SSPS students bring mental well-being to Tai Po campus
At the “Beading on Happiness” (串出小確幸) kiosk, participants learn to thread beads into wristbands and other accessories.
Beading helps people focus on the present moment and distance themselves from worries. Its creative nature also creates a sense of accomplishment and helps alleviate pressure.
Living in a fast-paced city like Hong Kong can be highly stressful. To raise awareness of the importance of mental well-being, students from the Bachelor of Social Sciences (Honours) in Sociology and Community Studies (BSocSc (SCS)) programme designed a series of activities to help participants better understand their stress and learn small, practical ways to manage it. Before organising a community event at a later time to demonstrate these well-being activities, the students held a mini-presentation on 9 December 2025 at the Tai Po campus to promote mental fitness within the university community.
On that day, four teams of BSocSc(SCS) students showcased their ideas in the public area near the Pacific Coffee café at the Tai Po campus. The teams presented “Resistance Band Workout Bingo”, “Kick Away Negative Emotions”, “You Say, We Listen”, and “Beading on Happiness”. As part of their programme requirements, students must implement capstone projects that apply the knowledge and skills acquired during their studies to address real-life issues and benefit the community. The on-campus exhibition and the final community event serve as key components of these projects.
Winsy Yao (left), member of the “You Say, We Listen” team, explains the design of her team’s well-being project to Dr Benjamin Li Yuet-man (second from right).
At the “You Say, We Listen” counter, a student aims an arrow at the anxieties she wants to release.
Winsy Yao (right) and Jasper Nip, members of the “You Say, We Listen” team, note that students today face many forms of pressure, including peer, academic, time management, financial, family, and work-related stress.
Dr Benjamin Li Yuet-man from the Department of Social Sciences and Policy Studies (SSPS), Programme Leader of BSocSc(SCS)&BEd(PHM), said, “Teaching students the techniques to connect academic knowledge with real community needs is a signature component of the BSocSc(SCS) programme. The mini exhibition gives them an opportunity to develop the skills and experience needed for organising larger-scale community event.”
Your stress is reduced when you have someone who listens and understands you.
Winsy Yao, a member of the “You Say, We Listen” team, noted that students face many forms of pressure, including peer, academic, time management, financial, family, work-related, and self-imposed stress. “I would recommend that people under pressure talk to someone they trust. Your stress is reduced when you have someone who listens and understands you,” she said.
Participants then follow the instructions to complete the stretching exercise. Team member Patrick Fok (centre) says he plays badminton regularly, which gives him more energy to cope with daily pressures.
At the “Resistance Band Workout Bingo” kiosk, participants draw a coloured ball from the red box and place it on the corresponding square on the bingo board.
Patrick Fok, a member of the “Resistance Band Workout Bingo” team, previously studied sociological theories in his associate degree before enrolling in the BSocSc(SCS) programme. “My current programme requires me to organise community-based projects. As I have little experience in this area, I feel pressured when working and interacting with unfamiliar people in the community,” he said. To relieve stress, Patrick’s group encourages people to exercise regularly. “When I have time, I play badminton to reduce stress,” he added.
It is important for students to maintain a balanced life that nurtures their physical, mental, emotional, and social well-being.
Performing well in classes, maintaining good grades, collaborating with peers, and meeting deadlines can create significant pressure for students. “To alleviate this stress, we always remind students that it is important to maintain a balanced life that nurtures their physical, mental, emotional, and social well-being. Today’s exhibition offers them an opportunity to increase their awareness of stress and promote the importance of well-being to the university community,” Dr Li concluded.
The “Kick Away Negative Emotions” team says it is natural to experience negative emotions. They believe others can offer perspectives and practical advice that help people cope more effectively.
At the “Kick Away Negative Emotions” kiosk, participants write their worries on a green sticker, which another participant responds to by suggesting a solution on a yellow sticker.
