Chief Secretary Matthew Cheung today chaired the seventh meeting of the Youth Development Commission online.

The commission members noted the new initiatives on youth development in the 2020 Policy Address, including the Greater Bay Area Youth Employment Scheme launched earlier to support Hong Kong youth to seize the career development opportunities in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA).

They also agreed to introduce enhancement measures for the Funding Scheme for Youth Entrepreneurship in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area. The scheme subsidises non-governmental organisations (NGOs) to provide entrepreneurial support and incubation services that befit the needs of young people starting businesses in Hong Kong and bay area Mainland cities.

"The GBA development is an important strategy for the further reform and opening up of the country, as well as a key way forward for Hong Kong's economic recovery after the epidemic,” Mr Cheung said.

“The GBA would provide Hong Kong young people with a new runway for employment and entrepreneurship," he added.

The commission agreed to introduce a new thematic funding scheme under the Youth Development Fund to subsidise eligible NGOs to collaborate with schools to provide systematic, quality and sizeable local outdoor adventure training activities for young people.

Subject to the epidemic's developments, the new scheme is expected to be launched in the first half of this year.

Members also noted the progress of various youth development projects under the commission.