Phase 2: Walk Together, Dreams Come True Youth Development Program
Program Overview (Sponsored by the Social Welfare Bureau)
"Walk Together, Dreams Come True" is a three-year service program designed for youth aged 12 to 18. The goal is to enhance children and teenagers' emotional management skills, resilience, and future planning abilities through three key elements: "Goal Savings," "Mentorship," and "Personal Growth."
Program Content
The program is structured around three core elements:
- Personal Growth: Social workers and mentors assist participants in creating a personalized development plan with specific goals. This plan covers financial management, self-awareness, personal development, emotional management, and problem-solving skills. Social workers will also organize regular parent seminars and activities to help parents understand and support their children's personal growth plans.
- Mentorship: Each child or teenager is paired with a volunteer mentor who provides guidance and helps them establish and implement their personal growth plan. Mentors also share their own growth experiences to support the participants' healthy development.
- Goal Savings: The program helps participants learn to save in order to achieve their personal dreams. Participants and their families are encouraged to commit to a 12-month savings period with a monthly target of MOP $150.
Through donations from businesses and individuals, the program provides matching funds (minimum 1:1) for the participants' accumulated savings. Additionally, a special one-month financial incentive is awarded to each participant who completes the entire savings plan.
After the 12-month savings period, participants will use their goal savings (including their own savings, matching donations, and the special financial incentive) to implement their personal growth plans.
Program Implementation Period
January 2016 to December 2018.
Target Participants
- For Youth: Children and teenagers aged 12 to 18 and their parents.
- Annual quota: 50 children/teenagers and their parents.
- For Mentors:
- Must be 21 years or older.
- Minimum education level of Form 5 (Senior Secondary).
- Willing to commit 12 months of time to spend with a child/teenager.
- Must attend 5 core training activities.
