PolyU Igniting Social Innovation Competition 2024

Instructions for participants

Background and objectives:

PolyU Igniting Social Innovation Competition, organized by the Department of Applied Social Sciences (APSS), aims to increase participants' awareness of pressing social issues faced by Hong Kong citizens and people globally. By leveraging cutting-edge CAVE/HiVE facilities, and the competition, we provide an exceptional platform for participants to propose and advocate for creative and viable solutions to these issues.

1. Raise awareness of pressing social issues:

We seek to aims to increase student participants' awareness of pressing social issues experienced by communities in Hong Kong and globally. By leveraging cutting-edge VR technology and CAVE/HiVE to present these issues in an immersive and interactive manner, participants can develop a holistic and comprehensive understanding of complex social issues like poverty, housing, youth development, aging, and other local and global challenges. This allows participants to gain a deeper insight of the social fabric and realities of our community.

2. Connect social issues to the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals:

The competition aims to establish a clear connection between the identified social issues and the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals, with a particular focus on good health and well-being and poverty reduction. By leveraging VR and CAVE/HiVE technologies, participants can visualize and communicate how their proposed solutions align with global initiatives for a sustainable future. This highlights how local social issues are interconnected with UN’s targets for improving lives worldwide.

3. Promote creative and viable solutions:

Participants will have the opportunity to propose and advocate for innovative solutions. By encouraging creativity and viability, this competition aims to foster critical thinking and problem-solving skills among the next generation of social change agents.

4. Inspiring the next generation of change-makers and leaders:

By showcasing the transformative potential of social policy through the immersive experiences of VR and CAVE/HiVE technologies, this competition aspires to inspire the next generation of change-makers and leaders.

Competition details:

Eligibility:

• Local S.4-S.6/ Year 11-13 / Grade 10-12
• Each team can have four to six student participants
• Each school can nominate more than one team

   

  Phrase 1: Preliminary proposal submission 

  Each team will apply with a proposal in English or Chinese (not more than 500 words) focusing on the following (each school can have more than one team):

1. Introduction to the social issue observed (poverty, housing, youth development, aging or others).
2. Proposed policy solution.
3. How video filming can be used to better illustrate the issue and enhance public awareness or understanding.

   The deadline to submit team registrations is 28 March 2024. Successful registration will receive an email confirmation.

   The deadline for the preliminary proposal submission is 5 April 2024. 20 teams will be selected from these proposals.

    

   Phrase 2: Training and presentation

   Training sessions (conduct mainly in Cantonese) 

   The selected 20 teams will receive 10 hours of training, which includes (20 and 27 April 2024):

   1.  4 hours of training on current services offered by NGOs concerning the identified social issue;

   2.  6 hours of training provided by APSS concern the use of CAVE/HiVE technology, understanding social policy and social innovation, and the welfare system.

    

   Presentation (5 mins) and Q&A section

   The 20 teams will be invited to present their ideas in 5 minutes on the PolyU campus on 25 May 2024. The PowerPoint slides to be used for the presentation should be submitted on or before 20 May 2024 A judging panel will have around 5 minutes to ask questions and further select 10 teams to proceed to the next stage, on a merit basis, considering the following criteria:

1. Identifying Pressing Social Issues: Teams will identify a pressing social issue related to the health and well-being of Hong Kong citizens or challenges in areas such as poverty, housing, youth development, or aging. The extent to which the identified social issue demands immediate attention and intervention will also be considered.
2. Proposal Conviction: The robustness of the presentation, specifically in terms of issue analysis and in the feasibility of implementation of the proposed social policies. The evaluation will focus on the clarity, feasibility, innovativeness, and effective utilization of VR and CAVE/HiVE technology in presenting and enhancing the proposed social policies.
3. Potential Outcomes: The presentation should briefly evaluate the current related social policies and propose how the existing social policies can be optimized. Teams are expected to explain how VR and CAVE/HiVE technology could be integrated into the proposed social policy recommendation to improve its effectiveness and potential outcomes.

    

   10 teams will be selected for Phase 3, and the result will be announced on 7 June 2024. APSS will provide one set of VR headset and one 360 camera to each of the 10 finalist teams in Phase 3. The equipment must be returned to APSS after the competition. Also, one student mentor (a student majoring in social sciences) will be assigned to each team.
   
   

   Phase 3: Final presentation

   The 10 teams selected from Phase 2 will do the final presentation on the PolyU campus on 17 Aug 2024, and all teams have to utilize CAVE/HiVE technology to enhance their project presentations.

   Each presentation should be concise, lasting no longer than 15 minutes. This includes a 5-minute video with the background on the social issue and the highlights of solutions, and 5-minute presentation (more detail about the proposed solutions), and a 5-minute Q&A session.

