Student-Initiated Projects (MH)

The promotion of students’ mental health is a shared responsibility. Students have come up with creative, innovative, and meaningful ideas to engage their peers and the community in different projects and services. We are delighted to assist, advise, or provide available funding resources to student groups who demonstrate dedication and commitment to carrying out their plans with quality and impact. Project groups can approach us through CEDARS Support to Student Groups Scheme or the respective project funds.

Heart to Heart was founded by a group of HKU students in 2017 with an aim to promote mental health through different activities. Since its establishment, CoPE has been a close partner to the group. In the academic year 2018/19, three sharing sessions entitled “Naked Heart in the Dark” and a two-day Carnival were conducted on campus.

Get to know more on Heart to Heart’s Facebook Page!

Hammering All Stress Out Workshop (2017/18)*

With support from the HKU 81 Inclusion Fund, a postgraduate Social Work student conducted a string art workshop at the Chillax • Sunset Handicraft Market organized by CoPE. Participants were invited to create their own pieces of handicraft with strings, nails, and hammers. This workshop turned out to be very popular among the market visitors, as it provided an opportunity for them to relieve their stress through the hammering process.

同理製作 The Empathy Production (2017/18)

The Empathy Production was initiated by a group of HKU students in 2017 to reduce stigma and enhance empathy and concerns for people with suicidal ideation. The team interviewed suicide survivors to share their own stories and addressed the misconceptions about suicide and mental illness. With CoPE’s advice, six videos were published as part of an online publicity campaign. In several offline screening sessions, the videos also facilitated further discussions and raised mental health awareness on campus.

Listen to one of their interviewees and get to know more on The Empathy Production’s Facebook Page!

Buy Your Own Happiness (2016/17)*

With support from CoPE and the HKU 81 Inclusion Fund, the marketing team of Project HEaRT designed a vending machine with cardboard paper, and placed it on campus for students to express their own emotions. Students were invited to press the “emotion buttons” on the machine in exchange for cards with encouraging phrases, free food, and drinks. The interactive vending machine attracted the participation of 500 students and successfully enhanced the mental health awareness on campus, especially before the examination period.

*These projects were supported by the HKU 81 Inclusion Fund. View the video to learn its impact from 2006 to 2018.