Media

Life-and-death education programs have been growing in number over the years to promote a more positive public understanding of bereavement, death, and dying in Hong Kong. However, making sense of and coping with such end-of-life experiences could be especially challenging to people with intellectual disabilities because of their cognitive impairment and difficulty in communicating needs to professionals and caregivers. To further the effectiveness and reach of life-and-death education in Hong Kong, The Board of Management of the Chinese Permanent Cemeteries Fund (BMCPC) has funded an arts-based program launched by the Centre on Behavioral Health at The University of Hong Kong.

Sponsored by BMCPC, the Centre on Behavioral Health launched the project titled “Stellar Moments: An Expressive Arts-Based Life Education Program for Persons with Intellectual Disabilities in Hong Kong” from 2023 to 2024. The two-year program has four components, namely (1) public engagement activities aiming to sensitize the general public to the importance of life-and-death education as an integral part of value education, with a specific focus on the psychosocial needs of individuals with intellectual disabilities and Expressive Arts Therapy (EXAT) as a medium of intervention; (2) a Train-the-Trainer program designed specifically for frontline workers, (3) an art exhibition and the publication of a booklet showcasing the artworks by individuals with intellectual disabilities in the trainer-led community workshops, and (4) a research evaluation assessing the effectiveness and feasibility of adopting expressive arts in life-and-death education and fostering the positive living of individuals with intellectual disabilities.

The research team of the Centre on Behavioral Health will hold a media briefing and research results presentation on December 12, 2024 (Thursday) to summarize the above-mentioned expressive arts program, and discuss the effectiveness of the program using data collected for the evaluative study. Frontline workers who had participated in the program will share their experiences of receiving training and providing life-and-death education. Additionally, individuals with intellectual disabilities will share their experiences of receiving expressive arts-based life-and-death education.

Details are as below:
Date: December 12, 2024 (Thu)
Time: 1430 – 1600
Venue: Centre on Behavioral Health, 2/F Jockey Club Building for Interdisciplinary Research, 5 Sassoon Road, Pokfulam, Hong Kong
Language: Cantonese

For media enquiries and more details, please contact Ms. Amy Choi (Centre on Behavioral Health, HKU; Tel: 2831 5163; amychoi@hku.hk), Dr. Adrian Wan (Centre on Behavioral Health, HKU; Tel: 2831 5578; awan@hku.hk).