Kick-off Ceremony for ‘I Believe’ Walk with Parents: Evidence-based Integrated Education Programme

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A kick-off ceremony, titled Kick-off Ceremony for‘I Believe’ Walk with Parents: Evidence-based Integrated Education Programme (‘I Believe’) and ‘Walk in Love’ Lecture for Parents, was held today (11 November) by the Integrated Centre for Wellbeing (I-WELL) at The Education University of Hong Kong (EdUHK).

Thanks to the generosity of CITIC Pacific Limited, I-WELL launched the project ‘I Believe’, which allows children from low-income families to take advantage of the “Golden Age” of child growth to receive proper intervention and undergo holistic development. Through the project, parallel workshops will also be conducted to show parents of children with special educational needs (SEN) how to teach their children and to support each other on stress management in a group sharing session.

Officiated at the kick-off ceremony were Professor Tsui Kwok-tung, Associate Dean (Quality Assurance and Enhancement) of the Faculty of Education and Human Development, EdUHK; Professor Hue Ming-tak, Director of I-WELL, EdUHK; Dr Leung Chi-hung, Co-Director of I-WELL, EdUHK; Ms Shirley Fong, representative of CITIC Pacific Limited; Mr Fong Ying-kit, Assistant Chief Executive of Sheng Kung Hui St. Christopher's Home; Ms Cheng Ka-ling, Social Worker at the North District Integrated Youth Service Centre, Evangelical Lutheran Church of Hong Kong; Ms Yip Shui-fan, Centre-in-Charge of "SMILE" Tai Po Early Education and Training Centre, The Boys' & Girls' Clubs Association of Hong Kong; and Ms Chan Siu-lai, Chief Manager (Rehab Services & Social Enterprise) of the Social Services Department of The Salvation Army.

In his welcome speech, Professor Tsui said, “I-WELL is a research and resource centre for holistic development, whose goal is to help children with SEN grow up happily, by incorporating outstanding research achievements into professional clinical services. The University hopes that the project ‘I believe,’ like I-WELL’s previous evidence-based integrated education programme, can gain the support and affirmation of the public and implement the achievements of scientific research in the community, so that more people in need can receive effective and appropriate services.”

 Dr Leung Chi-hung introduced the details of the project. He explained that the experience inspired them to add parent groups to the programme, with the goal of helping parents gain confidence in their roles and values, to learn effective teaching methods, and to interact with other parents.

During the ‘Walk in Love’ Lecture for Parents that followed, the participants learned more about how the programme can improve their children’s learning, self-care, and social and communication skills.