Jointly launched by ARCH Community Outreach and the International Social Service Hong Kong Branch, the EMbrace Tech for Change Program is a collaborative initiative designed to empower secondary school students from diverse ethnic backgrounds with essential digital and social media skills. To showcase students’ fruitful learning throughout the programme, a Tea Gathering was held on 12 September 2025 with Miss Alice Mak, Secretary for Home and Youth Affairs, as our Guest of Honour. She was joined by Program Advisors, representatives from corporations, small businesses, schools, students, parents, and community partners.

Since its launch in March 2025, the programme has engaged 20 students from Delia Memorial Schools as its first cohort. Participants received training in marketing, social media copywriting, photography, and video editing, and were invited to visit corporations, including the Hong Kong Institute of Information Technology, Grand Hyatt Hong Kong, XPENG Hong Kong, Telecom Digital Services Ltd, Kai Tak Sports Park, and Ocean Park Hong Kong.

Following the training and corporate visits, students participated in a special project, titled “From Shop to Social Media”, where they applied their digital skills in real-world settings and supported small to medium-sized eateries and shops with multicultural roots in enhancing their online presence. Businesses that took part included Mandala Fusion Restaurant, Mount Everest Store, Toko Bule Ndeso, and Himalaya Restaurant.

During the Tea Gathering, students shared their insights and experiences through panel discussions, receiving warm encouragement from Miss Alice Mak, Mrs Jennifer Yu Cheng (Co-convener), and Mr Stephen Yau (Chief Executive of ISS-HK). “We will continue to collaborate with all sectors of the community to foster and environment where everyone, regardless of race or ethnicity, can fully realise their potentials, pursue their aspirations, and contribute to society. So believe in yourselves, keep learning and hold onto your dreams. The future is yours to shape and we are here to support you every step of the way,” said Miss Alice Mak.

Building on the success of the foundational phase, the next stage will begin in September, focusing on AI literacy—a critical skillset aligned with emerging industry demands.