[Applause] hi everyone thank you for being here
hi everyone thank you for being here
hi everyone thank you for being here thanks and thanks for that nice
thanks and thanks for that nice
thanks and thanks for that nice introduction so when I was 14 years old
introduction so when I was 14 years old
introduction so when I was 14 years old I founded a youth-led NGO dedicated to
I founded a youth-led NGO dedicated to
I founded a youth-led NGO dedicated to education inequalities and youth
education inequalities and youth
education inequalities and youth empowerment through leadership if you
empowerment through leadership if you
empowerment through leadership if you look at the white piece of paper over
look at the white piece of paper over
look at the white piece of paper over here with my handwriting that was
here with my handwriting that was
here with my handwriting that was actually my very first brainstorm when I
actually my very first brainstorm when I
actually my very first brainstorm when I was trying to figure out what I wanted
was trying to figure out what I wanted
was trying to figure out what I wanted the organization to be and where I
the organization to be and where I
the organization to be and where I wanted it to go so I thought today I
wanted it to go so I thought today I
wanted it to go so I thought today I would just talk about more of what more
would just talk about more of what more
would just talk about more of what more more of what influenced me to start this
more of what influenced me to start this
more of what influenced me to start this organization and the challenges I faced
organization and the challenges I faced
organization and the challenges I faced in running it and and how I overcame it
in running it and and how I overcame it
in running it and and how I overcame it what started as a ragtag team of seven
what started as a ragtag team of seven
what started as a ragtag team of seven students from one school operating one
students from one school operating one
students from one school operating one program has now grown to an NGO with
program has now grown to an NGO with
program has now grown to an NGO with successfully registered NGO with over a
successfully registered NGO with over a
successfully registered NGO with over a hundred and eleven volunteers operating
hundred and eleven volunteers operating
hundred and eleven volunteers operating eight different educational programs and
eight different educational programs and
eight different educational programs and youth empowerment events so we’ve also
youth empowerment events so we’ve also
youth empowerment events so we’ve also expanded to other countries including
expanded to other countries including
expanded to other countries including Singapore and South Korea so those two
Singapore and South Korea so those two
Singapore and South Korea so those two pictures are from that from that and so
pictures are from that from that and so
pictures are from that from that and so I just wanted to now talk about what
I just wanted to now talk about what
I just wanted to now talk about what influenced me to do this because it’s
influenced me to do this because it’s
influenced me to do this because it’s you won’t find a lot of young teenagers
you won’t find a lot of young teenagers
you won’t find a lot of young teenagers going out in the world to do something
going out in the world to do something
going out in the world to do something so I just wanted to talk a bit about my
so I just wanted to talk a bit about my
so I just wanted to talk a bit about my parents growing up I had a very cushy
parents growing up I had a very cushy
parents growing up I had a very cushy life I lived a very comfortable life
life I lived a very comfortable life
life I lived a very comfortable life anything I needed I could get anything I
anything I needed I could get anything I
anything I needed I could get anything I wanted I could get I had good education
wanted I could get I had good education
wanted I could get I had good education but I always knew outside of my life
but I always knew outside of my life
but I always knew outside of my life there were definitely people who were
there were definitely people who were
there were definitely people who were facing even more hardships and facing
facing even more hardships and facing
facing even more hardships and facing those and people who face those
those and people who face those
those and people who face those hardships including my parents both of
hardships including my parents both of
hardships including my parents both of them came from very humble backgrounds
them came from very humble backgrounds
them came from very humble backgrounds they worked hard they pushed through the
they worked hard they pushed through the
they worked hard they pushed through the barriers they persevered and they became
barriers they persevered and they became
barriers they persevered and they became very successful and now they’re senior
very successful and now they’re senior
very successful and now they’re senior executives at
executives at
executives at major companies in Hong Kong my dad grew
major companies in Hong Kong my dad grew
major companies in Hong Kong my dad grew up in Hong Kong’s notorious public
up in Hong Kong’s notorious public
up in Hong Kong’s notorious public housing he had nine siblings all living
housing he had nine siblings all living
housing he had nine siblings all living in a tiny 400 square foot apartment his
in a tiny 400 square foot apartment his
in a tiny 400 square foot apartment his dad was a security guard his mother was
dad was a security guard his mother was
dad was a security guard his mother was a stay-at-home stay-at-home mom
a stay-at-home stay-at-home mom
a stay-at-home stay-at-home mom luckily education back then and and now
luckily education back then and and now
luckily education back then and and now actually more education back then in
actually more education back then in
actually more education back then in Hong Kong was free and my dad enjoyed
Hong Kong was free and my dad enjoyed
Hong Kong was free and my dad enjoyed his education he finished primary school
his education he finished primary school
his education he finished primary school he finished secondary school and he
