On the afternoon of 12 March, the Faculty of Business (FOB) of the City University of Macau, in collaboration with Lingnan University Wofoo Joseph Lee Consulting and Counselling Psychology Research Centre from Hong Kong, held the inauguration of the "Wellness Ambassador Programme" at Ho Yin Convention Centre at City University of Macau, which marks a new chapter in student mental health and wellness education in FOB’s curriculum. Prof. Oi-Ling SIU, Director of the Lingnan University Wofoo Joseph Lee Consulting and Counselling Psychology Research Centre and Ms. Patricia CHAN, clinical psychologist, both traveling from Hong Kong, attended the opening ceremony, creating a solemn and enthusiastic atmosphere.
In his opening speech, Dean Prof. José ALVES emphasized the importance of mental health and wellness development for students and expressed his appreciation for the programme, hoping it would assist students in enhancing their resilience and promote their mental and physical health growth.
Immediately following the opening ceremony, the guest speaker for the first session, Ms. Patricia CHAN and students moved to T103, an interactive classroom to commence the first learning workshop officially. Over sixty students participated with great enthusiasm. At a time when adolescent mental health issues are increasingly gaining attention, the "Wellness Ambassador Programme" holds significant importance. The program consists of eight sessions, totaling 12 hours, and adopts an innovative blended online and offline teaching model. It focuses on core topics such as stress management strategies, resilience building, and self-acceptance. Leveraging her profound expertise and seasoned practical experience in clinical psychology, Ms. Chan guided students in exploring effective methods for psychological adjustment, addressing their questions through interactive teaching.
After the first session closed, students provided feedback on their learning outcomes through questionnaires. Preliminary assessment results indicated a significant enhancement in students' coping abilities when facing stress, with positive changes reflected in resilience-related indicators. This event represents an important exploration by FOB in the field of mental health and wellness education. In the future, the faculty will continue to optimize the "Wellness Ambassador Programme," deepen inter-institutional cooperation, and build a solid foundation for students' mental health development, helping them to face life challenges with confidence.
Also attended the event were Dr. Hezul NG, assistant professor from the Department of Psychology, Lingnan University, and Dr. Sammy LEUNG as well as Ms. Wei-Wei SEAH, senior lecturers from FOB.