Wellness Forum: Building Wellness in Students

Overview

Background

According to the World Health Organization,
• Globally, one in seven 10-19-year-olds experiences a mental disorder, accounting for 15% of the global burden of disease in this age group.
• Depression, anxiety and behavioural disorders are among the leading causes of illness and disability among adolescents.
• Suicide is the third leading cause of death among those aged 15–29 years old.
• The consequences of failing to address adolescent mental health conditions extend to adulthood, impairing both physical and mental health and limiting opportunities to lead fulfilling lives as adults
The situation is alarming which requires our immediate attention. Similar findings from research done by CUHK showed that 24.4 per cent of children and adolescents had experienced at least one mental health issue in 2022 in Hong Kong.
The strategies to deal with the phenomenon has been mainly on promotion and prevention, and early detection and treatment. The latest global trends in wellness education and learn how integrating emotional well-being into educational frameworks is transforming lives. Research shows that happiness is a key predictor of adult well-being, even more so than academic achievement.

The Panel
The approach to wellness education encompasses all dimensions of wellness—emotional, physical, social, spiritual, and mental health. By embedding these elements into the heart of educational environments, it is aimed to create supportive systems that benefit both students and educators. This holistic approach fosters growth mindsets and cultivates learning environments where everyone can thrive.

In this panel of discussion, expert speakers are practising different strategies address the problems. It is intended to bring audience with
1. Awareness about more comprehensive wellness education
2. Deeper understanding of, rethink and re-design the need of wellness education
3. Reference to good wellness education programmes in different countries