Young people are a vital force for societal progress. To enhance upward social mobility among youth, and in line with the goals set out in the Government’s Youth Development Blueprint, The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust launched JC YUP in 2025 with a donation of over HK$440 million. The project’s innovative strategy provides targeted interventions at the three critical development junctures in young people’s transition from school to work. It supports young people in building a sense of pride, broadening their career horizons and laying a solid foundation for a positive career trajectory as they begin their working lives.
To highlight the proud moments of young people participating in the project, the “Say YUP! Proud Moment Showcase” was held today (17 July), bringing together students, school representatives and NGO partners to share their experiences, learning journeys from self-initiated challenges and achievements from the past year. Officiating at the opening ceremony were Edward Yau, JC YUP Advisory Committee Convenor; and Winnie Ying, Head of Charities (Education & Youth Cluster) of The Hong Kong Jockey Club.
Speaking at the ceremony, Winnie Ying noted that nurturing children and youth in families is one of the priority areas of the Club’s charities strategy, and the Club supports a wide array of youth activities and services in the community. Through JC YUP, the Club hopes to provide targeted interventions at three critical stages of youth development and identify effective evidence-based approaches that enable community resources to be deployed in a more targeted manner and achieve sustainable impact. This ultimately helps young people establish positive development trajectories and creates greater opportunities for upward mobility over the long term. She added that she hopes the unique proud moments created by young people through the project become a driving force in their growth journey. Also at the event, Edward Yau shared his personal experiences to encourage young people to build the confidence to challenge themselves and explore life’s limitless possibilities.
JC YUP is one of the five youth development initiatives supported by the Club's Charities Trust under a HK$1.4 billion commitment announced in celebration of the Club's 140th anniversary last year. Collaborating with 25 partners, including schools, NGOs, universities and the business sector, the five-year JC YUP project adopts an adaptive intervention design to provide individualised and timely support according to each young person’s development needs and trajectory, as well as the rapidly changing environment.
The first stage of the project enables Form 1 students to create “Proud Moments” through self-initiated challenges, which build confidence and a sense of pride. The second stage of the project provides different types of workplace experience for young people to understand multiple pathways and various future job roles. The third stage of the project is a two-year “Professional Traineeship” programme for young people entering the workforce, creating a new progression pathway connecting school and the workplace. JC YUP is expected to pilot in 50 secondary schools and benefit 30,000 students. For more details, please visit: https://www.jcyup.hk/en
In addition to donations, the Club’s Human Resources Department supported the project by organising a one-week career exploration and internship programme last month for five Form 4 students from JC YUP participating schools. Hosted by various divisions across the Club, the students gained first-hand exposure to a wide range of functions, workplace environments and career pathways.
Over the years, the Club has initiated and supported a wide range of programmes that empower young people to realise their potential and contribute as active citizens. In addition to CLAP@JC, which has uplifted the professional standards and service quality of career and life development education and services, 21C@JC, which has transformed youth service in the digital era, and JC LevelMind, which provides “Always On” mental wellbeing support services, the Club has supported the HKSAR Government’s annual youthfest@HK since its launch three years ago, which features a wide range of activities designed to bring young people together and to inspire them to realise a hopeful future. The Club has also supported the HKSAR Government’s Strive and Rise Programme for over three consecutive years. The programme helps young people from underprivileged backgrounds broaden their horizons, strengthen their self-confidence and set goals for the future.
The Club’s support for JC YUP, like all its charity and community donations, is made possible by its unique integrated business model through which racing and responsible sports wagering generate substantial tax contributions, charity support and employment opportunities for Hong Kong.
The Hong Kong Jockey Club
Founded in 1884, The Hong Kong Jockey Club is a world-class sports and entertainment organisation that acts continuously for the betterment of our society. The Club has a unique integrated business model, comprising racing and racecourse entertainment, a membership club, responsible sports wagering and lottery, and charities and community contribution. Through this model, the Club generates economic and social value for the community and supports the HKSAR Government in combatting illegal gambling. In 2024/25, the Club returned a total of HK$39.1 billion to the community. This included HK$30.1 billion to the HKSAR Government in duty, profits tax and Lotteries Fund contributions and HK$9.0 billion in approved charity donations. The Club is Hong Kong’s largest single taxpayer and one of the city’s major employers. Its Charities Trust is one of the world’s leading charity donors.
