More than 100 students from secondary schools and universities learned to plan and execute community projects under the guidance of police volunteers and social workers in the year-round "Project Youth C.A.N". C.A.N stood for Care, Action and Now. A project presentation competition cum closing ceremony was held by Hong Kong Island (HKI) Region at the Police Headquarters on July 9.

The students presented their community projects to an adjudicating panel, which comprised Acting Regional Commander of HKI Lam Chun-ming, Commander of Eastern District Graham Mitchelmore and Chairpersons of District Fight Crime Committees and Junior Police Call Honorary President Councils in HKI Region. An exhibition was held at the venue to show students' achievement in the project.

Mr Lam noted in his closing remarks that the project had developed a sense of social responsibility among students. It covered 3-A phases, namely Association, Appreciation and Accomplishment.

The Association Phase aimed to break the ice of participants. The social workers and police officers explained to the students the general needs of the community. Then the students made a preliminary plan about the services they would like to do for their community.

For the Appreciation Phase, the students participated in voluntary services and police-related events and drafted detailed proposals for their community projects.

During the Accomplishment Phase, the students worked hand in hand with their mentors and police volunteers to implement their self-initiated community projects.

Project Youth C.A.N is successful in promoting mutual trust through police-public partnership and empowering teenagers' leadership skills, strategic thinking and community knowledge. HKI Region is planning to recruit more schools to participate in the next round of the project.