I‧CARE Whole-person Development Programmes
I‧CARE Centre for Whole-person Development
Launched in 2011, the I‧CARE Programme has been committed to offering informal whole-person education to students based on the I·CARE Framework. In line with its motto “Aspiration through Reflection; Renewal through Civility”, the I·CARE Programme aims to inspire students to actively partake in social and civic services. It also facilitates the release of students’ holistic competencies so that they will become able to enhance the wellness of people in the local, regional and global communities.
The I·CARE Programme has been administered by the I·CARE Centre for Whole-person Development since 2016-17. The I·CARE Centre is currently reunited with the Office of Student Affairs, Student Experience and Development Section. The Centre also collaborates with other University units to motivate the all-round development of students.
I·CARE Achievers Programme
This I·CARE Achievers Programme (IAP) is committed to promoting 24 character strengths and life values through a wide range of small group experiential learning activities to enhance self-awareness and positive value of students. The programme promotes healthy development of the community and the world. IAP specifically hopes to facilitate participants to respect others, treasure humanity’s shared environment, be perseverant to cope with adversity and embrace passion to serve the needy.
Lean Poverty Alleviation Initiative
The Lean Poverty Alleviation Initiative aims to bring CUHK students to address the underlying causes of poverty in Hong Kong as well as to build an enabling environment for penury moderation. Through engaging in different forms of experiential activities and direct services, participants gain first-hand experience with societal issues and nurture resolve to tackle poverty.
Under the Lean Poverty Alleviation Initiative, “poverty” is not only perceived as the insufficiency of essential resources to maintain a citizen’s living but also one’s relative disadvantages as compared to the members of a dominant socioeconomic group. The activities and services under this initiative have, therefore, reached out to both impoverished people (e.g. those in short of material possessions or income) and vulnerable members (e.g. disabled persons and ethnic minorities) in Hong Kong.
Social Enterprise Startup Scheme
The Social Enterprise Startup Scheme (SESS) provide funds to CUHK students and young alumni to transform their creative business ideas into meaningful startups but more preciously, it also offers mentorship by experts in the real business sector. Participants may receive from the “CUSE Fund” a maximum of HK$100,000 as seed money to set up an enterprise with a social mission.
Social Service Projects Scheme
The Social Service Projects Scheme encourages CUHK students to design and implement sustainable social services in Hong Kong, the Mainland and overseas countries so as to enhance people’s wellbeing and personal growth. In addition to financial subsidies, the Scheme offers training opportunities and individual guidance to the project teams.
University Lecture on Civility
The University Lecture on Civility consists of seminars and forums that explore the relationship between men and society/ nature. Scholars, artists and luminaries from around the world share their unique humanistic points of view with CUHK members and catalyse them to reflect on the meaning of life. Also, the University Lecture on Civility has set up the I·CARE Theatre, I·CARE Salon and organised various large-scale cultural activities such as Book Festival, Floral Festival and Film Festival to inspire CUHK members to have an appreciation on life and promote aesthetic development.
Other Activities
The I·CARE Centre for Whole-person Development hosts and assists in, from time to time, various activities to enrich student life. They include, inter alia, “Charity Sale of Charles K. Kao Foundation”, “Wu Zhi Qiao – Service Learning Trip”, etc.
