Despite ongoing efforts to promote life Planning Education in Hong Kong, there remains a notable gap that hinders secondary school students from effectively identifying and pursuing their life and career paths after graduation. While there are various programs in the market offering workplace experiences, they often fail to help students connect these experiences with their personal exploration journey. Students are, therefore, often passive participants in these opportunities, lacking the genuine autonomy to forge their own paths.

In response to this challenge, The D. H. Chen Foundation and CoCoon Foundation have co-initiated a new technology-enabled life and career exploration online platform called MatchBox. The program matches and connects secondary school students with various types of authentic learning experiences through technology, aiming at providing an alternative way to cultivate agency and values in students as they embark on their explorative journey of life and career.

MatchBox also identifies like-minded employers, and connects them with students to build a community to foster and sustain the impact of values-driven life and career exploration. These employers will be supported and guided to curate relevant experiences aligned with the students’ potential, strengths and goals.

Employing a hybrid approach, the digital program is thoughtfully complemented with physical co-learning and sharing opportunities, creating a comprehensive learning experience that equips students with the essential future skills and competencies they need. From one-on-one online exchanges with industry experts, company visits to two-week internships, the experiences are designed to cater to the varied needs of participating students. The guided reflection sections will also lead students to discover their life purposes and unique positioning, enabling them to make meaningful contributions to society.

By utilizing technology to accurately streamline the matching process and promote student agency, the Foundation hopes that the program will serve as a valuable platform to provide students with access to meaningful experiences that are beneficial to their personal growth and exploration.

For more about the program, please feel free to visit http://matchboxhk.org.