V Sparkle

Cultural Inclusiveness on Lee Tung Avenue: A Symphony of Diversity

On 20 October  (Sunday), the VTC Community Engagement Unit (CEU) participated in the  ‘Cultural Fusion “MELA” @ Wan Chai’ event on Lee Tung Avenue, organised by the Baptist Oi Kwan Social Service. Supported by Home Affairs Department, this event aimed to promote communication and understanding among different cultures, attracting enthusiastic participation from numerous citizens. As one of the participating organisations, VTC sent students with expertise in sports and music to showcase their professional knowledge and skills, infusing vitality into the community.

Students of Higher Diploma in Sports and Smart Technology programme of Hong Kong Institute of Vocational Education (IVE), along with those from Diploma of Foundation Studies (Information Technology), utilised their knowledge of sports and applied real-world multi-media skills to combine traditional martial arts with modern technology, creating an AI martial arts routine (fact check with HT team) that offered participants a novel martial arts training experience.

Student Ho, one of the creators of the AI martial arts routine, expressed, “I’m very pleased to showcase our work at this event. It’s gratifying to see many minority participants experience Chinese martial arts in a fresh and engaging way.”

Students of the IVE’s Higher Diploma in Hotel and Catering Management programme also prepared a flower tea workshop. Using their knowledge of food service and hygiene, they introduced participants to the benefits and effects of various flower teas, shared tea-making techniques, and distributed ready-to-drink health tea bags to the public.

Teacher Wu said, “Through this community event, students have the opportunity to apply what they’ve learned and share Chinese flower tea with people from different ethnic backgrounds, promoting cultural exchange.”

Meanwhile, students of Higher Diploma in Music production programme of Hong Kong Design Institute (HKDI), performed live music. They selected five songs in different languages and rearranged them using their music theory and arrangement skills for live performance. The performance attracted a considerable audience, transcending language barriers through music and showcasing multiculturalism.

Additionally, student ambassadors from the IVElite assisted as volunteers, utilising the soft skills learned in IVElite, including organisation and communication skills, to welcome guests, distribute prizes, and support crowd control, helping the event run smoothly.

Image Captions:

(Photo 1) teams from different cultural organisations are invited to perform; HKDI music production students performed live music.

(Photo 2) Participants from various ethnic backgrounds, locals, and tourists show great interest in the AI martial arts routine designed by IVE students.

(Photo 3) Ms Jenny KO, VTC Academic Director of Student Development Discipline, Ms Carol LEE, Service Head (Training & Employment Services) of Baptist Oi Kwan Social Service, Mr Steven CHEUNG, Assistant District Officer of Home Affairs Department, and various guests

Collaboration Between Medical and Educational Institutions: Promoting Care Food at Queen Elizabeth Hospital

For the first time, CEU ventured into the hospital network by introducing VTC’s soft meal project within the hospital community. On 18 October  (Friday), CEU set up a booth at the Ambulatory Care Centre of Queen Elizabeth Hospital to promote soft diets to patients, families and the public. The “Care Food Education & Experience Zone”(fact check?) was organised by the Hong Kong Council of Social Service and Patient Resource Centre of Kowloon Central Cluster of Hospital Authority?. CEU collaborated with students of the Health and Life Sciences Discipline and the Design Discipline to showcase their jointly developed dim sum soft meal project, “Taste of Memories”.

At the booth, they displayed beautifully crafted food models of two soft dishes —Steamed Chicken Roll and Steamed Pork Ribs with Black Bean Sauce Rice —and played a video of the development process. Many patients and carers expressed great interest in the soft meal, noting its appealing presentation and natural ingredients. Healthcare professionals visiting the booth indicated that they often encountered patients with swallowing difficulties and were eager for mass production of such specialised soft meal to improve the quality of life for those in need. Elderly participants also appreciated the students’ soft meal offerings, seeing their uniqueness compared to those available in the market and expressed a desire to try them.

During the event, VTC students conducted public consultations, allowing visitors to vote for their preferred new soft meal options developed by VTC students. Among three distinctive Chinese dishes—Buddha Jumps Over the Wall, Stir-fried Beef with Choy sum, and Chicken Hot Pot— which Buddha Jumps Over the Wall received the highest votes. This result will serve as a reference for the soft meal development in the current academic year.

