The University and various organisations have recently formed the “City Companion” Community Alliance on Promoting Mental Health, aiming to comprehensively enhance the understanding and awareness of mental health. Through collaboration among the Alliance members, with Kowloon City District as the pilot area, a range of mental health support services will be provided for the underprivileged in the district, including the elderly, low-income families, rehabilitants and students.
In addition to HKMU, members of the Alliance include the Auxiliary Medical Service (AMS), Baptist Oi Kwan Social Service, Hong Kong Lutheran Social Service, SideBySide and The Mental Health Association of Hong Kong. Through mutual collaboration, the Alliance will organise a variety of mental health-related activities, such as training volunteers as “Mental Health First Aid Instructors”, nurturing HKMU students to become mental health ambassadors, as well as equipping AMS cadet members to be “Let Me Know (LMK) Buddies” who will proactively listen to and accompany emotionally distressed peers. The Alliance members will also utilise their local service units and community resources to organise mental health promotional activities and provide mental health support for primary and secondary schools, as well as residents of different age groups.
The convenor of the Alliance, HKMU Council Chairman Ir Dr Conrad Wong Tin-cheung, says, “We hope this community-based alliance will serve as a pioneering example, inspiring different parts of the community to promote mental health.”
