The Government today began the eighth phase of recruitment under the Member Self-recommendation Scheme for Youth, with applications due to close on December 27.

Participating committees include the Youth Development Commission as well as the District Youth Community Building Committee and the District Youth Development & Civic Education Committee in 18 districts. Such committees were established by the Home Affairs Department and offer over 300 seats.  

The Home & Youth Affairs Bureau said applicants for the Youth Development Commission must be aged between 18 and 35 as of December 27.

As for the District Youth Community Building Committees and the District Youth Development & Civil Education Committees, applicants must be aged between 16 and 35.

Applicants must write no more than 600 words, or provide a video or audio clip no longer than three minutes, to explain - in either Chinese or English - their suitability for the committee of their choosing.

Assessment panels will subsequently conduct interviews and consider applicants’ level of commitment to serving the community, their understanding of youth development work and district affairs, and their analytical and communication skills.

Subject to the number of applications received and progress in the assessment process, the exercise will be completed in the first quarter of 2025.

The bureau stressed that the scheme has been expanded with a view to increasing the number of participating advisory committees from around 60 in 2022 to no fewer than 180 within the current term of the Government.

Around 630 posts are currently held by young people who have been appointed to advisory and statutory bodies through the scheme.

The overall proportion of youth members in these bodies has risen from 7.8% in 2017 to 15.6% in mid-2024, the bureau added.