CDIA's Y-WE Programme
In 2014, the Child Development Initiative Alliance (CDIA) launched the " Youth Work Explorer” Programme (Y-WE), which consolidates resources from the business sector to support grassroots youths and help to address long-term intergenerational poverty.
CDIA operates under the belief that "Everyone is born with useful talent.” The Y-WE programme is designed to help young people identify their interests and potential, discover their career aspirations, and gain confidence and motivation through relevant work experiences, guiding them towards their life goals.
The programme is aimed at students aged 16 to 21, referred by schools or NGOs. As of 2023, some 2,500 young people have benefited from the programme, gaining inspiration, and broadening their horizons to prepare them for transition into full-time employment.
CDIA conducts detailed assessments and one-on-one interviews with each Y-WE participant to understand their interests, potential, and the line of work that they may be interested in. Together, they discover individual participant’s career aspirations. The candidate will then be matched to a suitable internship opportunity for a minimum of one week’s work experience.
Before starting their internships, participants receive training in life education, career planning, and other relevant areas to prepare them for the workplace and maximize the benefits of their work experience.
CDIA assigns volunteer “business advisors” to support participants throughout their work experience while also sharing their professional experiences. In addition, CDIA provides training for the staff of participating companies and organizations so that they may effectively engage with and understand the perspectives and needs of young people during the Y-WE work experience.
The Y-WE programme receives support from a cross-section of the Hong Kong business sector and the government. More than 400 companies and organisations representing different industries and professions, including more than 32 government departments and public organisations, participate in providing work experience opportunities for grassroots youths.
In 2019, the Y-WE programme was scientifically validated by the University of Hong Kong’s Department of Social Work and Social Administration. Y-WE was confirmed to be effective in enhancing youths’ career planning and occupational decision-making abilities, self-confidence, motivation, understanding of their chosen professions, and their career development capability.
Both the students participating in the programme and the companies and organisations providing work experience opportunities have expressed a satisfaction rate exceeding 96% for the overall programme.
Every year, more than 20% of the students participating in the Y-WE programme are immediately offered employment by Y-WE’s partner organisations upon completing their work experience.