Project Careerpillar: A new direction for youth career services in Hong Kong
In 2021, Simon K. Y. Lee Karen’s Fund collaborates with City University of Hong Kong to implement Project Careerpillar, a 18-month social service project aiming to establish an unique and effective evidence-based service model that can facilitate individuals’ career development in the local context. Project Careerpillar adopts a perspective of career planning and development that focuses on promoting individuals’ self-understanding and self-actualization so that they can find the meaning of work and life, and lead a successful life. The Project serves young adults aged 25-39 with a range of services, including career-related information, individual and group counseling, career matching and exploration, as well as support group.
The objectives of the Project include:
1) To experiment a career service model built upon past local and overseas experiences, which seeks to enhance participants’ personal growth, job satisfaction, meaning of life and career development through the provision of a series of career-related programmes;
2) To consolidate the experiences of this career service model through qualitative and quantitative research and follow-up with the participants;
3) To establish a comprehensive career development service model to be practiced in the local context that lays the foundation for the future development of career service in Hong Kong.
The experimental phase of Project Careerpillar, which it collaborated with City University of Hong Kong and four non-profit organizations, including Caritas-Hong Kong, Evangelical Lutheran Church Social Service-Hong Kong, Hong Kong Federation of Youth Groups and Hong Kong Playground Association, was completed in 2023. About 140 service users benefited from this phase.
Building on the positive outcomes and successful foundation of the experimental phase, Simon K. Y. Lee Karen’s Fund will continue to partner with Caritas-Hong Kong, Evangelical Lutheran Church Social Service-Hong Kong, Hong Kong Federation of Youth Groups and Hong Kong Playground Association to implement the second phase of Project Careerpillar. On the other hand, Prof Lo Tit-wing, Acting President of Saint Francis University and his team will provide specialized training to facilitate social workers to develop necessary skill sets for effective Project implementation. It is anticipated that at least 320 participants will benefit from the Project.
To learn more about Project Careerpillar and its latest news, please visit the respective Facebook pages of the collaborating NGOs:
Evangelical Lutheran Church Social Service-Hong Kong