ABOUT BREAKTHROUGH
Operation Breakthrough relies primarily on serving and retired Police officers volunteering their free time to assist in the mentoring and supervision of young people. Ideally volunteers will have useful skills such as experience of playing, organizing or refereeing a particular sport, but this is not essential in all cases and in the case of rugby the volunteers have learned the rules of rugby at the same time as the boys. Any officers who have other skills whether they be linguistic, sporting, technical or administrative will always be welcomed on board.
Non-Police officers are also welcome to volunteer their services, and they may be allocated roles on a case by case basis, depending on their skills and backgrounds. Persons working in the social services field are especially welcomed.
Volunteer Stories
Inspector David NG Chit-Bun is one of the true stalwarts of Operation Breakthrough, having been with the Boxing club as a coach since it’s inception in 1998.
David joined the Royal Hong Kong Police 31 years ago and is presently serving as an Inspector in the Traffic department. Having first started boxing at the tender age of 13 with the TST Kailong Welfare Association, David has nearly 40 years of boxing experience. He competed in over 20 fights in his youth. Having won most of these bouts, he only retired form the ring when he joined the Force as he had to spend more time focusing on his career.
Being a squad mate of one of the boxing club’s original founders, BJ Smith, David jumped at the chance to become a coach at the club when it first opened its doors in 1998. “I always dreamed the force would start a boxing club one day” said David “and when I heard from BJ that he planned to start one up, I immediately volunteered my services as a coach!”
David is extremely lucky to enjoy the full support of his family, with his wife to support him in what she feels is such a meaningful endeavour, even though this has meant that he has spent two nights a week away from home for nearly 10 years. His son, Edwin, joined the boxing club seven years ago, when he was just 12 years old, and is now one of our most accomplished fighters. There is no doubt that he is truly a chip off the old block.
“Apart from being able to pursue my love of boxing”, says David “I feel tremendously proud that I have been an important part in turning around the lives of so many of the troubled young lads that have come through our doors these last 10 years.”
With committed volunteers like David NG on board, it is hardly surprising that the Operation Breakthrough Boxing Club has enjoyed so much success. There are literally hundreds of kids in Hong Kong, who owe a huge debt of gratitude to the unselfish efforts of this officer, who came along at exactly the right time in their lives to make a truly meaningful impression. At the end of the day that is exactly what Operation Breakthrough is all about.
After 34 years in the Hong Kong Police David has recently retired but continues to offer his free time to assist in the management of the Boxing Club.
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Miss Wong is the social worker of the “ELCHK – Youth Enhancement Scheme”, who coordinates all the boys and girls in Operation Breakthrough from Tin Shui Wai. She has been with the scheme since rugby came on board in 2003, since when, it is fair to say, that the rugby section would not have had nearly as much success without her.
Every Wednesday sees Kei On bringing 30 odd boys from Tin Shui Wai to Boundary Street for training in all weather conditions. She is always there to help the boys with any of the problems or minor conflicts, which inevitably arise. Her guidance and counselling has solved many problems. At the weekends, she organises the buses, ensures all the players turn up and then cheers them on. When injuries occur, she escorts the boys to the hospital for treatment.
Over the years, Kei On has become quite knowledgeable about rugby and her feedback on training sessions and selection, after talking with the boys, is very useful for the coaches.
She has also accompanied the rugby squad on their overseas tours, helping the boys off the pitch and dealing with problems that the coaches are perhaps not so well equipped to handle.
When dance was later introduced to Breakthrough, Kei On recognised the opportunity to assist and help many of the girls in her charge. She introduced many of our dancers to the programme, becoming a major figure in the dance programme as well. Certainly the job of organising the girls would have been much more difficult without her.
Kei On has introduced girls and boys with a huge range of problems to dance and rugby and has seen some very positive improvements in many of the boys and girls. She recognises that part of this is due to Breakthrough, which has made her an enthusiastic supporter of the scheme. The policemen and coaches involved, also recognise Kei On’s input and help. She really is a fine example of how different groups working in partnership can achieve a positive result.