DRUGS, alcohol and violence are just some of the menaces that endanger Hong Kong youths. But with the Warehouse back on its feet again, a host of programmes have been lined up to keep the kids off the streets - and away from temptation.
The Warehouse - a drug and alcohol-free club where teenagers can hang out and make friends - was initiated two years ago by a reader at Hong Kong University's Department of Anatomy, Dr Frank White.
'When I started talking with parents two years ago, I realised that they were all worried sick about their children. The social life of their children often centres around the streets of Wan Chai, Lan Kwai Fong and Tsim Sha Tsui, locations which are far from safe,' Dr White said.
Things got started when he registered the five-member committee as a charity. They eventually decided that the po wor (the club's Chinese name means 'a place to hang out') would allow teenagers to meet friends, form their own committee to generate ideas for activities and co-operate with the organising committee to realise those ideas.
'There are many youth clubs around, but these clubs tend to plan all the activities and tell kids to join in. But the Warehouse basically runs with teenagers' ideas,' Dr White said.
Last year, the club's survival came into question when it hit funding problems. But the Government stepped in with a $5 million grant and other donors, such as the Royal Jockey Club, came up with another $4.6 million, which has secured the starting-up costs of the club.
'The Government has been extremely supportive. They agreed to sell this first-edition or very rare coins to fund the project and the response was sensational,' said Kaley Hodge, a member of the organising committee.