The soon-to-be-formed Youth Development Commission should adopt a holistic strategy as the basis of its work and as an overarching framework to ensure all policy bureaus and stakeholders uphold the same principles in fostering youth development.

The Commission on Youth made the recommendation in its Youth Development Strategy: Public Engagement Report released today.

The report consolidates the opinions collected from four public engagement sessions and 101 focus group meetings held from May to October and attended by young people of different backgrounds and stakeholders involved in youth development, such as parents, secondary school principals and teachers, and tertiary institution representatives.

The development strategy comprises a vision for moving forward, guiding principles, building blocks forming the key areas of youth development and recommended actions.

To provide an environment that enables youths to realise their potential in different areas, the strategy comprises education, career pursuit, housing and financial independence, health, civic participation and whole-person development as its building blocks.

It also emphasises equal opportunities to ensure the development of young people will not be hindered by their background.

The Youth Development Commission should give priority to discussing issues with cross-bureau implications to give effect to its role as a cross-bureau and inter-departmental steering committee.

It should also engage young people and various stakeholders throughout the policy formulation and discussion process to foster citywide support, so society can work towards the strategy's vision and ensure it becomes a living document.

Chief Secretary Matthew Cheung received the report from Commission on Youth Chairman Lau Ming-wai today.

Mr Cheung said the Government accords priority to youth development and welcomes the report's recommendations.

"The new Youth Development Commission will vigorously promote cross-bureaus, cross-departmental collaboration and undertake to address young people's concerns about education, career pursuit and home ownership, and encourage their participation in politics as well as public policy discussion and debate."

The Government and the commission will study the report findings and recommendations in detail to formulate its work plan, he added.

The Youth Development Commission, to be chaired by the Chief Secretary, will be set up in the first half of this year to enhance policy co-ordination within the Government and enable holistic and more effective examination of, and discussion on, issues of concern to young people.

The Commission on Youth under the Home Affairs Bureau will be incorporated into it.

Click here for the report.