Bottom-up approach may be best way to solve social unrest in Hong Kong, says government youth adviser
- Vice-chairman of Youth Development Commission Lau Ming-wai says involving more participants is best option
- Looking to government or Education Bureau for answers may not be most effective method
The director of a youth-focused think tank in Hong Kong believes a bottom-up approach would be better than a top-down one when it comes to solving the social unrest in the city.
Lau Ming-wai, who heads an independent think tank MWYO, and is vice-chairman of the government’s Youth Development Commission, made his remarks as anti-government protests stretched into a 15th week.
Speaking to the media before a forum organised by the think tank on Monday, Lau said Hong Kong society was still looking for answers when it came to tackling the crisis, but said he felt a bottom-up approach would be a better option.
“The advantage of a bottom-up approach is the process could involve participation of a wide range of people,” Lau said. “For any top-down approach, its number of participants and recognition might not be that high.”
He did not elaborate on his recommendations for what should be done, but said his experience in youth work in recent years suggested a top-down approach may not be the most effective one.
“When we are looking at youth or education issues, we often expect the government or the Education Bureau to make some changes,” Lau said. “[But] a top-down approach might not be the fastest, the best or the most effective method.”