Working with Youth-at-Risk in Hong Kong

9. Rethinking Youth Problems in a Risk Society: Some Reflections on Working with "Youth-at-Risk" in Hong Kong

9_ Rethinking Youth Problems in a Risk Society: Some Reflections on Working with "Youth-at-Risk" in Hong Kong Sammy Wai-sang Chi u Youth has long been a concern o f the government an d the socia l wor k profession i n Hon g Kong , bot h i n term s o f car e an d control . Despit e the recen t re-organizatio n an d restructurin g o f servic e a t th e distric t level, youth work remains one of the largest service areas in the terrai n of social work i n the SAR . Notwithstanding this , however, th e histor y of youth wor k i n Hon g Kong was quit e problematic , as young peopl e were no t guide d properly , an d wer e ofte n construe d a s potentiall y destructive durin g thei r transitio n t o adulthood . Yout h identit y a s a target o f stat e contro l an d interventio n ha s thu s bee n securel y constructed sinc e th e 1970 s an d continue d t o b e reproduce d withou t being challenge d throughou t th e 1990 s and beyond. Mo k (1999 ) in hi s analysis o f youth polic y i n Hong Kong contended tha t th e Hon g Kon g Government attempte d to construct three categories of youth identitie s accorded different polic y strategies: the youth elites to be rewarded; th e ordinary youth to be neglected; and the problem youth to be disciplined. As implied , th e yout h elite s ar e th e cornerston e o f futur e economi c success, bu t th e problemati c cause d disruptio n t o socia l stabilit y an d economic development . Th e elite s ar e but a few, ye t th e problemati c could be many. A s far a s socia l welfare polic y fo r yout h i s concerned , the effor t o f th e stat e i s t o ensur e t o th e farthes t extent , tha t youn g people in general an d problem yout h i n particular, woul d not tur n ou t to be disruptiv e i f no t destructiv e force s fo r th e econom y (Hon g Kon g Government, 1991) . Social wor k attentio n investe d o n th e youth-at-ris k reflect s a continuation o f th e effort s o f th e stat e i n disciplinin g youn g people . This chapte r discusse s th e uncertaintie s an d vulnerabilitie s o f youn g people i n a world orde r tha t i s now coine d a risk societ y (Beck , 1992 , 100฀SAMMY ฀WAI-SANG ฀CHIU฀ 1999 & 2000). It is contended that the risks young people in Hong Kong have to face now ar e very much differen t fro m before . Risk s have no w become structura l consequence s o f modernit y an d globa l capitalism , which i s fa r beyon d persona l control . Lif e path s an d lif e chance s o f young peopl e ar e increasingl y uncertai n an d fragmented , an d th e education — work — retirement lif e route, which socia l work has lon g assumed an d worke d towards , ha s becom e structurall y unrealisti c fo r many youths today. While risks and life hazards are more unpredictabl e and lif e path s mor e fragmente d o n th e on e hand , copin g wit h th e consequence o f risks needs to be more individualised. Socia l welfare i n general, an d yout h wor k i n particular , ha s helpe d t o strengthe n th e personal natur e o f risk s an d seemingl y overlooke d th e whol e worl d context upo n whic h risk s ar e produce d an d hav e largel y bee n transformed. I t is therefore suggeste d that the personal notion of youthat -risk construe d i n Hon g Kon g has t o be reconsidere d s o tha t o n th e one...