Service Project
What makes a good Lead for Life service project?
The Lead for Life service project is an essential component of our character leadership certificate programme. By completing this project individually or as part of a team, you can apply your knowledge of character leadership to make a positive impact on your community through service. Through this experience, you will not only increase your self-awareness and identify your character leadership strengths and style, but also cultivate your sense of purpose as you work towards creating positive social change and building flourishing communities.
A good Lead for Life service project should address a significant social issue, make a positive impact on your community, and showcase practical application of character leadership beyond academic knowledge and skills. We encourage you to step out of your comfort zone to explore challenging areas and grow your character leadership in new and meaningful ways. The project requires approximately 20 hours of direct community service, excluding other indirect tasks.
The Lead for Life service project is an essential component of our character leadership certificate programme. By completing this project individually or as part of a team, you can apply your knowledge of character leadership to make a positive impact on your community through service. Through this experience, you will not only increase your self-awareness and identify your character leadership strengths and style, but also cultivate your sense of purpose as you work towards creating positive social change and building flourishing communities.
A good Lead for Life service project should address a significant social issue, make a positive impact on your community, and showcase practical application of character leadership beyond academic knowledge and skills. We encourage you to step out of your comfort zone to explore challenging areas and grow your character leadership in new and meaningful ways. The project requires approximately 20 hours of direct community service, excluding other indirect tasks.
How will I be assessed?
You will not be formally graded for your Lead for Life service project, but we will provide you with a feedback questionnaire to complete. Additionally, you will need to submit a 500-word reflection journal after completing your service project. In your journal, please describe 2-3 incidents that demonstrate how you have learned or applied one or more character leadership strengths during the service project. You should also identify and describe the challenges you encountered, how you overcame them, and what you discovered about yourself through the experience. After completing your service project, you will be invited to share your experience with your peers and mentors in your mentor group.
You will not be formally graded for your Lead for Life service project, but we will provide you with a feedback questionnaire to complete. Additionally, you will need to submit a 500-word reflection journal after completing your service project. In your journal, please describe 2-3 incidents that demonstrate how you have learned or applied one or more character leadership strengths during the service project. You should also identify and describe the challenges you encountered, how you overcame them, and what you discovered about yourself through the experience. After completing your service project, you will be invited to share your experience with your peers and mentors in your mentor group.
When should I apply?
Although we encourage you to complete the Lead for Life service project in Year 2, you can complete it anytime between Years 2 to 4. The applications for the service project will be accepted at the beginning of each semester, and a briefing session will be held before you start.
Although we encourage you to complete the Lead for Life service project in Year 2, you can complete it anytime between Years 2 to 4. The applications for the service project will be accepted at the beginning of each semester, and a briefing session will be held before you start.
What are the different pathways?
At Lead for Life, we understand that everyone has different interests, skills, and experiences, which is why we offer five pathways to complete the service project. These pathways are designed to cater to your unique needs and allow you to choose a project that aligns with your passions and interests.
If one of your academic courses requires a service project or placement, either in Hong Kong or overseas, you can fulfill your Lead for Life service project concurrently. No extra tasks or duties are required, but you must submit a Lead for Life reflection journal that shares your experience applying character leadership during your placement. If you choose this pathway, it is advised that you inform your faculty and placement supervisor of your concurrent program fulfilment after obtaining endorsement from the Lead for Life team. To register, ensure that your faculty’s service placement meets the Lead for Life service project requirements. Then, submit an online application on the Lead for Life website by the specified deadline. Once approved, notify your faculty and placement supervisor of your concurrent program fulfilment.
If community service is not part of your academic course requirement and you lack experience in organizing a service project, you can apply for one of our pre-arranged service placements. We have identified qualified community service opportunities with our community partners, mostly NGOs, and you will complete your service with their guidance and support. Before commencing your service placement, you will receive additional briefing on the social issue concerned. Details of the pre-arranged service placements, including the community partner, service period, and other relevant information, will be available on the Lead for Life website. As places are limited, we advise you to sign up early by the specified deadline.
If you have prior experience in organizing or leading community services and have found an NGO partner to support you, you can start your own service project. Your project teammates do not have to be HKU students, but you must provide evidence such as a reference letter from the community partner or project advisor to demonstrate your leadership role in the concerned service project. If you have already started a community service project, you can submit a copy of your updated and detailed project proposal to us for further consideration. Your project must meet the requirements of a good Lead for Life community service project, be supported by an NGO or a community partner, and not be completed. To register, ensure that your service project meets the Lead for Life community service project requirements, prepare your project proposal using the online application form, and submit it by the specified deadline.
If you have signed up for a community programme that meets the Lead for Life service project criteria, you may be able to use your service experience to fulfil the service project requirement. The program should involve around 20 hours of direct community service, pre-service training, and guidance and feedback to volunteers. To qualify for this pathway, you must have a confirmed offer of admission to a qualified volunteer community programme in the upcoming semester. Note that past service experiences are not accepted. To register, submit an online application by the specified deadline and upload proof of admission to the volunteer community programme.
You may also fulfil your Lead for Life service project by completing ‘The Way to Success Level 2’, a designated programme offered by our community partner CEO Global. Completion of ‘The Way to Success Level 1’ is a prerequisite. We will email you more information on ‘The Way to Success’ programmes when applications open for the next HKU intake. To register, submit an online application with proof of admission by the specified deadline.
For more information, please download the service project frequently asked questions.
Ready to impact your community?
Registrations for the AY2023/24 autumn semester are currently closed, but will be open soon! Lead for Life students will be notified via email and on our social media. In the meanwhile, for any questions or additional information, please feel free to reach out to our team at lead@hku.hk.
Registrations for the AY2023/24 autumn semester are currently closed, but will be open soon! Lead for Life students will be notified via email and on our social media. In the meanwhile, for any questions or additional information, please feel free to reach out to our team at lead@hku.hk.
