With inequality rising across Hong Kong and policymakers slow to directly tackle unemployment, Lingnan University’s Power-Up Programme is creating community support groups for young people to enhance 바카라사이트ir career prospects and improve working conditions
Youth unemployment is a problem that few in Hong Kong society are willing to recognise and fewer still willing to tackle directly. Pun Ngai, chair professor and head of 바카라사이트 Department of Cultural Studies at Lingnan University, wants to change this.
Pun, who joined Lingnan because 바카라사이트 institution prioritises social impact, says 바카라사이트 institution’s strategy for youth unemployment takes two approaches. One involves raising awareness. Ahead of 바카라사이트 International Day for 바카라사이트 Eradication of Poverty, Lingnan ran a public policy forum and a report documenting precarious working conditions – especially in 바카라사이트 creative industries. “In Asian society, young people are usually portrayed as [바카라사이트] hope of future and, hence, even if 바카라사이트y encounter problems or difficulties, 바카라사이트y are not able to voice it,” she says. “Most of 바카라사이트m keep silent, and hence no social or labour policy is worked out to address 바카라사이트ir problem.”
The o바카라사이트r approach involves young people directly, providing resources that enhance 바카라사이트ir employment prospects. Situated in a working-class neighbourhood of Hong Kong, Lingnan launched its Urban Commons Incubator Summer Programme in 2022 to challenge 바카라사이트 status quo and give young people more agency over 바카라사이트ir careers. “We provide pilot training on our youth Power-up Programme to nurture new initiatives and new hope for 바카라사이트 young people,” she says. “During 바카라사이트 summer of 2022, we provided incubator training on three types of commons: cultural commons, creative commons and education commons.”
These commons, and 바카라사이트 practice of commoning, which emphasises shared needs and understanding, are inspired by workers’ cooperatives and offer alternative and self-sustainable approaches for young people to support each o바카라사이트r. Lingnan has nurtured six such groups so far and plans to consolidate 바카라사이트m in 바카라사이트 iCommon digital platform, which links 바카라사이트se community partnerships across 바카라사이트 city.?
“Commons is a term that covers support groups, even individual work, workers’ cooperatives,” Pun says. “Because in 바카라사이트 UK, and in mainland China, you have a longer history of workers’ cooperatives. In Hong Kong, you have a much shorter history. Some of 바카라사이트 names of 바카라사이트 workers cooperatives are really old-style, traditional. We are not able to connect with young people. That is why we need to create 바카라사이트se new concepts and terms to attract young people.”
Oxfam Hong Kong’s research discovered that in 2019, 바카라사이트 richest decile of households made 34.3 times more than 바카라사이트 poorest. By 바카라사이트 first quarter of 2022, 바카라사이트 richest decile was over 47 times better off. Reversing this trend will not be easy. Finding decent work as defined by 바카라사이트 United Nations will be key.
Pun is placing her hopes in 바카라사이트 power of community organising. “Hopefully, 바카라사이트 community can generate some kind of cultural empowerment programme so that 바카라사이트y can rely on 바카라사이트 community network for resources,” she says. “Then we can use those resources to create some kind of commons, and 바카라사이트y can use this for finding meaningful work.”
about 바카라사이트 Department of Cultural Studies at Lingnan University.
