Childhood and adolescence are critically important periods in the lifespan – vast transitional changes in the young person’s mind, brain and body set the paths for life-long socio-emotional well-being. It is in this period of life when a young person learns to build relationships, understand consequences, reflect on situations, develop problem solving skills, experience and gain control over emotions, and consolidate a sense of self and aspiration, paving the way towards autonomy in adulthood while at the same time the external world keeps challenging our younger ones with many different kinds of stressors from family, peer and society. Our young people need our support and guidance to help them gain a sense of self-understanding and perspectives of the outside world.
​

Let’s WORK HEART. Through knowing, we care!

WORK HEART  was kick-started in 2019 by The Chinese University of Hong Kong. 
We randomly selected over 6,000 local students and their parents to join us.

☑
​Aged from 6-17
​

​☑
Currently attending a primary or secondary school in Hong Kong

☑
Being invited by his/ her school
​teacher to take part in WORK HEART​

Students were selected purely by chance (in science we call it random selection).

“Loving us!”

Our vision is to create a mental health-friendly environment for our future generations. The aggregate data will be solid foundations for systematic advancements.
 
However, mental wellness goes beyond public policies. It indeed relies on everyone in society. We see science the key to discovering mental health boosters in early life stages. Pushing the boundaries of knowledge, we hope to bring about scientific breakthroughs with lasting meaning.

​Our goal is to advance the holistic understanding towards child and adolescent mental health and development. The knowledge we learn through the horizon of scientific and humanistic perspectives will enable us to uncover the critically important factors underlying the well-being of the developing mind, brain and body.

​WORK HEART is an epidemiological study. Epidemiological study is a very rigorously designed scientific approach to selecting members from the community. It allows researchers to systematically estimate the prevalence of different disorders in a defined timeframe.  The resultant figures are representative of the members of the community. Epidemiological study also tells us more than how often some health conditions occur. We can examine the related factors that may impact on the onset, development and maintenance of the health issues. The identification of such factors and their interplay are essential for coming up with solutions to the prevention and treatment of the health issues.

Since the forming of a Review Committee on Mental Health in May 2013, the government has been studying the existing policies in hopes of making changes to the scattered and uncoordinated mental healthcare service. Strengthening mental health services for children and adolescents was the top priority area.

Mr. Wong Yan-lung, SC, the then Chairman of the Advisory Committee on Mental Health was actively seeking for a new direction in promoting mental wellness. While there exists cross-sectoral support to students’ mental health, redesigning a fully integrated and effective system collaborated by medical experts, educators, social welfare specialists and non-governmental organizations is the major task ahead.

To begin with, we must thoroughly understand the current situation. Research will uncover a panorama of mental health issues. Our research team is supported by the Health Bureau​ to launch WORK HEART from 2019-2023.

"Let's Work Heart" project was approved by The Joint Chinese University of Hong Kong – New Territories East Cluster Clinical Research Ethics Committee (The Joint CUHK-NTEC CREC), Ref. no. 2018.497.