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Sun Hung Kai Properties (SHKP) is sponsoring a new community programme Tin Shui Wai Family Mental Health Campaign, to help the residents of Tin Shui Wai. The developer is working with the Chinese University of Hong Kong’s (CUHK) Department of Social Work and ELCHK Tin Shui Wai Integrated Youth Service Centre to get local grass-root residents to become family ambassadors to reach out neighbours and encourage needy families to seek help from social agencies. SHKP cares about mental health in Hong Kong and has worked with CUHK on a Hong Kong-wide mental health programme since last year.

SHKP builds home with heart. It cares about building a better Hong Kong and contributes to the community in various ways. The developer takes social responsibility seriously and hopes the Tin Shui Wai Family Mental Health Campaign will lift residents’ awareness of family mental health and encourage families to look after their neighbours to build neighborhood network.

The campaign will start in December this year. It involves 60 Tin Shui Wai grass-root residents. They will get training from the CUHK’s Department of Social Work on skills in outreaching visits, knowledge of family mental health and community resources. The family ambassadors will use their own experiences and what they have learned to enhance awareness among their neighbours in the community, hoping to be able to help needy families and bring them closer to the community. It is envisioned that 60 family ambassadors will make contact with at least 400 local families in the first three months.

Regional Supervisor of ELCHK, Tin Shui Wai Integrated Youth Service Centre Elisa Cheng said: “Many families in Tin Shui Wai have been cut off from the community for too long and are unaware of local social welfare resources before tragedies finally strike. The family ambassadors will share their family stories on how to cope with adversities, while trying to help the needy families re-integrate into the community.”

Professional Consultant of CUHK Department of Social Work, Mooly Wong said: “The family ambassadors will mainly be women living in the district who have seen their own family problems but emerged stronger nonetheless. They know the importance of supportive network and are willing to help their neighbours.” She added that the department would provide practical training for them and help to evaluate the effectiveness of the project. The family ambassadors are back up by the Tin Shui Wai Integrated Youth Service Centre social workers by means of telephone contact, regular meeting and workshop.

Family ambassador Mrs Wong lives in Tin Shui Wai with her husband, son and her mother-in-law. The elder Mrs Wong’s illness caused a great deal of stress for the family and young Mrs Wong was also very worried about her son. The family sought help from a community organization and Mrs Wong and her mother-in-law learned to respect each others’ feelings, which in turn set a good example for the son to be more understanding. The family now lives in harmony.

The Family Mental Health Educational Manual: Parentswas published by the CUHK. Professor Joyce Ma said that the manual offers information on effective parenting and family mental health based on frontline experiences. The book is a handy reference for professionals in the field. The Tin Shui Wai Family Mental Health Campaign will also include activities like exhibitions on family mental health, talks by professionals and free mental health and family relationship consultations.