歷奇業界水深火熱
到位支援刻不容緩
疫症肆虐全球，為配合政府之抗疫工作，多個行業正有限度或完全停止服務，如娛樂場所、飲食業……等等，影響不少從業員的生計。當中，歷奇輔導業界的導師們亦是被遺忘的受影響從業員之一。
歷奇輔導業界從業員一直以自由工作者（Freelancer）為主要工作模式，佔業內從業員約九成。因此，是次疫情對業內從業員的生計打擊也非常嚴重。
歷奇輔導從業員一直在非主流教育擔當重要角色，不論在中小學、大專院校、福利機構或私人企業中，一直提供不同的培訓項目，啟發個人或團隊，促使他們能有效地得到提昇及完善自我。我們亦不難發現在很多的教育局文件中，不時提及或指示一些計劃需運用歷奇輔導介入手法，協助學生得到提昇。
多年來，我們的工作獲得各方認同，亦有不同計劃獲政府或賽馬會不同的資助，為社會有需要人士提供全面及歡樂的成長訓練，默默地貢獻社會。
不過，疫症期間，政府的多項緊急措施，只有一次性的$7,500支援稍為惠及歷奇輔導業界。而且，亦要透過合作學校或資助福利機構協助申請。如導師並非為指定的學校或資助福利機構提供服務，便不能申請。相比部份行業政府所提供的支援，我們的支援就像一個「擦邊球」一樣，只是輕輕的在身邊擦過，完全不到位，不直接。而且，在久久未能平服的疫情下，$7,500亦變得「杯水車薪」。
近月，香港再出現第三波疫情爆發，原在6月所看見的曙光，一下子再次回復黑暗。面對業界再度全面停工，對一眾從業員以言，絕對是一個惡夢。
因此，我們希望政府能在新一輪的舒困措施中，向歷奇輔導業界提供更全面的支援，如短期的「臨時失業保障」計劃，以保障生計，讓業界走出目前困境，繼續為社會及新生代提供優質培訓服務。
發起人：香港歷奇輔導學會
TRAINERS IN DIRE NEED, SEEK TIMELY AID
A JOINT STATEMENT BY THE ADVENTURE-BASED COUNSELING PRACTITIONERS
The adventure-based counseling industry has been playing a crucial role in the informal education sector in Hong Kong for 30 years. Promoting team cohesiveness and whole-person development, our practitioners provide a wide array of supportive training services for all levels of society, from primary schools to tertiary institutes, from government and subvented bodies to NGOs and private companies. In fact, Education Bureau documents encourage adventure-based education as a training methodology that fosters personal development for students. Our work has received support from a broad spectrum of society, including funding from the government and various charities such as the Hong Kong Jockey Club.
With coronavirus sweeping the community, however, service industries are limited in their ability to do their work or are even closed temporarily, as they join the government’s fight against the disease. While many workers from the service industries are suffering, adventure-based counseling practitioners have been especially devastated by the outbreak. Yet their needs remain unattended.
In the two rounds of anti-epidemic fund measures rolled out by the government, only coaches registered via the national sports associations or recognized sports organizations, or operators
and service providers of interest classes offered by schools, were eligible to apply. Those outside of these categories were ineligible for the subsidies. And even for those who were
eligible, a one-off subsidy of $7500 does not go very far.
The current third wave of Covid-19 has worsened the plight of adventure-based counseling
practitioners. An extended shutdown will only prolong our nightmare.
We therefore respectfully urge the government to launch sector-specific relief measures, such as a provisional time-limited unemployment support scheme, to relieve the financial burdens of individual practitioners during these difficult times. This aid would help save the adventure-based counseling business, ensuring quality training services for this generation and those to come.
Organizer:
Hong Kong Institute of Adventure Counseling
Adventure Counseling Industry Concern Group: Lau Chin Ho, Tam Po Kar Terry, Mak Ho Ping
