I am grateful to be a part of the BGCA family, which has been rooted in Hong Kong for 88 years. I have witnessed my colleagues’ hard work in the community over the years, quietly nurturing children and youth, helping improve their growth environment through various services. When we engage with partners from different backgrounds, we often reconnect with "Friends of BGCA", whose childhoods were shaped by the organisation. As a child, I loved visiting the BGCA library after playing in the park and it was there I fell in love with reading. These experiences reinforce our belief in the cornerstones of our approach: fostering healthy and happy growth, establishing a safe developmental environment, promoting equal opportunities, and allowing children and youth to realise their potential, pursue their dreams and contribute to society. Over the years, we have collaborated with community stakeholders to create a sustainable support system, allowing us to bring joy to the next generation.

In the face of rapid urban development, technology has changed how people interact and relate to each other, leading to more uncertainty in living and developmental environments. For a new underprivileged generation, having access to adequate and equal developmental opportunities can no longer be solely measured from the same starting line. Growth refers to "transitions" between stages of life, each interwoven with varying familial backgrounds and social contexts that bring unique challenges and expectations. Our frontline colleagues have accumulated many years of experience, allowing them to identify children, youth and families facing developmental difficulties, design more impactful services and collaboration models, connect with community stakeholders vested in child development, and optimise the use of community resources. To walk alongside our children as they grow has been the foundation of BGCA over the years.

Based on recent local and BGCA studies, as well as frontline observations and analyses, the focus of stakeholders vested the next generation is targeted at three types of situation— children and youth growing up in high-risk families, those with special learning needs, and those experiencing emotional distress. To effectively help them overcome the challenges of limited resources and poor living conditions, precise intervention and integrated support are crucial. We have analysed years of service data and aim to adjust our overall service plan and integrate various BGCA services for children, youth and families aged 0 to 35 in order to focus specifically on the needs of these three types of situation. Through a three-tiered intervention model and starting with the enhancement of child-centred growth conditions, we will expand developmental opportunities and strengthen early identification of high-risk cases, so as to promote a well-rounded and friendly growth environment. A key factor to achieving this vision is the optimisation of our service data management and service integration. This will result in greater social benefits in service planning, talent development, resource allocation and strategic cross-sector collaboration.

Data management, optimising service content, and increasing service impact must begin with improving regional service planning and management, user experience, digital transformation, and cultivation of professional talent. After years of careful management and outreach by various teams, BGCA is now rooted in the community, with service points established in every district across Hong Kong. One of our key focuses is how to restructure and make use of relevant service data. Through systematic review, performance evaluation, and the integration of practical insights, we aim to present more inspiring and forward-looking indicators for child and youth development, thereby enriching the design and implementation of existing and future services. Both quantitative and qualitative data will guide our service planning, aligning it closer with the current and future needs of our service users. It will improve user experience, guide professional training and potential areas of development, reshape the focus of our manpower and resource development, and provide a more comprehensive representation of future services and community wellbeing.

Let us join hands and walk alongside our children and youth as they navigate the highs and lows of life. Together, we can create a brighter blueprint for their future.