Second FutureGEN Girls Leadership Summit Empowers Teen Girls to “Discover Their Purpose, Unleash Their Potential”

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As part of its mission to empower teen girls to become future ready leaders, JYC Girls Impact Foundation (JYCGIF) organized its second FutureGEN Girls Leadership Summit 2023 at the Hong Kong Palace Museum recently, drawing nearly 300 teen girls from over 40 schools in Hong Kong. At the Summit, teen girls took their first steps toward paving their education and career pathways through unique leadership development and STEM learning opportunities, and by networking with peers.

This year’s Summit, supported by the Home and Youth Affairs Bureau of HKSAR, Hang Seng Bank, and 19 other organizations, dedicated its theme to “Discover Your Purpose, Unleash Your Potential.” Throughout the transformative day, discussions featured industry leaders and trailblazers from different sectors, as well as skill-building workshops on-site learning opportunities through both the New Technology Interactive Zone and Future Readiness Lab.

Guest of Honour, Miss. Alice Mak, SBS, JP, Secretary for Home and Youth Affairs of HKSAR said in the opening ceremony: “The Summit is one of vision, specifically upskilling our teens to cater the future needs of society. I hope that students will take this opportunity to contemplate their position in the future society and I am very eager to witness their transformation into a female leader in different areas.”

Mrs. Jennifer Yu Cheng noted that the Summit was just the beginning of each teen girl’s journey and would propel teens forward to explore opportunities to learn and pursue unique goals. Mrs. Yu Cheng said, “We are living in the information age, a time when the world is changing at a rapid rate but also there are infinite new possibilities. The FGG Summit is just the beginning of teen girls’ journeys – to empower them to take a leap forward, to explore possibilities and unleash their boundless potential to pursue their own unique goals. It is my hope that students will leave the FGG Summit inspired, embraced, and supported to fly wherever their purpose takes them, and to continue to make meaningful contributions to the lives of others around them.”

Industry leaders and trailblazers encourage teen girls to unleash their potential

Ms. Diana Cesar, JP, Executive Director and Chief Executive of Hang Seng Bank shared her story “When I Was a Teen” as Keynote Speaker of the Summit. 

Ms. Cesar said, “It’s crucial for the younger generation to embrace the unknown, strive to excel, and don’t fear mistakes. Hang Seng Bank will continue to promote a worldly perspective and a constructive mindset, enabling them to gear up effectively for what’s ahead.”

During the day, panel discussions featured industry leaders and trailblazers from different sectors. Among notable guests who offered first-hand insights into core leadership values were:

Mr. Terry Tsang, Chief Executive Officer of Madhead, Dr. Shannon Chan, Médecins Sans Frontières International mobile staff and Ten Outstanding Young People Awardee 2022, Miss. Angel Cheung, General Manager, Head of Motor Related Business & Yachts (HK & Overseas) of Dah Chong Hong Holdings Limited, and Miss Christina Ho, Airline Pilot and Creator of #christina_meow, with Ms. Secy Cheung, Legal and Compliance Advisor of JYCGIF as moderator, together offered first-hand insights into the core leadership values for girls to lead. In their own way and through their personal stories, the speakers underlined the need to understand oneself, keep learning, adapt to changing circumstances, and make the most of innate potential.
 
A Hang Seng-led Fireside Chat also explored the realm of fintech, outlining the vital role entrepreneurs play in the start-up economy and the skills required to get a new venture off the ground.

Inspiring Boundless Innovation and Creativity

This year the Summit also featured: a Future Readiness Lab and New Technology Interactive Zone, offering teen participants engaging one-of-a-kind experiences and diverse opportunities for teen girls’ well-rounded development. Participants learned about design thinking, the impact of AI and digital advances, and new creative avenues opened up by AI artistry. 

IdeaGO Ideathon: Contributing to Society through I&T

The Summit came together with the Finale of the IdeaGO Ideathon 2023, a project jointly organised by JYCGIF and the Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation (HKSTP).

The IdeaGO Ideathon aims to offer teen girls a deeper understanding of and appreciation for innovation and technology (I&T). Over the past three months, participating teams learned about design thinking and used technology to devise solutions to pressing issues. These problems relate to health and well-being, sustainability, or challenges women face in society.

Along the way, experts from leading tech firms acted as mentors and offered workshops in 3D printing, robotics and AI applications, which resulted in the 12 projects presented at the Finale.

At the Finale, five awards were presented including: the Team Spirt Award, The Most Popular Award, 1st Runner-up, 2nd Runner-up, and the Champion. The Champion went to Empower Me from Carmel Pak U Secondary School, a team that creates an online job search platform for full-time mothers, offering AI-generated CVs and skill matching services to maximize spare time and unlock professional potential. The first runner-up went to ToffeeNutNat from True Light Middle School of Hong Kong, an innovative social project to destigmatize menstruation and normalize associated purchases and learning. Second runner-up went to Your Way Home from Marymount Secondary School, which harnessed the power of 3D printing and GPS to create personalized tracking devices for the elderly especially those with dementia.

For more information about the IdeaGo Ideathon 2023, please visit: https://www.jycgirlsimpact.org/ideago-ideathon/ 
 
Looking forward, JYCGIF is committed to continuing to work closely with local and global community leaders to create diverse opportunities that empower teen girls regardless of their backgrounds to become next generation leaders and contributors. 

For more news and updates, please visit the official website of JYCGIF: https://www.jycgirlsimpact.org/, or follow JYCGIF on Instagram or Facebook.

#FutureGEN23 #LeadWithPurpose #JYCGIF #FutureReady