   Participants are required to submit their presentation materials, including PowerPoint slides and VR videos, to us at least 7 days before the scheduled presentation. This allows us to ensure smooth technical integration and seamless delivery during the presentations
   
   

   Awards

   First prize                                                 HKD 30,000 and certificates
   Second prize                                            HKD 20,000 and certificates
   Third prize                                                HKD 10,000 and certificates
   Honorable mention (2 Teams)                  HKD 6,000 and certificates

    

   Enquiry

   Mr. Ken Chau
   Project Associate
   Email: kpanchau@polyu.edu.hk                                  

    

   

   
   香港理工大學點亮社會創新比賽2024

   參加者須知

    

   
   背景與目標：

   香港理工大學應用社會科學系(APSS)舉辦的點亮社會創新比賽旨在讓參賽者加深對本地和全球迫切社會問題的認識。我們通過利用CAVE/HiVE設施提供了一個平台，讓參賽者提出具有創造性和可行性的解決方案。

   提高對迫切社會問題的認識：我們希望讓參賽者加深對本地和全球迫切社會議題的認識，並通過利用虛擬現實技術和CAVE/HiVE以身臨其境且互動的方式呈現這些問題。參賽者可以全面瞭解貧困、住房、青年發展、老齡化和其他本地和全球挑戰等複雜社會問題。這使參賽者能夠更深入地了解我們社區的結構和實際情況。

   將社會問題與聯合國可持續發展目標聯繫起來：本比賽旨在將社會議題與聯合國可持續發展目標聯繫起來，當中特別關注良好健康和福祉以及無貧窮。通過利用虛擬現實和CAVE/HiVE技術，參賽者可以將他們提出的解決方案視像化，並將這些方案有效地傳達給觀眾。這也能凸顯本地社會問題與聯合國改善全球生活目標之間的聯繫。

   鼓勵具創新性和可行性的解決方案：參賽者將有機會提出和倡導創新的解決方案。通過鼓勵創新性和可行性。本比賽旨在培養下一代的批判性思維和解決問題的能力。

   激勵下一代變革者和領導者：本比賽旨在啟發下一代領導者的成長，讓他們通過虛擬現實和CAVE/HiVE技術所提供的身臨其境的體驗，展示社會政策推動社會正向發展的潛力。
   
   

   比賽詳情：

   參加資格:

• 本地中四至中六學生/十一至十三年級/第十至十二班
• 每支隊伍可有四到六名學生參加者
• 每間學校可提名多支隊伍參加
  
  

階段1：提交初步提案

每支隊伍將提交一份申請書，並提供一份不超過500字的中文或英文提案，重點包括以下內容 (每間學校可以派出超過一隊參與比賽)：

1. 介紹團隊挑選的社會議題 （貧窮、住房、青年發展、人口老化或其他）。
2. 提出的政策解決方案。
3. 如何通過拍攝影片更好地展示問題，並增強公眾的意識或理解。

提交隊伍報名的截止日期為2024年3月28日，成功報名將會收到電郵以作確認。

提案提交的截止日期為2024年4月5日。從這些提案中將選出20支隊伍。

階段2：培訓和中期提案口頭報告

培訓課程 (主要以粵語進行) （2024年4月20日及2024年4月27日）

被選中的20支隊伍將接受10小時的培訓，內容包括：

1. 了解所確定社會問題相關的現有社區服務 （4小時，由非政府組織提供）。
2. 提案書寫，CAVE/HiVE技術、了解社會政策和社會創新，以及福利制度等知識及技巧 （6小時，由應用社會科學系提供）。

中期提案口頭報告（5分鐘）及問答環節

我們將邀請20支隊伍於2024年5月25日在香港理工大學校園進行5分鐘的提案口頭報告。隊伍需於2024年5月25日前提交一份完整的提案簡報。口頭報告 當天評委會將會有約5分鐘提問時間，並根據以下標準，挑選最後10支隊伍進入下一階段：

1. 挑選具迫切性的社會議題：團隊將挑選一個與香港市民健康和福祉有關的社會議題。這些議題包括貧窮、住房、青年發展、老齡化等等。提案應提出具有創造性和可行的社會政策建議，並描述虛擬現實和CAVE/HiVE技術如何被利用來說明所確定的問題或議題。所選社會問題的緊迫性：多大程度上所提出的社會問題即需要受到即時的關注和干預。也包括在評選標準內。

    

2. 提案的信服力：具體包括對所選議題的分析和所提出的社會政策實施的可行性。評估將側重於提案的清晰度、可行性、創新性以及如何利用虛擬現實和CAVE/HiVE技術來呈現所提出的的社會政策。

    

3. 潛在結果：提案應簡單評估當前已有的相關社會政策，並提出如何優化這些政策。團隊需要解釋虛擬現實和CAVE/HiVE技術將如何被用作社會政策倡議，以提高其效力和潛在結果。

本階段最終將產生10支入圍隊伍，結果將於2024年6月7日公布。APSS將為第三階段的10支入圍隊伍各提供一套VR頭戴式裝置和一台360度攝影機。比賽結束後，設備必須歸還給APSS。另外，每個團隊將獲分配一位香港理工大學社會科學學生作為學生導師。

階段3：最終匯報

從第二階段中選出的10支隊伍將於2024年8月17日在香港理工大學校園利用CAVE/HiVE技術進行最終匯報。每個匯報應簡明扼要，不超過15分鐘。包括通過一個5分鐘的虛擬現實視頻來介紹社會議題的背景和解決方案，一個5分鐘的口頭報告（詳細介紹提出的解決方案），以及一個5分鐘的問答環節。參與者需要在預定展示日期前至少7天提交展示材料，包括PowerPoint幻燈片和虛擬現實視頻。

獎項

一等獎：3萬港元和證書

二等獎：2萬港元和證書

三等獎：1萬港元和證書

榮譽提名獎（2個）：6,000港元和證書

查詢

周建斌先生
副項目員
電郵: kpanchau@polyu.edu.hk