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The Federation will co-host a talk by Michael Furdyk, the young co-founder of TakingITGlobal.org*, a global non-profit online community. Furdyk started his first Internet company, MyDeskTop.com, when he was 15. His second venture, BuyBuddy.com, helps users understand and purchase technology products. He advises Microsoft on how young people use technology and has been a consultant for large corporations including HP, Xerox and IBM. Co-hosts of the talk, on Monday 3 October, 5:30pm, Auditorium, 1/F HK Council of Social Service, are Microsoft and HKU. Readers are warmly invited to attend.

Contact Leadership 21 for further details, email leadership21@hkfyg.org.hk, tel 2169 0255

* TakingITGlobal.org is a global non-profit online community and Michael Furdyk has been nominated one of the "20 teens that will change the world" by Teen People

 

There have been recent media reports about the problem of female gangs in Hong Kong but little investigation has taken place. Since we are very concerned about the risks they are running we conducted our own research. Federation outreach social workers surveyed 70 girl gang members aged 13 to 20 and then our researchers conducted in-depth interviews with 18 of them. Findings of the survey, together with a detailed analysis of the interviews, have just been published.*

Form 2 girls are at highest risk of being tempted to join gangs and this age group should be the target for preventive work. There are now girl-only gangs which did not apparently exist before and as gang members, they can become involved in fighting, shoplifting, drug

trafficking and sexual promiscuity. However, they often do not stay long in the same gang and we can help some of them make a turn-around. The ratio of female to male gang members has doubled in the last 4 years. Correctional Services statistics show that the number of female prisoners under 21 has also doubled since 1994. The likely connection between these two phenomena deserves our serious attention and justifies further in depth work into such a neglected area.

"Both schools and parents need to be alert for signs that girls in Form 2 have joined gangs. They are in a physical and emotional transition period and cannot always differentiate between good and bad influences."

Prof Daniel Shek Tan-lei, Dept of Social Work, Chinese University of Hong Kong

*HKFYG Youth Study Series no 34 September 2005
For summary in Chinese, visit: http://www.hkfyg.org.hk/yrc/chinese/yr-ys-34-c.html

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Girls in gangs


A recent Federation survey on this subject (see above) reveals a rising trend in gang membership by girls. We contacted one of the outreach social workers who helps them. She told us about Elki and May. Click here to read more..

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Federation News

Mr. Peter Wong Tung-shun, Group Manager and Executive Director, Hong Kong and Mainland China, Hong Kong Shanghai Banking Corporation, will talk to 230 student leaders about the yuan and monetary policy in China at the Duke of Windsor Social Service Building on 29 September 2005.

The Federation has been delighted by the response to its Grand Raffle Campaign. The lucky draw will take place on 30 September 2005 and results will be published on 6 October 2005 in Sing Tao Daily, The Standard and on the u21youthnet. website:www.u21.org.hk.

The Federation's newly launched "Youth Business Hong Kong" attracted over 90 applications and from next month the first batch of seven successful business start-ups will benefit from expert mentorship and will receive between them seed funds totalling about HK$500,000. For further details, contact Louisa Lau tel 3113 7999, email ybhk@hkfyg.org.hk or visit www.u21.org.hk/ybhk.

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