Raleigh International Hong Kong

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Raleigh International Hong Kong (RIHK) (國際雷利計劃) is an approved charity run by a voluntary committee comprising mainly of ex-Venturers. It aims at developing the young people's potentials: improving leadership skills and enhancing self-confidence and team spirit. Development programmes aim at raising younger generation's awareness on environmental conservation and community work both locally in Hong Kong and globally. There is an opportunity for youths to take part in overseas expeditions ranging from four to ten weeks. There have been more than 200 Venturers who have represented Hong Kong in Raleigh expeditions since 1984. The patron is Mr. Kennedy Y. H. Wong, JP, and the chairman is Mr. Tom Hoi-Cheung Tong.

Raleigh International Hong Kong
Raleigh International Hong Kong

Contents

[edit] Vision

To inspire Hong Kong youth to explore their full potential through the Raleigh experience.

[edit] Mission

To develop Hong Kong youths through their worldwide participation in adventures, environmental and scientific research, and community projects.

[edit] History

Raleigh was originally introduced in 1978 as "Operation Drake". It aims were to boost the younger generation's self-esteem and refine leadership skills through experience in adventure and community services with experts from different fields.

In 1984, the founders launched a 4-year project on a larger scale - "Operation Raleigh". Named after English explorer Sir Walter Raleigh and based on his world circumnavigation more than 4000 volunteers and nearly 1600 staff members were involved in the various adventure , sceintific and community projects at Raleigh expedition sites for four years as the Raleigh organisation circumnavigated the world. The expedition started out from Hull in the United Kingdom aboard the support scientific ship , a converted fishing trawler , renamed "Sir Walter Raleigh". The expedition also included the youth training ship "Zebu" , a brigantine. Zebu sailed from UK to Panama , Galapogos and onto Hawaii , New Zealand, Australia and the Far East before returning to UK accompanying Raleigh in each of the countries visited over four years. Zebu was crewed three months at a time by fourteen young venturers and a permanent crew of seven.

In 1991, "Operation Raleigh" announced that it would continue to operate on a permanent basis choosing a number of expedition sites visited over the four years to provide a more permanent contibution to scientific research and the community of nthe expedition country. Raleigh commenced its operations in Malaysia (Sabah) , Chile, Nigeria , and was renamed "Raleigh International". The new name reflected Ralieghs commitment to the international community and the organization's new positioning for itself as The Youth Development Charity for Conservation and the Community. As venturers have returned to their home countries they have established support groups to encourage other young persons to follow their lead to join Raleigh expeditions and on return home establish their own local projects. Raleigh Hong Kong Hong Kongin operation since 1984 has gone from strength to strength and now is an active Youth Charity that organises the Raleigh Mountain Marathon and Wilson Challenges in Hong Kong every March and October respectively. Raleigh has organised Xperience community projects in Liannan , China and participated in reef checks qand coastal clean-up in Hong Kong. Raleigh sens Hong Kong young persons on the Raleigh expeditions overseas and actively supports other organisations including the Matilda Hospital fundraising sedan chair race and Youth Hostels. In Asia Raleigh is well established in Singapore and Malaysia and the Raleigh Society of Thailand and Singapore are organising reef check and conservation projects on bamboo islands near Krabi from 2005.

[edit] Services

Raleigh International Hong Kong organizes both local and overseas voluntary services.

[edit] Local voluntary services

Services include youth development projects organized with other organizations (e.g., Hong Kong Air Cadet Corps and The Boys' and Girls' Clubs Association of Hong Kong). There are also community services like Reef check and Marine Park cleanup organized by the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department.

[edit] Overseas voluntary services

Services include projects like scientific researches for endangered species and environmental conservation projects.

[edit] Development of Overseas Expedition Programme

The programme are divided into five different stages: (1) recruitment (2) assessment (3) fund-raising (4) expedition (5) going home

[edit] I. Recruitment

[edit] Venturer

Any Hong Kong residents aged between 17-24 with the ability to swim 200 meters and to speak basic English may apply to be Venturers.

[edit] Staff

People aged 25 years or above can apply for positions as staff. Qualified staff have to meet several requirements so as to work as youth leaders, mountaineers, canoeists, scientific and medical officers under the Raleigh Inernational expeditions. This is on a voluntary basis. No wages are provided, and a staff member has to provide for one's own airfair and daily expenses.

[edit] II. Assessment

Applicants will be invited to spend a 30-hour Assessment Weekend (AW) in Hong Kong countryside. The purposes are to pick out the right candidates and to offer the applicants a glimpse of what the true expedition life is like.

