The Student Affairs Office, Peer Mentor Scheme launched in the academic year of 2015-16 academic year to promote caring atmosphere in the campus.

The theme “ABYS (Always By Your Side)” is designed for 2017-18 academic year to foster a positive and caring atmosphere on the HSUHK campus, promote help-seeking behavior when having emotional distress or feeling suicidal, and lower the stigma associated with mental health difficulties by receiving available social and professional support. The project also aims to train a group of Peer Mentors who are able to identify and assist students with social adjustment and psychological needs, and make referral to professional when necessary.

Senior Peer Mentors who served as Peer Mentors last year will act as the key organizers in this project under the professional advice by counselors and staff from Student Affairs Office. Senior Peer Mentors will also support the training of Peer Mentors and initiate caring activities in campus to achieve the project objectives.

Coached by Counsellors of Personal Growth & Counseling, Peer Mentors will attend a series of systematic training to facilitate participant’s peer helping skills, and will organize Student Initiated Programs to help students better understand themselves and facilitate the process of Peer Mentors to identify the students with emotional or mental needs for referral to professionals. Peer Mentors will also be awarded with a certificate of participation for contributing and taking part in the trainings and events held by the program through Peer Mentors Recognition Ceremony in the end of the project.