About ISSIA HK

ISSIA is a youth-led non-profit based in the Asia Pacific. We cultivate global citizenship and empower young changemakers through peer-to-peer and project-based learning as the go-to hub for all things global issues with 300+ members across 70+ schools.

Since 2019, with a focus on SDG 4 and 17, we've established more than 30+ projects as the largest youth-led organization in Hong Kong. For example, the ISSIA Magazine (awarded a grant by Kids4Kids), 170+ articles on our website (issiahk.org), ISSIAMUN, a debate program, a docuseries, podcasts and Youth NGOs Conferences, where we connected 20+ youth-led NGOs through up-skilling workshops, panels etc.

We've been featured on the World Economic Forum, Nasdaq, SCMP, RTHK, Ariana Magazine, Expat Living, Little Steps Asia and Pixl Media; and have been represented at the HK Mental Health Conference, World Humanitarian Forum (WHF London 2021) and won Enactus' 'Action Accelerator'.

We produce a variety of multimedia content, including magazines, podcasts, webinars, surveys and videos. This year, we have launched a series of events and programmes (e.g. the ISSIA Youth NGOS Forum, ISSIAMUN, ISSIA Debate Programme). We have also launched 10+ school chapters throughout Hong Kong.

ISSIA Magazine

A leading youth-led social issues publication and the first inter-school magazine in Hong Kong; we target SDG 4 (quality education), with a focus on target 4.7 (global citizenship) as a community-driven, peer-to-peer platform for global issues education. At 95 pages, we feature a plethora of student work, ranging from articles and poems, to student artwork and photography submissions across Hong Kong. We discuss LGBTQ+ Identity in Hong Kong, mental health, restorative justice, capitalism, gentrification, foreign domestic workers, refugees and more! You can find the first edition here.

Please note: the views and opinions expressed in the ISSIA Magazine are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official position of ISSIA HK unless indicated otherwise.

ISSIA Podcast

In addition to the magazine, we also have a weekly podcast programme in which contributors discuss contentious topics ranging from social apathy in Hong Kong to intersectional feminism. We also discuss academic topics e.g. nihilism, economic systems and more! We have published 10+ podcasts.

ISSIA Online

Our online media publication (issiahk.org) serves as the base for our multimedia content and the main website for ISSIA. We also introduced “ISSIA Weekly”, a weekly roundup of select articles from ISSIA Online! We have published over 140 articles on issiahk.org, with more to come.

ISSIA Research

We have conducted comprehensive surveys, investigating social engagement in high school students in Hong Kong (100+ respondents). Our second survey focused on and the effects of COVID-19 on student wellbeing and student opinion on online learning (60+ respondents).

New Initatives and Projects

ISSIA Events

We recently hosted ISSIA's first 'Youth NGOS Forum'. Through the event, we hope to foster a greater sense of connectivity between different youth organizations as well as increase exposure for ongoing projects and opportunities. The event connected 10+ Youth NGOS through a variety of events including a panel (featuring AliveVibe, ReBooked and Colour Away Covid), skill-based workshops, networking events and more.

We also organized our own Model United Nations conference (ISSIAMUN), where we had two councils (ECOSOC, US Senate), introducing the topic of Black Lives Matter and the aftermath of Colonialism to ~40 students from a variety of schools in Hong Kong.

Multimedia Team

We are expanding our multimedia coverage. We are working on a documentary series, diversifying the content for our podcasts and expanding our research and advocacy efforts.

Outreach

We have three main areas of expansion 1) local schools 2) universities 3) international recruitment. We are looking to expand on all three fronts, helping make our community even more diverse!