The Mother’s Choice Youth Leadership Council (MCYLC) is one of the various CAS long-term service programs offered here at DBSIB and the only one that focuses on online content creation as advocacy rather than simply assisting select communities in Hong Kong. Mother’s Choice is a charity founded in 1987 that serves children without families and pregnant teenagers in Hong Kong. The MCYLC, despite technically being a subdivision of the charity, is in practice an independent student-run association with individual chapters across the city. While our contributions may seem minute at first glance as we seem to lack concrete actions to prove our advocacy, we have in point of fact reached a wider audience than any other DBSIB service programs with our YouTube, Instagram and website.

 

Contrary to popular belief, Mother’s Choice is not about what happens before contraception, but rather, what we can do about children after birth, and how we can support the mother and the child who may face difficulties performing the traditional “motherly” duties. While a part of the charter does focus on providing assistance for pregnant teenagers, the more important part is bringing public attention to the intricacies of adoption, such as when a mother decides that she cannot adequately provide the care her newborn would need.

 

In the past year, we have continued our past cohorts’ works by branching out to far more mediums of advocacy than ever before. Our year started with the Mother’s Choice Fun Day held at Island School, in which we managed two stalls and interviewed two of the Mother’s Choice staff members, gaining invaluable insight into what exactly it takes to be a good adoptive parent and how important adoption is in the modern society of Hong Kong. These interviews lit up the way for more ideas on what we could do to further promote our cause. That is when we decided to attempt a gameshow-style skit, inviting our very own Ms Dutton to play a character in it. 

 

Our most innovative promotional tactic, however, (not to toot my own horn, but it) would be the one that yours truly had proposed: the podcast. The podcast was uploaded onto both YouTube and Spotify, amassing quite a number of listens and laud from the Mother’s Choice staff. Our first episode, “Adoption In Literature”, focused on the strengths of our chosen special guest – Ms Mumby – and her interest in literary works. Our second episode, “Adoption in History (WWII)”, introduced the audience to the tragic stories of children in need of adoption because of the horrors of war. 

 

On that note, on behalf of the 2024-2025 G10 MCYLC team, I would like to extend my gratitude towards teachers and students that have participated in our endeavors and have supported us to no end. In particular, 

• Ms Dutton, for being a wonderful actor (and very much deserving of an Academy Award); 

• Ms Mumby, for being our first ever guest on the podcast and agreeing to it so quickly;

• And of course, the woman of the hour, Ms Yeung, for preparing such extensive notes for the podcast and an amazing CAS teacher-in-charge.

 

We hope to be able to continue these newfangled ways of service to our following cohorts in the true DBS spirit of passing along the torch.

​

Javan Yuen, Class of 2027