Every year, the Unicef Young Envoys Programme teaches a group of teenagers about how to advocate for children’s rights. One of the 2022-23 Young Envoys was Gabriel*, a student at Victoria Shanghai Academy.
The teen applied to join the programme because he was touched by its goals: helping children in need.
“I volunteered with HandsOn HK, a charity that helps people in need, during the pandemic, and it made me realise I really enjoy helping others,” he shared.
During the nine-month programme, Gabriel and 39 of his peers learned about leadership, teamwork, and children’s rights. In the summer, they went on a four-day trip to Seoul in South Korea where they attended workshops with students from other countries.
For Gabriel, the best part of being a Young Envoy was creating an idea to help children in Hong Kong for his GenAction project.
The project was about positive communication between parents and children. Gabriel and his team created a five-minute film on this topic. In it, the protagonist, May, loves K-pop dance, but her mother wants her to focus on studying. In the end, they came to an agreement by speaking honestly with each other.
“I want to show what happens when parents and kids have good communication and how a hobby can help young people cope with stress,” Gabriel said.
He added: “I also had my passions, and I had to negotiate with my mum about balancing my studies and extracurricular activities, such as debate, squash and playing the saxophone, which I am passionate about.’’
The teen said he was thankful for the Young Envoys Programme because it taught him the different ways he could help other children. He also plans to start a club in his school to help underprivileged kids.
*Full name and age withheld at Unicef Hong Kong’s request.
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