LEAP promotes a Social & Emotional Learning Approach to Address the Well-being Needs of School Students and Teachers

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HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 18 July 2024 – The latest statistics reveal that more than 1,000 suicide cases were recorded in the year 2023, with an increase in the younger age group. Issues such as school stress, bullying, and relationship problems are negatively impacting the mental health and behavior of school students, while teachers are facing increased challenges in addressing the social and emotional needs of students.

Professor Helen Cahill, Emeritus Professor, Faculty of Education, University of Melbourne said Social and Emotional Learning can be taught and both students and teachers can benefit from it.

SEL Benefiting Both Students and Teachers

Professor Helen Cahill, Emeritus Professor at the University of Melbourne, Australia, an expert in well-being education, has been advising LEAP on the introduction of SEL to schools in Hong Kong.

Being the keynote speaker at the forum, Professor Cahill presented a meta-analysis demonstrating that children participating in school-based SEL interventions exhibited improved relationship skills, enhanced social behaviors, and better academic performance. These students also experienced reduced emotional distress, as SEL enhanced their emotional literacy, coping abilities, and removal of barriers to seeking help.

Professor Cahill emphasized that social and emotional skills can be taught, and teaching it has a positive impact on teachers as well. “Teaching SEL not only enhances teachers’ personal and professional well-being but also fosters positive teacher-student relationships, leading to improved student behavior, learning, and happiness.”

LEAP collected “Voices of Children” from its programme participants and presented what the children want their parents and teachers know in form of writing and sound clips at the forum.

During the forum, Mr. Chua Hoi-wai, Chief Executive of Hong Kong Council of Social Services, commended LEAP’s efforts to address student well-being. He highlighted that extracurricular activities are supposed to provide opportunities for children to develop virtues, learn social skills, and expand their horizons, but they can become a source of pressure due to parental and school competitiveness.
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Bringing Life Education to 2.2 M Students

The Life Education Activity Programme (LEAP) is committed to providing preventive education programmes related to health, social and emotional well-being, and drug education for students in kindergarten, primary, secondary, and special schools. These programmes are designed to help children acquire essential skills and knowledge to deal with life’s challenges, develop problem-solving skills, and foster positive values and attitudes towards life. The ultimate goal is to help students thrive and grow in safety with confidence. Since its establishment in 1994, LEAP has served over 2.2 million students and 100,000 parents in Hong Kong.