Leadership & Service Learning Education : Holistic Development for Chinese University Students

Adolescent risk behavior is a growing problem in the global context. In many places, efforts are carried out to prevent the occurrence of adolescent risk behavior and to identify the best intervention options. In view of the growing magnitude of adolescent risk behavior, one question is how we can "explain" such behavior. Traditionally, people tend to find answers "within" adolescents. Explanations such as "weak mindedness", "lack of determination" and "laziness" have been shared in people in different cultures. While these beliefs are widely held, there is no scientific support for such explanations. Fundamentally, promotion of psychosocial competencies is at the heart of positive youth development and psychosocial competence is closely related to leadership skills in adolescents. In view of the developmental issues faced by Chinese university students and taking advantage of higher education reform in Hong Kong, a subject entitled "Tomorrow''s Leaders" is offered to around 2,000 students every year. Based on our evaluation of this project, we strongly encourage colleagues to make similar initiatives elsewhere to create leadership for the future.