Ray Poon, who focuses on regional economic development and policy research on the relationship between the Mainland and Hong Kong, participated in the Hong Kong 200 Leadership Program of the Hong Kong Federation of Youth Groups (HKFYG) Leadership Academy from secondary school, eventually becoming a mentor. A long-time advocate for youth, he cares deeply about young people and has unique insights into how society and organizations can help them realize their ideals. His story is not just a personal growth trajectory, but also a profound dialogue about how society can support youth and how youth can respond to the times. In recent years, he has also participated in the HKFYG's "Youth Innovation Research Pool" and "Seek Our Ways Social Innovation Project," using policy research and social innovation to help the next generation realize their dreams.
Hong Kong 200: Broadening Horizons and Setting Career Paths
As early as Form Six, Ray participated in the "Hong Kong 200" Leadership Program organized by the Hong Kong Federation of Youth Groups. He believes that the program's unique feature is that it selects the best students from all schools in Hong Kong in a short period of time, breaking through the homogenized primary, secondary, and university environments, allowing him to get to know communities outside his own environment and broadening his horizons. After entering university, Ray was still able to use the connections he made in the program to start conversations with his classmates and expand his network.
The Hong Kong 200 project also subtly influenced Ray's career. During the project, Ray had the opportunity to visit Guangdong Province. Unlike his previous simple travels, this visit gave Ray the chance to gain a deeper understanding of different cities in the province, allowing him to reflect on issues such as urban revitalization and old district redevelopment that he had not had the opportunity to think about before. This paved the way for Ray's future work on research into Guangdong-Hong Kong cooperation.
Social changes necessitate an emphasis on soft skills.
After completing the "Hong Kong 200" training program, Ray continued to participate in the program as a group leader and mentor, continuing to connect with the new generation of student leaders. Compared to his own relatively traditional path of further education and job hunting, he observed that young people are becoming increasingly flexible and open-minded about their future. Some choose to become "slashers," engaging in music, organizing bands, or teaching as artists. Ray attributes this to the willingness of young people to explore new avenues. He also learned from young people and reflected that everyone can choose and plan their own future path.
However, while society currently grants young people more freedom of choice and planning, and actively trains them in various skills, Ray cautions that if the skills cultivated fail to meet the actual needs of future society, they may simply lead young people down a path lacking prospects. He bluntly states that society must constantly transform, especially in the era of rapid AI development; the hard skills learned today may not be useful ten years from now. Since we are nurturing young people, we must be responsible for their future and consider how to equip them with the true ability to cope with change. Ray suggests that rather than overemphasizing hard skills, we should focus more on cultivating soft skills such as values and attitudes, enhancing young people's resilience so that they can adapt flexibly and continue to move forward in the face of environmental changes.
Influenced by his family of civil servants and many outstanding alumni, Ray has had a strong sense of social responsibility since childhood. His belief in "achieving success and benefiting the world" has also become the reason why he actively engages in youth work and teaches the next generation. The service-oriented leaders cultivated by the Hong Kong Federation of Youth Groups all share the ambition of "being willing to do things for Hong Kong" and take practical actions to make positive changes in society.
Ray shared his own experience, believing that the difficulty young people face in realizing their ambitions lies in the lack of networks and resources, making it difficult to implement their plans. He encouraged young people not to be afraid to speak out, as experienced individuals with more resources will readily lend a helping hand if their needs are heard. He added that the HKFYG's "Youth Innovation and Research Pool" is one such platform that allows young people to continue speaking out on social issues after graduation. Participants in the pool contribute to social development through research and policy advocacy, gaining public recognition. Ray hopes that in addition to policy research, the HKFYG can provide other channels, such as programs for entrepreneurship or social service, giving young people more opportunities to utilize their talents. He also emphasized the need to connect alumni from different programs to assist the next generation in building their networks and resources.
Hong Kong Youth Association:https://hkfyg.org.hk/zh/2026/01/23/ray/
