Youth Academy for Special Educational Needs

Project Overview

The Institute of Special Needs and Inclusive Education at The Education University of Hong Kong received support from the Hong Kong government's Education Bureau and the Hong Kong Special Schools Council. In 2019, it successfully applied for the "Chief Executive's Community Fund" and received generous donations from the Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust to establish the "Special Education Youth Academy." This academy provides learning opportunities on a university campus for school leavers with special learning needs. The academy offers a full-time, tuition-free program that emphasizes both theoretical and practical coursework, aiming to enable students to pursue further education, learn self-management, and master 21st-century life skills. The three-year funded program has successfully concluded and has been well-received by various stakeholders, including students and parents.

Due to the extensive support from stakeholders and the successful outcomes achieved, along with the establishment of a network with employment agencies that allows students to gain diverse work experiences and prepare for the labor market, the Institute decided in 2023 to self-fund the continued operation of the "Special Education Youth Academy." From 2024 to 2026, the academy will again receive funding from the Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust and will join the second phase of the "Jockey Club Inclusive Knowledge and Action Program." This will allow the academy to continue providing training courses and additional work opportunities, enabling students to accumulate more experience and skills as they transition into the workplace.

Project Goals

Through a variety of training courses and related experiential activities, the project aims to provide services to different stakeholders, including youth with special learning needs, parents, industry professionals, and prospective teachers from The Education University of Hong Kong. The objectives are as follows:

1. Enhance the awareness of career planning among school leavers with special educational needs and provide opportunities for continued education.
2. Establish a digital learning platform to improve students' adaptability to information development and social changes.
3. Foster collaboration among university scholars, researchers, and professionals from various fields to create learning programs that meet the needs of school leavers with special educational needs and society as a whole.
4. Offer prospective teachers opportunities to understand school leavers with special educational needs, assist them in developing teaching-related strategies, and practice different teaching techniques to enhance their ability to address student diversity.
5. Support caregivers and community members in improving their understanding and handling of school leavers with special educational needs, building community networks that encourage mutual exchange and resource sharing.
6. Explore successful experiences and models for supporting school leavers with special educational needs through research and practice, aiming for knowledge transfer and sustainable development.

Enrollment

Enrollment Requirements:

• School leavers with special educational needs who have completed the local secondary school curriculum (Form 6).
• Applicants must be aged between 16 and 30 at the time of application.

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