Hong Kong – Recruitment under Member Self-recommendation Scheme for Youth Phase V starts today

     The Government today (February 16) started recruitment under the Member Self-recommendation Scheme for Youth (MSSY) Phase V. The application period will close on March 15, 2022.

     A spokesman for the Home Affairs Bureau (HAB) said, “To provide more opportunities for young people to participate in policy discussions, the current-term Government has been committed to appointing more young people to government advisory committees. We have regularised the MSSY and expanded it to cover more boards and committees. So far, around 440 posts are currently 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 14.8 per cent in mid-2021, which has been very close to the target of 15 per cent set by the current-term Government.”

     The MSSY has received over 6 800 applications for the last five phases (i.e. the Pilot Member Self-recommendation Scheme for Youth and the MSSY Phases I to IV). The list of appointees has been uploaded to the website of the HAB.

     The MSSY Phase V is now open for application. Starting from Phase IV, the number of participating committees has increased from 10 to 15, covering a wider spectrum of policy areas. The 15 participating committees for the MSSY Phase V are as follows:

1. Lantau Conservation Fund Advisory Committee

2. Committee on Research and Development of Chinese Medicines

3. Antiquities Advisory Board

4. Hong Kong Council on Smoking and Health

5. Hong Kong Logistics Development Council

6. Tourism Strategy Group

7. Committee on Venue Partnership

8. Innovation and Technology Venture Fund Advisory Committee

9. Committee on the Support Programme for Employees with Disabilities

10. CreateSmart Initiative Vetting Committee

11. Steering Committee on Strategic Development of Information Technology in Education

12. New Energy Transport Fund Steering Committee

13. Advisory Committee on Agriculture and Fisheries

14. Environment and Conservation Fund Committee

15. Advisory Committee on Arts Development

     “We encourage young people aged between 18 and 35 on March 15, 2022, i.e. the date of the application deadline, and with a commitment to serve the community to apply for the MSSY Phase V,” the spokesman continued.

     A Recruitment Committee (RC) has been set up by the HAB for overseeing the implementation of the MSSY. The RC comprises the Secretary for Home Affairs, a representative of the Youth Development Commission, non-official chairpersons or members of the aforementioned 15 committees and representatives of the bureaux/departments concerned. Under the RC, Assessment Panels (APs) will be formed to take care of the applications concerning the 15 committees respectively. The APs will conduct interviews with applicants to facilitate assessment.

     The APs will consider whether the applicant has a strong commitment to serve 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 serve the community and the ability to contribute to the committees concerned for recommending to the relevant bureaux/departments for consideration of appointment. Each of the above committees will offer two seats for appointment. Subject to the actual number of applications received, assessment would be completed in the fourth quarter of 2022.

     The application form and other details of the MSSY Phase V are available on the website of the HAB (www.hab.gov.hk). In completing the application form, applicants need to write no more than 600 words or provide a video or audio clip of no longer than three minutes to explain, 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.