Teens Discover a New World

Teenagers from ethnic minority groups at our SHINE centre have limited access to the outdoors. Their parents work long hours, so the world beyond the boundaries of home and school is only viewed on TV, or discovered in books.

Our aim is to help these teens to overcome their limitations, develop new skills, and apply that way of thinking to other areas of their lives.

When Cavin entered our summer programme two years ago he was a shy, retiring boy. He seldom made eye contact, or initiated a conversation. Things began to change when he started participating in our programmes.

We took him and a group of other teens from our SHINE centre out to the Tai Mei Tuk Watersports Centre in Shuen Wan to learn to kayak. The group included Indonesians, Filipinos, Nepalese, Pakistanis and Indians. None had ever kayaked before. The morning was spent learning the basics, including water safety. From then on, they spent the afternoon having fun trying to stay in the kayaks, and racing each another.

Cavin, no longer shy and retiring, was bursting with excitement and he wasn’t afraid to show it! His new found self confidence made him almost unrecognizable! The teens may not have realized it but they also gained confidence in their abilities; acquired valuable social skills, and learned how to be responsible citizens as they helped each other and let someone else 'go first'.

"I want to be a social worker, and help other kids, just like I'm being helped here at SHINE centre," Cavin told us. The social workers at the centre are now training this previously shy, retiring boy to be one of our youth ambassadors!