he finished secondary school and he
he finished secondary school and he loved learning he always wanted to learn
loved learning he always wanted to learn
loved learning he always wanted to learn more at the end of secondary school he
more at the end of secondary school he
more at the end of secondary school he wanted to be an engineer but the only
wanted to be an engineer but the only
wanted to be an engineer but the only thing was his parents could not afford
thing was his parents could not afford
thing was his parents could not afford it because his parents could not afford
it because his parents could not afford
it because his parents could not afford University my dad was was heartbroken
University my dad was was heartbroken
University my dad was was heartbroken because he really wanted to pursue a
because he really wanted to pursue a
because he really wanted to pursue a life where he could give back to the
life where he could give back to the
life where he could give back to the community through engineering and
community through engineering and
community through engineering and infrastructure so my dad worked hard he
infrastructure so my dad worked hard he
infrastructure so my dad worked hard he worked in factories he worked in
worked in factories he worked in
worked in factories he worked in construction sites he worked until the
construction sites he worked until the
construction sites he worked until the age of 23 when everybody in his
age of 23 when everybody in his
age of 23 when everybody in his graduating class were coming back from
graduating class were coming back from
graduating class were coming back from university he was going to university
university he was going to university
university he was going to university because at the age of 23 he managed to
because at the age of 23 he managed to
because at the age of 23 he managed to just earn enough money to send himself
just earn enough money to send himself
just earn enough money to send himself to one year at the University of
to one year at the University of
to one year at the University of Sunderland in the UK he worked night
Sunderland in the UK he worked night
Sunderland in the UK he worked night jobs when he went to the UK and through
jobs when he went to the UK and through
jobs when he went to the UK and through by doing so he was able to pay for his
by doing so he was able to pay for his
by doing so he was able to pay for his college tuition and now he is a very
college tuition and now he is a very
college tuition and now he is a very successful leader of a major engineering
successful leader of a major engineering
successful leader of a major engineering company in Hong Kong on my mother’s side
company in Hong Kong on my mother’s side
company in Hong Kong on my mother’s side she also grew up in a very humble
she also grew up in a very humble
she also grew up in a very humble commute back round although it wasn’t it
commute back round although it wasn’t it
commute back round although it wasn’t it wasn’t that bad she still faced a lot of
wasn’t that bad she still faced a lot of
wasn’t that bad she still faced a lot of difficulties my grandmother worked for
difficulties my grandmother worked for
difficulties my grandmother worked for different jobs and one full-time you
different jobs and one full-time you
different jobs and one full-time you have three part-time and my mother
have three part-time and my mother
have three part-time and my mother basically didn’t have any time with her
basically didn’t have any time with her
basically didn’t have any time with her she had to manage her own life she had
she had to manage her own life she had
she had to manage her own life she had to lead her own life and make sure that
to lead her own life and make sure that
to lead her own life and make sure that she did everything and got everything
she did everything and got everything
she did everything and got everything done as a result she got good grades and
done as a result she got good grades and
done as a result she got good grades and my grandmother because of all the jobs
my grandmother because of all the jobs
my grandmother because of all the jobs that she was doing was able to send all
that she was doing was able to send all
that she was doing was able to send all her children all her to university so
her children all her to university so
her children all her to university so now again my mum is a is a very
now again my mum is a is a very
now again my mum is a is a very successful executive at a major company
successful executive at a major company
successful executive at a major company in Hong Kong so this influenced me in
in Hong Kong so this influenced me in
in Hong Kong so this influenced me in that showed me education really made a
that showed me education really made a
that showed me education really made a difference education is a key for
difference education is a key for
difference education is a key for enabling different opportunities in the
enabling different opportunities in the
enabling different opportunities in the future and so that sort of influenced
future and so that sort of influenced
future and so that sort of influenced why I started the organization but the
why I started the organization but the
why I started the organization but the catalysts of why I started the
catalysts of why I started the
catalysts of why I started the organization was when I was at a summer
organization was when I was at a summer
organization was when I was at a summer course a speaker came into the summer
course a speaker came into the summer
course a speaker came into the summer course and talked about how he was at
course and talked about how he was at
course and talked about how he was at night at the age of nine the founder of
night at the age of nine the founder of
night at the age of nine the founder of an environmental NGO that had planted
an environmental NGO that had planted
an environmental NGO that had planted trees all across the globe in South
trees all across the globe in South
trees all across the globe in South Korea in Singapore in Los Angeles and
Korea in Singapore in Los Angeles and
Korea in Singapore in Los Angeles and now it’s there everywhere and that
