“Redefine: The First Lesson of Awakening” (“Redefine”) was an immersive experience designed to showcase the achievements of YWCA’s community innovation initiative, 21C@JC. On Aug 3, Ms. Chan Lai Chu, Assistant Director (Youth & Corrections), Social Welfare Department; Ms. Winnie Ying, Head of Charities, The Hong Kong Jockey Club; Ms. Yvonne Yeung, YWCA’s Chief Executive and youth representatives took part in a series of activities that challenged conventional boundaries and witnessed the transformation of social services.

Over the course of two days, more than 500 guests, including youths aged 12 to 24, social workers and community leaders, became “Awakening Freshmen” in a virtual medieval aristocratic school. Within the imaginative setting, they explored four academies, namely “Crazy”, “Boring”, “Good Life” and “Disconnected”. Each of them tackled pressing social issues through interactive games, transforming creative ideas into actionable service solutions. For instance, the “Crazy Academy” assigned roles such as “Useless Youth” and “A0”, encouraging participants to reflect on the impact of negative labeling and discover strategies to break stereotypes.

The 21C@JC project is implemented in four YWCA centres, including Tuen Mun, Butterfly Bay, Tsing Yi and Western District. It features a tiered participation model that guides youth from ideation to decision-making. In phase 1 “Co-Creation Planning”, young people acted as innovators and designed new initiatives with the help from social workers. Over 18 months, 468 participants contributed 96 proposals. The number was encouraging. In phase 2 “Youth-Led Projects”, 1,368 youth took the lead in executing 162 real-world plans, demonstrating their capabilities from planning to implementation. Phase 3 introduced the “Youth Advisory” system, where 66 advisors played an active role to embed youth culture into the organisation’s development framework.

Beyond “Redefine”, 21C@JC initiative has sparked a range of creative projects, including “Gian’s Concert”, an alternative music event; “K Town Odd Jobs”, a platform for youth to offer skills in respond to community needs; “Having Lunch Together”, a programme addressing students’ lunchtimes challenges, etc.

This is not just a series of events, but rather a reimagination of youth and community service. As traditional service models evolve into partnership rooted in co-creation, young people are no longer passive recipients but empowered decision makers. From the immersive “Redefine” experience to the innovative projects across communities, this movement affirms a powerful truth: when society entrusts youth with real agency, their creativity can reshape the future in ways we never imagined.