Contributor: Chloe Wong
The I·CARE Achievers Programme introduces the 24 types of character strengths through diverse activities to enhance self-awareness and positive value of students, thereby promoting healthy development of the community and the world. It specifically aims to nurture participants to be civil citizens who respect others, care about the environment, demonstrate perseverance in face of adversity, serve the needy with compassion, and possess a global outlook to address the world’s complicated issues. In the first term of this academic year, three activities under this programme were conducted, namely “Workshop on Understanding Peace and Conflict”, “Book Tutorial for Core Members” and “Sharing Session on Social Enterprise cum Muay Thai Trial Class”.
Workshop on Understanding Peace and Conflict
This activity was held on 24 October 2022. Two trainers from Peace Generation were invited to introduce peace studies and skills of conflict management to participants to facilitate them to deal with daily conflicts and hence leading a peaceful life.
Participants first went through some warm-up activities to get a preliminary understanding of the “Global Peace Index” and peace studies. In the session of “Conflict Analysis and Communication Strategies”, the trainers discussed with the participants the five conflict handling styles and their respective pros and cons. Through understanding the emotions and needs of all parties involved in a conflict, participants have developed positive thinking habits for practising peace. In the last session on “Conflict Management, Resolution and Transformation”, the trainers shared real cases and role-played several scenarios for participants to practise their empathetic listening and conflict analysing skills; participants were able to work out several creative solutions after examining the positions and the unsatisfied emotional needs of different parties.
This activity encouraged participants to examine and manage conflicts with a peaceful mind, thereby enhancing their character strengths of “Honesty”, “Love” and “Social Intelligence”.
Book Tutorial for Core Members
The extensive reading programme for core group members under the I·CARE Achievers Programme encourages members to read books recommended by leaders in various fields to broaden their knowledge.
One of the participants, Angie Kwan (New Asia College), of this programme had finished reading all of the 13 recommended books. Angie attended the book tutorial hosted by Prof. Nyaw Mee-kau, (former Vice President and Emeritus Professor of Management, Lingnan University), one of the book-proposers and tutors of this programme, on 23 December 2022. Prof. Nyaw’s recommended books include “The Rape of Nanking” and “Remembering My Parents in My Eighties, Recollections of My Teachers and Friends”.
The book tutorial allowed Angie to gain a deeper understanding of the recommended books (e.g. the author’s academic background, the social system and structure, the relationship between the author and other legendary figures, comparison with similar historical events, etc.). As an alumnus of the New Asia College, Prof. Nyaw shared with Angie the history of the College and other interesting stories about his university life.
After the tutorial, Angie revealed that it was the first time that she joined an activity of this kind. She cherished this valuable learning experience very much and felt grateful for Prof. Nyaw’s encouragement. Not only had Prof. Nyaw prepared a new recommended book list for her, but he also gifted her a book titled “The Woman Who Could Not Forget: Iris Chang Before and Beyond The Rape of Nanking” (a memoir about the life of the author of “The Rape of Nanking”, written by the author’s mother), so she could study the details as mentioned by Prof. Nyaw and practise what she had learnt in the book tutorial.
Sharing Session on Social Enterprise cum Muay Thai Trial Class
This activity was held on 6 January 2023, where participants visited the gym studio of Elite (SE) Limited *, a social enterprise located at Sheung Wan. Following the introductory session on the founding story, operation and past social innovation projects of this social enterprise, participants acquired basic skills of Muay Thai under the professional guidance of three certified coaches. Mr. Eden Wong, Co-founder and Head Coach of Elite (SE) Limited, then introduced to participants the work of the coaches and their service recipients (e.g. at-risk youths and children with Special Educational Needs). Participants learnt about how the different teaching strategies adopted by the coaches may accommodate the individual needs of the learners, improve their physical and mental health, and enhance their social skills and quality of life.
After the event, quite a number of participants who had experience in serving the youths and SEN children expressed that they were deeply inspired by the teaching strategies adopted by the coaches. The participants mentioned that they will bear in mind the useful tips shared by the coaches, which include: being patient in looking for the suitable pedagogical approach for the learners, paying attention to the emotional needs of the learners, encouraging positive behaviours of the learners.
This activity not only enabled participants to have fun with playing Muay Thai, it also deepened their understanding of three character strengths, namely “Zest”, “Kindness” and “Perseverance”.
Apart from the aforementioned three activities, the I·CARE Achievers Programme has at recent launched the "Get around Hong Kong" running team.
* Elite (SE) Limited is the first social enterprise in Hong Kong that mainly provides Muay Thai training service. It helps the at-risk youths and other vulnerable groups to develop a positive mindset and healthy lifestyle through Muay Thai and provision of job opportunities, so as to give full play to their strengths and talents. Other services offered by this social enterprise include, for examples, leading their students to offer free Muay Thai lessons to the youths with mood problems or with special education needs and to members from low-income families and the elderly, as well as organising charity competitions.