We recently hosted a forum on equipping children and the youth with skills for life through social and emotional learning as part of our 30th-anniversary celebration of service in Hong Kong. We firmly believe that implementing social and emotional learning programmes in schools can equip children with essential life skills, foster healthy relationships, and build resilience and empathy. These skills are not only valuable for personal growth but also significantly impact academic performance and future career development.
Furthermore, it is imperative to provide resources and training for teachers and parents to support students’ social and emotional development. We offer programmes specifically designed to equip educators and families with the tools needed to nurture these essential skills in students.
It is essential for all stakeholders – policymakers, educators, families and the community – to unite and prioritise measures aimed at prevention. By providing students with strong coping mechanisms and essential life skills, we can empower them to build a brighter future.
Our organisation is committed to working collaboratively to address this urgent issue. Together, we can create a more positive and resilient generation.
Stephanie Choi, executive director, Life Education Activity Programme
Know your emotions inside out for better mental health
In the film’s first instalment, we saw emotions personified as the characters Joy, Sadness, Anger, Fear and Disgust, working inside the mind of Riley, the film’s protagonist. As Riley enters her teenage years, new emotions and characters – Anxiety, Envy, Ennui, Embarrassment and Nostalgia – are added to the mix in the sequel.
Given that mental health problems might hit anyone, regardless of age, gender, occupation and culture, the film’s visualisation of emotions might help people understand their feelings in an educational yet entertaining way. Many people find it difficult to put their emotional struggles into words. The film could enable them to enrich their emotional vocabulary, so that they can articulate their feelings more precisely, thereby enhancing the effectiveness of counselling and other interventions.
Additionally, the book How Emotions are Made – The Secret Life of the Brain by Lisa Feldman Barrett, a professor of psychology, is a must read. One of the biggest takeaways from the book is that there does not seem to be a one-to-one correspondence between an emotional response and an incident. The same incident may trigger a range of emotions in different people and the same facial expression may not be a reliable predictor of a perceived emotion.
With the Diploma of Secondary Education results around the corner, a time when emotions run high, it might be a good idea to understand our feelings better.
Jason Tang, Tin Shui Wai
Fairness of the essence in swimming selections
In my humble opinion, the sole criterion for selecting swimmers should be the time they have clocked. Red tape, personal connections and vested interests should not interfere in the selection process. Fairness and social justice are at stake here.
Francis Lo, North Point
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