Confident that the development of Thai youth will be an important force in the nation's progress, Siam Commercial Bank launched its Young Generation Pursues Knowledge Project in 2006 on the occasion of the Bank's 100th anniversary. The purpose of the project is to support youth as the future of the nation, giving them the opportunity to express their creativity and increase their skills, knowledge and determination as they gain experience in how to serve society. The participants learn how to help each other through teamwork and cultivate volunteerism through community development activities that develop better youngsters and good citizens.

 

The Young Generation Pursues Knowledge Project promotes the development of the ability of youth at every level through various types of competitive activities that are suitable for each age and educational level. The annual competition has three categories:

• Drawing and Painting Contest for Elementary School Level

This competition, open to children from grade 1 to 6, sets up teams of 4 students each, letting them express their ideas and work as a group. It demonstrates their skills in drawing and painting within a set time limit. Each group has to illustrate the assigned message as a story on a canvas measuring 2 x 3 meters.

 

• Electronic Magazine Contest for Secondary School Level

This competition, for children in secondary school, groups kids in teams of three members each to learn collaboration, enhance learning outside the classroom and learn local awareness by conveying their community pride through the application of innovative technology.

 

• Young Generation for Community Creation Contest for Higher Education Level

Trophy from HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn This competition lets groups of university students work as teams to create projects that benefit the local communities near their educational institutions. The community projects use their academic learning to plan an activity that helps the community develop and enjoy a higher quality of life.

 

Each year, the Young Generation Pursues Knowledge Projects attracts youth from elementary, secondary and higher education institutions across the country. The Young Generation for Community Creation Contest, for example, has been joined by more than 22,000 youths from some 300 institutions across the country during the past 11 years. They have submitted more than 4,000 community development projects that have benefited more than 220 communities across the nation. Several of these projects were selected to be expanded so as to increase their benefits to the community. These successful results demonstrate the power of volunteerism among youth, showing the potential for growth in human resources and capabilities that can help in the country's development.