i.Care Programmes
I·CARE Achievers Programme
This Programme promotes various character strengths through well-designed activities like “Dialogue on Character”, “Retreat Day”, “Extensive Reading Scheme”, “Workshop on Value Clarification”, “Day Camp on Leadership Training”, “Farming cum Hiking”, “Course on Compassionate Communication” and “Remoulding Camp”. It aims to enhance the self-awareness and positive value of students, so as to promote healthy development of the community and the world. The Programme specifically hopes to help participants respect others, treasure humanity’s shared environment, be perseverant to cope with adversity, embrace passion to serve the needy, and possess a global outlook to address the world’s complicated issues.
Lean Poverty Alleviation Initiative
The Lean Poverty Alleviation Initiative aims at bringing CUHK students to address the underlying causes of poverty in Hong Kong as well as to build an enabling environment for penury moderation. Through engaging in different forms of experiential activities and direct services, participants gain first-hand experience about societal issues and nurture resolve to tackle poverty.
Under the Lean Poverty Alleviation Initiative, “poverty” is not only perceived as the insufficiency of essential resources to maintain a citizen’s living but also one’s relative disadvantages as compared to the members of a dominant socioeconomic group. The activities and services under this initiative have, therefore, reached out to both impoverished people (e.g. those in short of material possessions or income) and vulnerable members (e.g. disabled persons and ethnic minority) in Hong Kong.
NGO Internship Programme
The NGO Internship Programme collaborates with the non-governmental organisations (NGO) in Hong Kong, Mainland and Taiwan to offer internship opportunities to CUHK students. It provides participants with a better understanding of the services of the NGOs and enables them to reflect on their values and their connection with the communities from a wider perspective. Participants of the Hong Kong programme are furthered to gain first-hand experience of interacting with different people of the local community so as to stimulate ideas in positive social changes; whereas participants of the Mainland and Taiwan programme will experience the culture and livelihood of the places, in addition to gaining knowledge of community work.
Social Enterprise Startup Scheme
The Social Enterprise Startup Scheme not only funds CUHK students and young alumni to transform their creative business ideas into meaningful startup, but most importantly offers mentorship to them by the experts in real business sector. Participants may receive from the “CUSE Fund” a maximum of HK$100,000 as seed money to set up an enterprise with social mission.
CUSE Fund
“CUSE Fund” is managed by the I·CARE Centre for Whole-person Development, and adopts the strength-based approach for distribution. It helps the participants make use of their own advantages and assets to engage in social entrepreneurship leading to positive social change and improvement of people’s quality of life. The number of teams receiving “CUSE Fund” in every year is without limit, and each of them can be awarded up to HK$100,000.
Social Service Projects Scheme
The Social Service Projects Scheme encourages CUHK students to design and implement sustainable social services in Hong Kong, the Mainland and overseas countries so as to enhance people’s wellbeing and personal growth. In addition to financial subsidies, the Scheme offers training opportunities and individual guidance to the project teams.
University Lecture on Civility
The University Lecture on Civility consists of seminars and forums that explore the relationship between men and society/ nature. Scholars, artists and luminaries from around the world share their unique humanistic points of view with CUHK members and catalyse them to reflect on the meaning of life. The University Lecture on Civility has also set up the I·CARE Theatre, and runs Book Festival, Floral Festival and Film Festival from time to time to inspire CUHK members to lead a fruitful and meaningful life.
Yunus Social Business Centre@CUHK
Permission from Professor Muhammad Yunus, 2006 Nobel Peace Laureate & Founder of Grameen Bank, was obtained to name this Centre after him. It aims to encourage real action from the youth of Hong Kong in social business through a series of training activities and incubation programmes. Benefitting from the ample experience and expertise of Professor Yunus, the Centre facilitates poverty alleviation through social business.
Other Activities
The I·CARE Centre for Whole-person Development hosts or assists in, from time to time, various activities to enrich student life. They include, inter alia, “Mother Nature Rocks”, “CUHK Campus Tour”, “Jockey Club Charles Kao Brain Health Services Project”, “I·CARE Blood Donation Day”, “Life@CUHK – Exploring the Plentiful Possibilities of Life”, “Music Dreams Come True Concert”, “Go Hiking in CUHK Style with Vice-Chancellor” and “Creating a Magical Moment for Children in Need”.