The Weekend programme takes place twice a year in April and November. 20-30 candidates would be selected to go on expedition each time. Staff volunteers from the Hong Kong Committee would be responsible for running the whole assessment process, including physical exercises like swimming test, map reading, and hiking; problem solving; and situational tasks.

[edit] Assessment Criteria

There are 6 core criteria on which the assessing body, a group of Raleigh ex-venturers, base their assessment:

1. Commitment & Motivation: It is about a candidate's ultimate desire to go on an expedition, and tests an individual's determination and persistence upon facing difficulties. Being supportive to teammates is vital.

2. Decision Making: It is concerned with decisiveness and contribution of ideas during group discussions. It is important to strike a balance between the roles of listener and of speaker.

3. Leadership: It is about instigating in an organized manner, for example, motivating and driving others to achieve tasks together.

4. Adaptability & Openness: It is to see if a person is resilient under new situations and if one accepts new ideas.

5. Interpersonal Communication: Interpersonal Communication is concerned with interacting with others; and expressing ideas, opinions, and emotions.

6. Team Maintenance: Candidates need to develop a sense of belonging and team spirit through effective communication and cooperation so that things can be done efficiently.

The scoring system will comment, basing on the 6 components listed, on the strengths and weaknesses of each candidate objectively. Those who can benefit most from and sacrifice most to the expedition will be chosen. As in the case for staff, after completing the Assessment Weekend, Hong Kong Committee will recommend those well-performing applicants to the London-based Raleigh International and wait for their further confirmation and arrangement for the expedition.

[edit] III. Fundraising

Being a registered charity, operational expenses for ongoing development programmes are entirely covered by donations. Selected Venturers and staff members need to go over 6 months of organizing fundraising events. RIHK only acts as an assistant by providing advice, ideas and contacting supporting units. Hong Kong Bank Foundation, Matilda Development Fund, and the Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust may provide considerable amount of grants to the Venturers, helping them to meet their target amount of $50000. Some of the successful fundraising events include the following:

1) Raleigh Challenge -Wilson Trail (雷利衛徑長征)

2) Raleigh International Mountain Marathon (國際雷利計劃山頭霸王越野馬拉松)

3) Raleigh International (Hong Kong) Charity Sales (國際雷利計劃(香港)慈善義賣)

4) Flag-selling

[edit] IV. Expedition

There is an effective partnership approach with government ministries, charitable or conservation organisations of host countries to ensure the programme offered is highly trustful. Destinations include rural areas of developing countries; Borneo of Malaysia, Ghana, Namibia, Costa Rica, and Nicaragua are the five common destinations. Each expedition is divided into three key elements: community work, environmental and scientific work, and adventure.

[edit] Community Work

Enthusiastic Venturers would be selected to participate in government-proposed projects; examples include assisting health authorities with medical projects and constructing bridges and schools. Previously, Venturers have had an experience of working with Surgical Eye Expedition (SEE) International, a registered charity which helps the rural population to cure their eye defects and restore their sight. Venturers may also work on the reconstruction of school sites for the underprivileged children so to provide better infrastructure. Some Venturers also volunteer to teach children basic English.

[edit] Environmental and Scientific Work

Venturers are given the opportunity to cooperate with scientists, environmentalists, geologists, and biologists on environmental field based projects, such as helping the development of infrastructure of national park and conducting surveys. As such, Venturers make a genuine improvement to the ecology of the host countries.

[edit] Adventure

This is the most physically demanding stage among three. Venturers stay in extreme environments like deserts, volcanoes, and lakes, exploring the peculiar landscapes of the remotest destinations.

[edit] V. Going Home

After a 10-week expedition, Venturers are full of eagerness and they hope to put what they have learned into real practice. Venturers are encouraged to engage in the following activities:

1. Back to the community: To encourage experienced Venturers to devote themselves to the good of their local communities and join in environmentally friendly programmes.

2. Participate in the activities organized by the Hong Kong committee: Venturers can keep in touch with one another. Besides, former Venturers can motivate new participants and suggest various fundraising ideas. They may also be invited to give speeches and share their life-changing experiences in schools, youth organizations, the Rotary Club, and media.

[edit] Benefits & Criticisms

[edit] Benefits

Nowadays, youngsters in Hong Kong are often being labelled as spoiled kids. Only few of them are courageous enough to step out of their comfort zones and have a look at a wider picture of what the real world is like. Instead, some of them have been led astray and indulge in drugs, alcohol, or gangs. Raleigh International is to provide youth personal development so that they can build up their self-esteem and acquire skills specialized for their particular careers. They also have a chance to visit rare natural wonders. All these are beyond what they can learn from classrooms or lecture halls. The 10-week expedition will change their attitudes towards life and make them cherish what they are having.

