Hong Kong Outward Bound School

The Hong Kong Outward Bound School (HKOBS) is a registered charity
established in 1970. It belongs to an international network of over 40
schools in different countries. Outward Bound world-wide has more than
50 years of professional experience in outdoor experiential education. Its
mission is to stimulate personal development and generate understanding
between people.

In addition to open enrolment courses for the general public, HKOBS
operates special programmes for the handicapped, socially-deprived
people and juvenile delinquents as well as employees of major
corporations, various organisations and the government.

Being supported by the community and for the community, the School
offers generous subsidies to individuals with genuine financial needs. The
continuous financial commitment from the Broadcasting, Culture and
Sport Bureau has enabled more Hong Kong youths to attend Outward
Bound training. The bursary scheme donated by the Standard Chartered
Foundation has given more than 100 disadvantaged young girls the
opportunity to come on the 18-day courses in the next three years.

On May 24, the HKOBS's 132-foot brigantine, Ji Fung, returned home
after her successful participation in the first sail training tall ships' race in
the Northern Pacific - Sail Osaka '97. Hundreds of people lined the Tsim
Sha Tsui waterfront to cheer the award-winning crew and ship.

The race was over 2 600 kilometres (1 400 nautical miles) from Hong
Kong via Okinawa and Kagoshima to Osaka. Ji Fung, meaning 'Spirit of
Resolution', took all her competitors by surprise from the start of the
race. After nearly a month at sea, she concluded her historic voyage as
Overall Winner in Class AII/B; the fastest tall ship to finish the entire race;
Best Sail Training Ship; the only vessel carrying out a community service
project; and the only tall ship to cross the Osaka finish line under sail.

Many of the 108 crew members were under 25 years of age with little
sailing experience. Some had received individual and corporate
sponsorships to participate.

Outward Bound activities in Mainland China continue to progress
satisfactorily. HKOBS has run numerous courses at the Bank of China
International Finance Training Centre in Qingyuan. During the latter half
of the year, a China Development Fund was established through a
donation to further the development of Outward Bound in the Mainland.

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