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In 2023/24, Link Together Initiatives funded the Together, We Flourish! – a community youth mental health initiative by KELY Support Group (“KELY”), a non-governmental organisation that focuses on young people’s development and wellbeing, especially mental health. KELY aims to cultivate an empathetic and stress-reducing community in Hong Kong through the implementation of its bilingual Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) Curriculum for secondary school students.
The enormous pressure that teens face and the impact on their mental health have long been a wide concern in Hong Kong.
A survey on student emotions conducted by the Hong Kong Federation of Youth Groups in late 2023 reported that almost half (42%) of the more than 5,500 respondents recorded a score of more than 7 points on the student stress index (10 points being the most stressful). More than 30% of respondents cited “deteriorating academic performance”, “low learning motivation and self-disciplinary challenges” and “heavy workload/tests at school” as the primary sources of distress.
Together, We Flourish! encompasses five key aspects of SEL: self-awareness, self-management, social cognition, interpersonal relationships and responsible decision-making.
Cindy Ng, Senior Manager of Programmes & Services at KELY, said, “Secondary school students are generally more self-aware. They understand their own strengths, weaknesses and preferences. However, when confronted with pressure or setbacks in their academic or personal lives, they may struggle to handle their emotions. Our curriculum was crafted to assist them in developing healthy interpersonal relationships, refining effective communication skills and nurturing multi-dimensional thinking. These skills will lay the foundation for their future academic pursuits, societal integration and personal responsibility.”
Cindy further explained, “What sets our initiative apart is the inclusion of emotion management courses. This allows both teachers and students to learn essential techniques for promoting mental wellbeing. KELY’s approach is that prevention is always preferable to intervention or cure.”
As teenagers grow up, the role of friendship becomes increasingly important and support from friends is particularly crucial so Together, We Flourish! Places a strong emphasis on peer support.
As Cindy pointed out, “When students of different grades experience emotional distress, the way and with whom they discuss their problems differ. Many studies have found that secondary school students are more likely to seek support from friends and peers rather than adults or parents because they can better understand each other’s’ difficulties. It is also worth to note that while they are eager to help those around them, they may lack the necessary skills to do so. This is why our curriculum is designed to educate participants about mental health and the best ways to provide support to their peers.”
“We are recruiting youth advisory committee members for the initiative. Schools and organisations in Wong Tai Sin, where the initiative is undergoing its first-year pilot, will recommend students for the committee, and we will select 10 students who demonstrate potential, a sense of responsibility and a willingness to support. These young people will undergo systematic training to become leaders in emotional management for their peers in the district.”
Together, We Flourish! has selected Wong Tai Sin as its pilot location because, as Cindy explained, “It is densely populated with a higher proportion of schools catering to students from grassroots families compared to other districts. Additionally, the Wong Tai Sin District Council has expressed a long-standing interest in enhancing mental health education in schools. After thorough research, we concluded that piloting the programme here would be most beneficial.”
KELY aims to promote mental health through a comprehensive, long-term programme rather than individual workshops. This initiative was made possible through funding from Link Together Initiatives.
“The initiative is highly meaningful,” said Cindy. “Of course, we anticipate various challenges during implementation. We plan to systematically integrate mental health and emotional management content into the curriculum. However, teachers are already overwhelmed with their workload and the school curriculum is rigorous. We intend to offer professional guidance to teachers, equipping them with knowledge and skills to promote mental health and collaborate with the programme’s young leaders. We plan to conduct teacher training sessions during the summer, with the implementation of the programme scheduled to begin at the start of the new school year.”
Youth empowerment is a key pillar of Link Together Initiatives. This mental health initiative showcases a proactive response to society’s evolving needs through tailored approaches.
