Our Programmes

Smoke-free Elite Teens Programme

Brochure (available in Chinese only)
Programme details (available in Chinese only)
Programme poster (available in Chinese only)

Since 2012, Hong Kong Council on Smoking and Health (COSH) has been organizing “Smoke-free Teens Programme” (Programme) which was revamped as “Smoke-free Elite Teens Programme”. The Programme introduces elements of life planning and mentor sharing and offers diversified learning experiences with aims to nurture multifaceted skills in teenagers to become future leaders in the society. It also provides the opportunity for participants to organize smoke-free programmes in schools and the community.

• gained support from over 180 secondary schools, youth centres and uniform groups
• over 3,100 teenagers have been trained as young leaders on tobacco control
• smoke-free messages have been disseminated to over 400,000 students and citizens

Objective

Through offering diversified learning experiences, this programme aims to:

• enhance students’ knowledge of smoking, secondhand smoking, third-hand smoking, and alternative smoking products, as well as up-to-date information on smoking hazards and tobacco control
• correct students’ misconception about smoking and to help students develop a positive smoke-free attitude
• equip students with the skills of organizing and planning, smoking cessation counselling and leadership, creativity and critical thinking, communication and conflict management, as well as team work
• encourage students to put smoke-free principles into practice in schools and the community, nurturing them to become future leaders in the society

Highlight video of Smoke-free Elite Teens Programme

(available in Chinese only)

Target audience

Secondary 1 to 4 students in the academic year of 2023-2024  nominated by schools, youth centres and uniform groups (“organization”)

Fee: Free of charge

Language: Cantonese

How to apply

• A team of 3 to 6 students (male or female) nominated by schools/organizations
• The school/organization's shall submit the school/organization’s reply slip (one copy for each team) and the individual application form and parent consent form of each participating student

Deadline: 13 September 2024

Programme period: October 2024 – August 2025

Certificate and recognition

Individual:

School/organization:

Participating schools/organizations will be recognized as "Smoke-free Schools/Organizations".

Awards

Gold, Silver, and Bronze Awards will be awarded based on the Smoke-free Programme proposal and report completed by the teams, as well as the number of Smoke-free Programme successfully held. Teams interested in competing for the championship, 1st runner-up and 2nd runner-up are required to submit short videos for review. Winning teams will be selected based on their creativity, clarity of smoke-free message expression and activity effectiveness, and the team's total points will also be one of the factors taken into consideration when deciding on the awards for the Smoke-free Programme.

Results will be announced in March or April 2025. A Showcase cum Sharing Session will be held in May 2025 (tentative) to recognize winners and outstanding teams, as well as the efforts in promoting smoke-free culture by all participants. Winners will have the opportunity to share their experience in organizing Smoke-free Programme in the sharing session and local newspapers.

* for each participant

List of Past Winners

Programme details

The Programme revolves around knowledge and skills training, as well as project planning and execution. Combining physical and online learning activities with a credit system, allows students to flexibly participate and obtain credits.

1. Smoke-free Academy

The hybrid Smoke-free Academy with a combination of offline and online learning aims to enhance students’ knowledge of tobacco control and smoking hazards and equip them with the skills of organizing and planning, smoking cessation counselling and leadership, creativity and critical thinking, communication and conflict management, as well as teamwork.

Key activities (offline and online):

• Orientation camp
• Training camp
• Visit to university cum workshop
• Online classes
• Proposal and report writing, project planning and promotion workshop
• Mobile phone videography workshop
• Mentor sharing (study and life planning)

Remark: the mode of activity (online/offline) might be subject to change, considering the latest development of the COVID-19 situation

2. Smoke-free Programmes

Participating teams can utilize their creativity, knowledge and skills learnt in the Smoke-free Academy and the subsidy provided by COSH to organize various activities in schools or in the community to promote smoke-free messages to families, schools and the community, for example, raising awareness of students and the public towards smoking hazards, encouraging families and friends to quit smoking and support public health policies.

3. Study tour and internship

Champion, 1st Runner-up and 2nd Runner-up will have the opportunity to participate in the summer study tour in 2025 to learn about the global tobacco control policies and visit the smoke-free places in other cities or regions (tentative location: Macau). Participants with outstanding performance in the “Smoke-free Teens Programme” will also be allowed to participate in the summer internship program, where students can experience working at COSH, get involved in COSH’s daily operations, smoke-free projects and gain valuable work experience for career and life planning. A certificate will be issued when the internship is completed.

The Champion, 1st Runner-up and 2nd Runner-up teams of the “Smoke-free Elite Teens Programme 2023-2024” participated in the Macao Study Tour on 4 July 2024. They visited the Tobacco and Alcohol Prevention and Control Office, Health Bureau of the Government of the Macao Special Administrative Region and exchanged their views with frontline tobacco control staff. They also observed the implementation of tobacco control measures in public areas to enrich their understanding of Macao tobacco control policies and widen their horizons.

Sharing of past interns (available in Chinese only)

4. Smoke-free Alumni Programme

To enable participants to continue their mission to promote smoke-free culture and contribute to smoke-free activities, participants who have completed the training will be offered to join the Smoke-free Alumni Programme, where alumnus can participate in extended learning and training opportunities and assist COSH in organizing smoke-free activities such as sharing session, exhibition and game booth, enabling them to develop leadership skills and become future elites in tobacco control.

Programme’s Facebook Page: Smoke-free Teens

Programme’s Instagram Account: smokefree_teens

Organizer

Co-organizer