The next phase of soft meal development will also involve students from the Chinese Culinary Institute (CCI), combining their expertise in soft meal specialties and food science and safety, which is expected to enhance the flavour and appeal of the soft meal offerings, bringing a fresh perspective to the public.

Image Captions:

(Photo 4) Students of the Health and Life Sciences Discipline introducing their soft meal project to the elderly.

(Photo 5) CEU representative, Ms Emily LEE, Lecturer of Health and Life Sciences Discipline, Ms Ceci TSUI, Senior Project & Development Officer of Sik Sik Yuen, and Mr Janus WONG, Project & Development Officer of Sik Sik Yuen

(Photo 6) Voting results for the upcoming soft meal project.

Creative Board Games Connecting Hidden Youth: Brushstrokes of Tomorrow

Earlier, CEU and HKDI’s Higher Diploma in Illustration programme collaborated with Baptist Oi Kwan Social Service to address issues concerning hidden youth by designing a series of creative illustrated board games, which were exhibited from  21 September to27 October at StudioKT in Kwun Tong.

The exhibition featured several sharing sessions where design teachers, representatives from Baptist Oi Kwan Social Service, and CEU shared insights on the project development process and how project-based learning can inspire students to find solutions for community needs. Several students of the Higher Diploma in Illustration programme also shared their creative concepts, highlighting how they aimed to connect with hidden youth from youth’s perspective.

Student Ng expressed, “I’m thrilled to be part of this project, creating board games that have community and educational value. My original board game,   ‘Aychytas’, is a collaborative game designed in a black-and-white realistic style, intended to enhance communication between social workers and service users.”

Selected works are currently undergoing improvements and will soon enter the production phase for use in Baptist Oi Kwan Social Service’s frontline services.

Image Captions:

(Photo 7) HKDI students interacting with participants about their board game designs

(Photo 8) Student Lai sharing her design concepts and playing her original game with participants.

Sharing Chinese Herbal Medicine Knowledge: Connecting with Those Around Us

The “Celebrating the 75th Anniversary of National Day: 2024 Mental Health Month Opening Ceremony and Carnival” took place on 26 October  (Saturday) at the New Town Plaza Phase II in Tseung Kwan O. This year, CEU continued its involvement in preparing the booth to promote community mental health. Dr QIAO Chun-feng from the Health and Life Sciences Discipline crafted a “Formulation for The Resolving Stagnation for Tranquilisation”(Fact check?) for the event. Students of IVE’s Higher Diploma in Pharmaceutical Science (Chinese Medicines) programme also led a workshop on herbal sachet making, sharing knowledge about Chinese herbs with over 100 participants and creating pleasant and calming herbal sachets, making the booth very popular during the event.

Student Chan said, “The theme of this event is ‘Connecting with Those Around Us.’ I'm happy to share the herbal knowledge I learned in class and teach everyone how to make beautiful and practical sachets, showing care for themselves and those around them. I plan to recommend this herbal sachet to my parents and friends, so they can also enjoy its calming benefits.”

Images Captions:

(Photo 9) IVE students of Pharmaceutical Science (Chinese Medicines) present herbal sachets to the Secretary for Labour and Welfare, Mr Chris SUN.

(Photo 10) Student Tang leads participants in making herbal sachets while explaining their ingredients and benefits.

“CommunityQuest” VTC Community Engagement Reward Scheme

If you want to leverage your VPET skill and contribute to the community, the opportunity has arrived! CEU has launched the "CommunityQuest" VTC Community Engagement Reward Scheme for this academic year. This programme encourages VTC students to propose innovative, interesting and practical solutions around four main theme, Youth Development, Elderly & GeronTechnology, Sustainability, and Inclusivity. Students will collaborate with community partners to apply their VPET skills in designing and developing innovative projects, applications, services, or designs to address community issues.

The reward scheme is now open for applications until 20 December. VTC students are welcome to submit project and proposal through teacher recommendations. 

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