong

A road map for the development of services

(SEN) SEN / SEN ;

Professional support and monitoring

Youth Hong Kong | September 2013

Inadequacies and problems

September 2013 | Youth Hong Kong

47% 35% 30% 21% 9% 24% 28% 16% 34%

30% 29% 30% 16%

Parents of SEN students Parents of regular students

Extra funding for SEN students from EDB*

Support provided by SSRC**

EDB referrals for SEN students

Support for SEN students provided by HKEAA***

Figure 2 How parents of regular students view SEN students

SEN students disturb my child's learning

Disquieting survey results

40% 16% 70-90% 20% 31%

Youth Hong Kong | September 2013

Opportunities and obstacles

Discrimination and bullying

September 2013 | Youth Hong Kong

Effective help for SEN students?

Youth Hong Kong | September 2013

recognition of problems, empowerment to cope

Dyslexia with Chinese characteristics

September 2013 | Youth Hong Kong

READ & WRITE Phase 1:

Strikingly different: Hong Kong and Beijing

Youth Hong Kong | September 2013

READ & WRITE Phase 2:

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Some community services for SEN in Hong Kong

Autism spectrum disorder

Youth Hong Kong | September 2013

Erin Zealand, as is my Chinese father, but I

September 2013 | Youth Hong Kong

those who are different