Our Programmes

Smoke-free Elite Teens Programme

Programme details (available in Chinese only)

Hong Kong Council on Smoking and Health (COSH) has organized the “Smoke-free Teens Programme” since 2012. The Programme was later revamped as the “Smoke-free Elite Teens Programme” and is co-organized by the Education Bureau. The Programme adopts a diverse learning model, incorporating life planning and mentor sharing elements to comprehensively enhance teenagers' multifaceted skills, deepen their knowledge of tobacco control and smoking hazards, and nurture them to be future leaders in promoting a smoke-free and healthy society. It also provides opportunities for participants to apply what they have learned by organizing various promotional activities in schools and the community.

• over 3,300 teenagers have been trained as young leaders on tobacco control
• smoke-free messages have been disseminated to over 460,000 students and citizens

Objective

Through offering diversified learning experiences, the programme aims to:

• deepen students’ knowledge of the harms of smoking, secondhand smoking, third-hand smoking, and alternative smoking products, as well as up-to-date information on smoking hazards and tobacco control;
• help students correct misconceptions about smoking and foster a positive, smoke-free attitude;
• equip students with the skills of developing and enhancing leadership, independence, creativity, critical thinking, organizational and planning skills, teamwork, communication and conflict management, and smoking cessation counseling skills; and
• encourage students to put smoke-free principles into practice in schools and the community, nurturing them to become future leaders of society.

Target audience

Students aged 12 to 17 in the 2026-2027 academic year nominated by schools, youth groups or uniform groups (“organization”)

Fee: Free of charge

Language: Cantonese

How to apply

• Nomination by schools/organizations, in teams of 3 to 6 students (mixed gender is accepted). Each school/organization may nominate up to 4 teams; and
• The teacher-in-charge or staff member of the school/organization must submit the reply slip (one per team) along with the individual application form and parent consent form for each participating student

Deadline: 18 September 2026

Programme period: October 2026 – July 2027 (Orientation Day: 3 October 2026)

SFTeens 2026-2027 Application Form

Certificate and recognition

Individual:

School/organization:

All participating schools/organizations that complete the programme will be recognized as "Smoke-free Schools/Organizations".

Awards

Gold, Silver, and Bronze Awards will be awarded based on the Smoke-free Programmes proposal and report completed by the teams, as well as the number of successfully organized smoke-free activities. Teams interested in competing for the champion, 1st runner-up and 2nd runner-up titles are required to submit short videos for COSH’s evaluation. Winning teams will be selected based on their creativity, clarity of the smoke-free message, and activity effectiveness. The team's total accumulated credits will also be one of the factors taken into consideration when determining the various awards for the Smoke-free Programmes.

Results will be announced in March or April 2027. A Showcase cum Sharing Session will be held in May or June 2027 (tentative) to commend participants for their efforts in promoting smoke-free culture and to recognize outstanding teams. Winners will have the opportunity to share their insights and experiences in organizing smoke-free activities at the sharing session and in local newspapers.

* for each participant

List of Past Winners

Programme details

The Programme revolves around two main components: knowledge and skills training, as well as project planning and execution. The Programme combines physical and online learning activities and operates on a credit system, allowing 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 deepen students’ knowledge of tobacco control and smoking hazards, and equip them with the skills of developing and enhancing leadership, independence, creativity, critical thinking, organizational and planning skills, teamwork, communication and conflict management, and smoking cessation counseling skills.

Key activities (offline and online):

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

2. Smoke-free Programmes

Participating teams can apply for funding support from COSH to creatively plan and organize various activities within schools and the community. This allows them to put the knowledge and skills acquired in the Smoke-free Academy into practice, spreading the message of a smoke-free, healthy lifestyle to their families, schools, and communities. For example, students can raise the awareness of their peers and the public towards smoking hazards, encourage families and friends to quit smoking and participate in promoting public health policies.

3. Study tour and internship

Winning teams will have the opportunity to participate in the summer study tour in 2027 to learn about the smoke-free culture and tobacco control measures of other cities or regions (tentatively planned for Macao). Additionally, participants with outstanding performance in the “Smoke-free Elite Teens Programme” will have the opportunity to participate in the summer internship program at COSH (subject to interview selection), get involved in COSH’s daily operations, smoke-free projects and gain valuable work experience for career and life planning. A certificate will be awarded upon successful completion of the internship.

The winning teams of the “Smoke-free Elite Teens Programme 2025-2026” participated in the Macao Study Tour on 6 July 2026. During the trip, participants 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 complete the Programme are eligible to join the Smoke-free Alumni Programme. Alumnus will have the opportunity to participate in extended learning and training opportunities and assist COSH in organizing smoke-free activities such as sharing sessions, exhibitions and game booths, enabling them to develop leadership skills and become future tobacco control leaders.

Programme’s Facebook Page: Smoke-free Teens

Programme’s Instagram Account: smokefree_teens

Organizer

Co-organizer