now it’s there everywhere and that
now it’s there everywhere and that really inspired me it showed me that
really inspired me it showed me that
really inspired me it showed me that really even if you’re young you can
really even if you’re young you can
really even if you’re young you can still do something so I started support
still do something so I started support
still do something so I started support and it hasn’t been an easy process their
and it hasn’t been an easy process their
and it hasn’t been an easy process their numerous straight numerous things like
numerous straight numerous things like
numerous straight numerous things like you know the legal process and all of
you know the legal process and all of
you know the legal process and all of that
that
that finding a board of directors which you
finding a board of directors which you
finding a board of directors which you can see down here but I I wanted to talk
can see down here but I I wanted to talk
can see down here but I I wanted to talk more about the challenges I faced with
more about the challenges I faced with
more about the challenges I faced with leadership because when you’re 14 or 15
leadership because when you’re 14 or 15
leadership because when you’re 14 or 15 there’s no way you’ll know how to really
there’s no way you’ll know how to really
there’s no way you’ll know how to really lead a team of students and if you ask
lead a team of students and if you ask
lead a team of students and if you ask anybody I know or anybody who works with
anybody I know or anybody who works with
anybody I know or anybody who works with me they’ll tell you that I am really
me they’ll tell you that I am really
me they’ll tell you that I am really hard-headed and when I said when I set
hard-headed and when I said when I set
hard-headed and when I said when I set my head on something I really want to
my head on something I really want to
my head on something I really want to get it done and I would move everything
get it done and I would move everything
get it done and I would move everything I’ll move heaven and earth to just get
I’ll move heaven and earth to just get
I’ll move heaven and earth to just get that done but although this sounds very
that done but although this sounds very
that done but although this sounds very good and like very very important to
good and like very very important to
good and like very very important to have this sort of hardheadedness as a
have this sort of hardheadedness as a
have this sort of hardheadedness as a leader my senior team at in October of
leader my senior team at in October of
leader my senior team at in October of 2015 came to me and told me Joseph if
2015 came to me and told me Joseph if
2015 came to me and told me Joseph if you don’t stop if you don’t listen to us
you don’t stop if you don’t listen to us
you don’t stop if you don’t listen to us we will quit in my heart headedness
we will quit in my heart headedness
we will quit in my heart headedness and in my sort of vision I kept thinking
and in my sort of vision I kept thinking
and in my sort of vision I kept thinking of what the organization should be and
of what the organization should be and
of what the organization should be and how to really scale that up to be
how to really scale that up to be
how to really scale that up to be something of that level and I in in that
something of that level and I in in that
something of that level and I in in that since I completely disregarded my team
since I completely disregarded my team
since I completely disregarded my team I didn’t hear their opinions I didn’t
I didn’t hear their opinions I didn’t
I didn’t hear their opinions I didn’t really care about their opinions and I
really care about their opinions and I
really care about their opinions and I just really cared about where I wanted
just really cared about where I wanted
just really cared about where I wanted the organization to be and regardless of
the organization to be and regardless of
the organization to be and regardless of their input it was gonna happen
their input it was gonna happen
their input it was gonna happen but when my senior team came to me and
but when my senior team came to me and
but when my senior team came to me and told me that I was shocked mainly
told me that I was shocked mainly
told me that I was shocked mainly because I thought they were ok with it
because I thought they were ok with it
because I thought they were ok with it but I was shocked because it taught me a
but I was shocked because it taught me a
but I was shocked because it taught me a lesson as a leader you you’re not I to
lesson as a leader you you’re not I to
lesson as a leader you you’re not I to be honest I think the leader that the
be honest I think the leader that the
be honest I think the leader that the title leader is a really overused title
title leader is a really overused title
title leader is a really overused title because now when I look at my leadership
because now when I look at my leadership
because now when I look at my leadership I don’t see myself as a leader of the
I don’t see myself as a leader of the
I don’t see myself as a leader of the organization or the manager of the
organization or the manager of the
organization or the manager of the organization or whatever I see myself as
organization or whatever I see myself as
organization or whatever I see myself as a facilitator I figured out that my team
a facilitator I figured out that my team
a facilitator I figured out that my team had such great ideas they had ideas
had such great ideas they had ideas
had such great ideas they had ideas popping out everywhere and they wanted
popping out everywhere and they wanted
popping out everywhere and they wanted to do things but because of my heart
to do things but because of my heart
to do things but because of my heart headedness they weren’t able to do that
headedness they weren’t able to do that
headedness they weren’t able to do that so I scaled back I took a back seat I
so I scaled back I took a back seat I
so I scaled back I took a back seat I tried to listen I looked at all of their
tried to listen I looked at all of their
tried to listen I looked at all of their their their ideas and I heared them out
