The University of Hong Kong (HKU) launched the ‘HKU Cares’ Student Sports Ambassador Pilot Programme to train students to lead tailored fitness programmes for elderly community members in the Pokfulam area, including resistance band exercises and pickleball experience, thereby promoting elderlies’ health and giving back to the community.
‘HKU Cares’ recruited passionate students with diverse backgrounds from undergraduate to PhD programmes, covering various studies including education, medicine, nursing, science, and social work. Under the guidance of professional coaches from the HKU Centre of Sports and Exercise (CSE), all student ambassadors received training in the fundamentals of kinematics, human anatomy, and coaching.
Since the inception of the Programme in September this year, over 200 elderly individuals from the Pokfulam district have benefited from ‘HKU Cares’, with a majority expressing satisfaction with the overall experience. To extend the benefit of exercise to the wider Pokfulam community, a Community Fun Day and Recognition Ceremony was held on 22 November 2023, bringing together over 60 elderly participants who enjoyed exercising with HKU student sports ambassadors.
