University YMCA (HSUHK) was founded in 2011, in accord with the University motto “Erudition and Perseverance”, and embracing YMCA’s mission “To serve, not to be served”. University YMCA (HSUHK) closely connects with the Student Affairs Office to provide various youth development programmes like local social services and overseas service trips to facilitate students’ personal growth and nurture them as future leaders to contribute to society. 53 HSUHK students were awarded in the YM Volunteer Awards Ceremony 2021-2022, organised by the Chinese YMCA of Hong Kong in October, for their outstanding performance in voluntary service. Martin Yip, President of the 10th Student Executive Committee of University YMCA (HSUHK) and the committee member of the Alliance of University & College YMCAs, was awarded the “YM Volunteer Highest Service Score (Individual) Award” and “YM Volunteer Years Service Award”.

Martin is passionate about social service. In the past year, he organised various volunteer service activities with other committee members. To enhance university students’ awareness of the difficulties faced by visually impaired and their concern to children losing opportunities to outdoor exercise due to the pandemic, he organised a service that gathered university students to go hiking with visually impaired so that they could experience the beauty of nature together. He also organised a joint-U sports challenge in which 100 university students experienced Newsports with 60 children from deprived families in order to encourage them to develop a regular practice of physical training. After graduation, Martin has continued his volunteer service, organising “Inclusion in Action: Joint-U Community Hunt X Inclusive Carnival” and recruiting about 100 university students and 80 visually Impaired, ethnic minorities and elderlies to join a community hunt and experiential activities to promote social inclusion. He strives to utilise his experience and strength in volunteering and contribute to YMCA and society.

Martin said, “It is my honor to win the YM Volunteer Awards. I have never aimed for any awards from my social service but in return, I have lots of satisfaction and a sense of accomplishment from volunteering. I am glad that I can experience volunteering in different innovative ways, and the diversity of social service has surprised me a lot.

Through the innovative and meaningful activities, I am able to have new learnings and an in-depth understanding of the community, as well as challenging myself and helping others. The fruitful experience in volunteering becomes the motivation for me to serve the community continuously.”