Policy vs Social

I was reading about the Strive and Rise mentorship program being led by Chief Secretary Eric Chan where 2,800 underprivileged Hong Kong students are to be assigned mentors and receive HK$10,000 if they complete the program. One article in the South China Morning Post suggested that the program would not do much to help these students because what is really needed in Hong Kong is public policy changes (housing, education reform, and other

measures to close the wealth gap), rather than more coaxing to “think positively”.

This view contrasts with J.D. Vance’s stance in Hillbilly Elegy where he claims that what is needed to elevate underprivileged young people in some parts of rural US is social changes, not policy changes, so that young people stop shying away from hard work and responsibility.

Personally, I think both policy and social change is needed. Stay-tuned as I do more research into this topic.