Recruitment under Member Self-recommendation Scheme for Youth Phase VI starts today

     The Government today (May 30) started recruitment under the Member Self-recommendation Scheme for Youth (MSSY) Phase VI. The application period will close on June 29, 2023.

A spokesman for the Home and Youth Affairs Bureau (HYAB) said, "The MSSY is one of the key initiatives of youth development as set out in the Chief Executive's 2022 Policy Address and the Youth Development Blueprint. To engage more young people in public affairs and enhance their interaction with and trust in the Government, action is taken to expand the MSSY, with a view to tripling the number of participating advisory committees from around 60 at present to no less than 180 within the current term of the Government to enhance their functions as talent incubators. At present, around 510 posts are held by young people who have been appointed to advisory and statutory bodies directly or indirectly through the MSSY. The overall ratio of youth members in these bodies has increased from 7.8 per cent in end-2017 to 16.1 per cent in end-2022."

"The number of participating committees has been increased from 15 in Phase V to 20, covering an amount of positioning of the 'eight centres' as promulgated under the Fourteen Five-Year Plan for the National Economic and Social Development, including international innovation and technology centre, East-meets-West centre for international cultural exchange, international trade centre, international shipping centre, international aviation hub and centre for international legal and dispute resolution services in the Asia-Pacific region. In the process of preparing for the MSSY Phase VI, we have discussed with relevant bureaux/departments (B/Ds) to open up relevant committees to allow young people to self-nominate themselves as members, so as to facilitate young people's further understanding of the positioning of Hong Kong in the overall development of our country and to contribute to the future development of Hong Kong," the spokesman added.

The MSSY has received over 8 200 applications for the last six phases (i.e. the Pilot Member Self-recommendation Scheme for Youth and the MSSY Phases I to V). The list of appointees has been uploaded to the website of the HYAB.

The MSSY Phase VI is now open for application. The 20 participating committees for the MSSY Phase VI are as follows:

1. Tripartite Taskforce on Manpower Training (Aviation)
2. Human Resources Planning Commission
3. Trade and Industry Advisory Board
4. Advisory Committee on Promotion of Arbitration
5. Enterprise Support Scheme Assessment Panel
6. Committee on Self-financing Post-secondary Education
7. Intangible Cultural Heritage Advisory Committee
8. Commission on Children
9. Advisory Council on Food and Environmental Hygiene
10. Steering Committee on Construction Innovation and Technology Fund
11. Committee on Promotion of Breastfeeding
12. Award Council of the Hong Kong Award for Young People
13. Hong Kong Fleet Operation Advisory Committee
14. Statistics Advisory Board
15. Rehabilitation Advisory Committee
16. Stamp Advisory Committee
17. Cantonese Opera Development Fund Advisory Committee
18. Sub-committee on Youth and Capacity Building under the Council for Carbon Neutrality and Sustainable Development
19. Assessment Panel of the Innovation and Technology Fund for Application in Elderly and Rehabilitation Care
20. Constitution and Basic Law Promotion Steering Committee

"We encourage young persons aged between 18 and 35 on June 29, 2023, i.e. the date of the application deadline, and with a commitment to serving the community to apply for the MSSY Phase VI," the spokesman continued.

A Recruitment Committee (RC) has been set up by the HYAB for overseeing the implementation of the MSSY. The RC comprises the Secretary for Home and Youth Affairs, the Vice-Chairman of the Youth Development Commission, non-official chairpersons or members of the aforementioned 20 committees and representatives of the B/Ds concerned. Under the RC, Assessment Panels (APs) will be formed to handle the applications concerning the 20 committees respectively. The APs will conduct interviews with applicants to facilitate assessment.

The APs will consider whether the applicant has a strong commitment to serving the community, good understanding of the policy area concerned and good analytical and communication skills. Following the principle of meritocracy, the Government aims to, through the MSSY, recruit young people who have the commitment to serving the community and the ability to contribute to the committees concerned for recommending to the relevant B/Ds for consideration of appointment. Each of the above committees will offer two seats for appointment. Subject to the actual number of applications received and assessment progress, assessment would be completed in the fourth quarter of 2023.

The application form and other details of the MSSY Phase VI are available on the website of the HYAB (www.hyab.gov.hk). When completing the application form, applicants are required to write no more than 600 words or provide a video or audio clip of no longer than three minutes to account for, in either Chinese or English, his or her suitability for being appointed to be a member of the selected committee(s). Applications may be submitted through the online application system, by post or by hand.