There are various youth uniform groups (UGs) around the world; some are established by community-based organisations, and some by governments. The background and mission of every uniformed group is different, yet, it is generally believed that participation in UGs helps to improve young people's self-confidence, discipline, leadership, skills, teamwork and community spirit. It is an important platform for cultivating good citizens.

In Hong Kong, youth UGs established by community organisations or the Government disciplined services and auxiliary services departments have a long history. Currently, the Home and Youth Affairs Bureau provides regular subvention to 11 community UGs. There are 8 UGs under the Security Bureau. As of 2023, more than 280,000 youth are participating in UGs.

The current-term Government has strived to promote youth development. Mentioned in its first Youth Development Blueprint, the Government encouraged more young people to join a UG as one of its whole-person development measures.

However, there is a relative lack of local research focusing on UGs from the perspective of youth development. Through an internet search, we could only find a single research report which is close to this topic. The report was published in the 1990s¹；almost 30 years ago.

Participation in UGs has always been only one of the extracurricular activities for young people. As society continues to change, and the Government pays more attention to promoting the development of UGs, it would be timely to research the attitudes of today's youth about participating in UGs. It is also worth studying what UG organisations could do to make this platform more effective in nurturing the new generation.

Therefore, this research examines the latest level of youth participation in UGs in Hong Kong. It also seeks to explore the role of UGs in promoting youth development by understanding youth’s attitudes, expectations and experiences in joining UGs. Recommendations will be put forward to enhance the potential of UGs to nurture this demographic.

¹ 香港社會服務聯會。1996。《制服團體與青少年成長》青少年制服團體服務成效研究報告。

In conducting this Study, data was collected between July and October 2024 through an online survey of 1,001 young people (aged 12 to 26); case interviews with 16 individuals; and one-to-one interviews with 7 experts.

1. Local youth UGs have a long history and are dedicated to nurturing young people, serving as an important platform for youth development. They also play a significant role in cultivating young people to be good citizens. Their efforts and contributions in these areas are worthy of recognition.
2. 16% of respondents indicated that they are currently members of a UG, while 39% reported being former members. According to these two groups of respondents, the largest proportion considered broadening perspective as the greatest benefit they gained from their involvement. Some youth of case interviews discovered personal strengths through participation in UGs. Some of the interviewed experts said that UGs make room for young people to explore and showcase their potential, thus providing space for them to have extraordinary experiences.
3. Most respondents who have participated in UGs believed that the activities and training had helped them achieve their personal goals. The average satisfaction score was 7.3 (based on a 0-10 scale, with 5 being the general level set by the survey). However, some youth of case interviews said that there were limited opportunities to apply the skills they learned or to serve the community.
4. The development of local UGs faces two major challenges. (1) The general public may not fully understand the work and contribution of these groups; some parents believe their children should focus on their studies, which inevitably affects recruitment and retention; (2) Much of the training and other work is carried out by volunteer instructors and youth leaders. Many of them are former members with the spirit of Passing-on-the-Torch. However, the significant time and effort required make it difficult for working individuals, especially young people, to continue. destination.
   • One-third and nearly one-fourth of respondents, respectively, identified limited public awareness and parents not encouraging their children to join as major challenges to the development of local UGs. Some of the interviewed experts stated that UGs should continuously and effectively show the positive impact they bring to the city.
   • Much of the training or other work is carried out by volunteer instructors and youth leaders, of whom many were former members with a strong commitment to keep the team’s legacy. However, due to practical considerations such as further education or career development, it is challenging for them to sustain this level of dedication over time.
5. The majority of respondents hoped that UGs could further enhance skill development among young people. Having noted that the new generation has encountered the concept of career planning as they grow up, experts believe that UGs could enrich members’ experience by adding this element in their training. Youth training requires resources, and UGs could collaborate with each other to make better use of resources in order to benefit more young people.