The Child Development Initiative Alliance (CDIA) helps high school students take their first step out of poverty.

The CDIA Youth Work Explorer (Y-WE) is a one-week to two-months’ workplace education program empowering youths with soft skills needed for their future employment. Y-WE identifies the youths’ character strengths and career aspiration, and provides foundation trainings before sending them to the practicum match to their interests. The youths’ learning is reflected in a debriefing after Y-WE. Y-WE also provides trainings for parents, employers and mentors.

Y-WE benefitted over 3,000 youths so far. The youths are referred by Government programs, including Child Development Fund and its Strive & Rise, and from schools direct. Y-WE is supported by over 450 employers including businesses and Government departments covering all industries. Y-WE is scientifically validated by The Hong Kong University to help youths build Career Decision Self Efficacy with overall satisfaction rate 95% and SROI 7.25 times.