Chief Secretary Matthew Cheung today launched the Life Buddies Mentoring Scheme, a cross-sectoral upward mobility campaign for young people, for the new school year.

About 500 representatives from government departments, public bodies, businesses and schools as well as the mentors and mentees attended the ceremony.

Speaking at the ceremony, Mr Cheung, also the Commission on Poverty Chairperson, said the scheme signified the Government's commitment in doing its best in youth development.

The scheme’s school-based mentoring programme provides early workplace exposure to youths from disadvantaged backgrounds, allowing them to develop a vision for the future through the guidance of experienced mentors.

Entering its third year, the scheme has enlisted the support of mentors from 48 different government departments, corporations and organisations, an increase of four supporting organisations compared with last year.

Together with about 50 individual mentors from the community, 60 mentor teams were formed, and these were partnered with 52 local secondary schools to launch a year of school-based activities.

The scheme also features the Job Tasting programme during summer holidays, giving secondary students hands-on experience in a real-life work setting.

During the past summer holiday, the scheme provided about 900 such opportunities with support from 70 government departments, corporations and organisations.

The scheme launched the Be a Government Official for a Day programme for its first time this year.

Thirty-four senior secondary students were selected to follow three Secretaries and 13 Bureau Directors for a day to gain hands-on experience of the Principal Officials' work.

Mr Cheung said the Government will actively consider launching a new round next year, involving more senior officials so that more students can benefit from the programme.

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