The primary target of the Strive and Rise program is Secondary 1-4 students from underprivileged families, particularly those living in subdivided units. (PHOTO / YOUTH.GOV.HK)

HONG KONG – An enhanced Strive and Rise Programme started recruiting the second cohort on Friday to provide focused support for more secondary students from underprivileged families.

Applications for the program – designed to help mentees broaden their horizons, reinforce their self-confidence, develop a positive outlook on life, set goals for their future and strive for upward mobility –will close on Nov 16.

Secondary One to Secondary Four students from underprivileged families, particularly those living in sub-divided units, may approach their schools or the non-governmental organizations that assist the government in implementing the program for inquiries, the government said in a statement. 

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While delivering his second Policy Address on Wednesday, Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu announced that the number of mentees in the second round of the program will be increased from 2,800 to 4,000, with an extension to cover Secondary Four students from underprivileged families.

The program comprises three key elements – mentorship, personal development plans and financial support

The second round will also include several new elements such as enriching the variety of group activities with more mainland study and exchange tours, introducing mentorship groups, and establishing an alumni club for mentees to provide them with diversified social activities and internship opportunities, he said.

“The total number of benefited mentees will increase to 6,800 in the 2023/24 school year, reaching 12,000 in the 2025/26 school year,” the CE said in his Policy Address speech.

The chief secretary for administration is leading an inter-departmental task force to take forward the Strive and Rise Programme through tripartite collaboration between the government, the business sector and the community.

The program comprises three key elements – mentorship, personal development plans and financial support. 

Each mentee will be paired with a volunteer mentor who will share his/her life experience, inspire the mentee to explore more possibilities for personal development, assist the mentee in improving self-confidence, and encourage the mentee to set personal goals in a proactive and positive manner.

The mentees will also get help in developing positive financial planning concepts and guidance on ways to make good use of a HK$5,000 startup financial support provided by the program to take forward their personal development plans. 

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Upon successful completion of the program, a scholarship of HK$5,000 will be awarded to the mentees for their personal pursuits by applying the financial planning concepts that they have learned.

The mentees, upon successful completion of the one-year intensive foundation program, will automatically become members of the alumni club for two years.