As a staff volunteer, one can fully utilize one's knowledge and managerial skills in assisting the young participants in problem solving and can have a great feeling of satisfaction from helping others in accomplishing the goal. They also need to deal with contingencies. This prepares a brighter career path for them in the future.

[edit] Criticisms

Some may question the status of RIHK since they work closely with the government ministries of the host countries but not directly with the locals there. The things they do may not match the actual needs of the local communities. Besides, some of the work can actually be done by local labour. Instead of being treated as aiding the development, Venturers are looked as if they are taking jobs away from the locals.

[edit] Raleigh Challenge - Wilson Trail (雷利衛徑長征)

Raleigh Challenge - Wilson Trail
Raleigh Challenge - Wilson Trail

[edit] Origin

The idea of Wilson Trail came from Sir David Wilson, a former Governor of Hong Kong. Being an active hiker himself, he recommended his usual hiking paths as the blueprint of the Trail. With the aid from Friends of the Country Park and several private corporations, the Wilson Trail was opened in 1996.

In 2000, RIHK made use of the Trail and converted it into a racing course for the foremost hiking fundraising event in Hong Kong. Initially, it was an internal event organized among the Venturers themselves; but since 2003, it has become a function welcoming participation by the populace.

[edit] Details

The competition covers almost the entire Wilson Trail of 78km, starting from Tai Tam Reservoir Road and finishing at Nam Chung, Sha Tau Kok. Participating teams are classified into different categories and assigned different courses, according to their previous hiking experience and their physical condition. Two types of special teams are also available, namely Corporate Teams, which represent corporations or organizations; and Student Teams, in which all members should be full-time students and over the age of 18 when participating.

The objective of this event is to promote healthy lifestyle and the idea of conservation among the general public. Participants are trained both physically and spiritually. On top of that, the journey introduces the Hong Kong natural landscape not known to general public and offers a better understanding about the countryside in Hong Kong.

[edit] Raleigh International Mountain Marathon (山頭霸王越野馬拉松)

[edit] Origin

Mountain Marathon is a fundraising combining mountaineering and marathon with over 20 years of history. It was first launched by one of the numerous sports and recreation clubs under the Hong Kong Police Force, Police Adventure Club (PAC), in 1977. At that time, people who were not members of the Hong Kong Police Force or PAC were not eligible to join. In 2000, Mountain Marathon was introduced to the general public as an annual fundraising event.

[edit] Details

Participants in teams of two to four persons need to design their own hiking paths, pass through all the assigned checkpoints, and arrive at the campsite within limited time. The length of the entire course ranges from 25 to 60km, depending on the category enrolled. To encourage active participation from people from all social strata, two kinds of special teams for students and for corporations are added, a practice similar to one in Raleigh Challenge - Wilson Trail. It is hoped that through the competition, participants can foster team spirit; develop their unexplored potential; and test their endurance, peristence, and body strength. Certificates will be awarded to those who complete the whole journey as a kind of recognition. Every year, more than 250 teams join in the race, and each is required to raise at least $1200 to $2000. The fund collected will be used for charitable purposes.

[edit] Past events

  • Reef Check & Coastal Cleanup

In late August and early September, Raieigh International Hong Kong was invited by Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department to help clean the beaches along the coastal line in Tung Ping Chau and Hoi Ha Wan. A reef check was also conducted by voluntary divers.

  • Ling Ying Project (嶺英計劃)

In April and June 2006, a group of Venturers were recruited as helpers for the renewal of Ling Ying Public School in Ta Ku Ling. The school building was in bad repair in the past five decades and was in need of renovation so students could learn in a better environment. The project was divided into 3 phases. To date, the first and second phases have been completed. Walls of the school hall, of the main buildings, and of the classroooms were repainted. A workshop was held prior to the actual work done so as to familiarize Venturers with the painting skills.

  • Raleigh Recruiment Sharing Talk (國際雷利計劃分享演講)

On 10th May 2006, a seminar was held in the Hong Kong Institute of Education (HKIED), aiming at encouraging students to join the programme organized by Raleigh.

  • One World One Dream - Beijing 2008 program (「心繫奧運」嘉年華)

Some of the Ventureres were recruited as staff members and assisted the running of the One World One Dream - Beijing 2008 program on 7th May 2006 on Football Playground 1 of Victoria Park, Causeway Bay. The event included Raleigh promotion and games.

  • Two IFC Stair Run 2003

Raleigh International co-organized a fundraising competition with International Finance Centre (IFC) on 28th September 2003. Contestants needed to run from the ground floor to the top floor of Two IFC, which is the tallest building in Hong Kong to date. The donations collected would be used to support youth development projects and community services both locally and internationally.

[edit] See also

[edit] External links

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