their their ideas and I heared them out
their their ideas and I heared them out and it wasn’t me making the decision in
and it wasn’t me making the decision in
and it wasn’t me making the decision in the end it was a vote so we basically
the end it was a vote so we basically
the end it was a vote so we basically changed the structure of how decisions
changed the structure of how decisions
changed the structure of how decisions are made but then I was no longer that I
are made but then I was no longer that I
are made but then I was no longer that I no longer saw myself as that visionary
no longer saw myself as that visionary
no longer saw myself as that visionary or leader of the organization who had to
or leader of the organization who had to
or leader of the organization who had to have some great vision of the future and
have some great vision of the future and
have some great vision of the future and where the organization should be in 10
where the organization should be in 10
where the organization should be in 10 years
years
years I saw myself as a facilitator seeing
I saw myself as a facilitator seeing
I saw myself as a facilitator seeing from my senior team what they thought
from my senior team what they thought
from my senior team what they thought the organization should be in 10 years
the organization should be in 10 years
the organization should be in 10 years the idea here here is that we as young
the idea here here is that we as young
the idea here here is that we as young people have many different ideas and we
people have many different ideas and we
people have many different ideas and we should be embracing them we should be
should be embracing them we should be
should be embracing them we should be talking to each other about them we
talking to each other about them we
talking to each other about them we should be discussing how we can create
should be discussing how we can create
should be discussing how we can create the best possible solution for different
the best possible solution for different
the best possible solution for different issues that Hong Kong and other issues
issues that Hong Kong and other issues
issues that Hong Kong and other issues that other communities face when there
that other communities face when there
that other communities face when there is a positive collision of ideas there
is a positive collision of ideas there
is a positive collision of ideas there is
is
is there’s for certain a positive outcome
there’s for certain a positive outcome
there’s for certain a positive outcome and that is what I learned in my
and that is what I learned in my
and that is what I learned in my leadership in support so I I think the
leadership in support so I I think the
leadership in support so I I think the basic premise is that young people have
basic premise is that young people have
basic premise is that young people have different perspectives and that is okay
different perspectives and that is okay
different perspectives and that is okay that doesn’t mean that just because
that doesn’t mean that just because
that doesn’t mean that just because another person on my team disagrees with
another person on my team disagrees with
another person on my team disagrees with me that doesn’t mean it’s bad because
me that doesn’t mean it’s bad because
me that doesn’t mean it’s bad because that would result in television if I
that would result in television if I
that would result in television if I just power down what I wanted to do I
just power down what I wanted to do I
just power down what I wanted to do I rather should embrace what they have in
rather should embrace what they have in
rather should embrace what they have in their head and create something out of
their head and create something out of
their head and create something out of that and so just on an ending note I
that and so just on an ending note I
that and so just on an ending note I want to say Hong Kong is facing a lot of
want to say Hong Kong is facing a lot of
want to say Hong Kong is facing a lot of different issues right now and we as
different issues right now and we as
different issues right now and we as young people there and we as young
young people there and we as young
young people there and we as young people there’s so many different
people there’s so many different
people there’s so many different factions and young people there are some
factions and young people there are some
factions and young people there are some people who support different initiatives
people who support different initiatives
people who support different initiatives some people who support the government
some people who support the government
some people who support the government there are many different things within
there are many different things within
there are many different things within young people itself but what I want to
young people itself but what I want to
young people itself but what I want to say here is that if all of us young
say here is that if all of us young
say here is that if all of us young people come together with different
people come together with different
people come together with different ideas different perspectives and and
ideas different perspectives and and
ideas different perspectives and and different solutions there is going to be
different solutions there is going to be
different solutions there is going to be a positive outcome so on just on a very
a positive outcome so on just on a very
a positive outcome so on just on a very ending last note young people have to
ending last note young people have to
ending last note young people have to take action don’t just stand there if
take action don’t just stand there if
take action don’t just stand there if you have something you want to do don’t
you have something you want to do don’t
you have something you want to do don’t just sit down wait for somebody else to
just sit down wait for somebody else to
just sit down wait for somebody else to do it do it yourself you should take
do it do it yourself you should take
do it do it yourself you should take action and do something thank you
action and do something thank you
action and do something thank you [Applause]
”
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