YWP Programme

Youth Wellbeing Practitioner (YWP) Programme

In 2021, Mind HK and MINDSET launched a new mental health pilot project – the Youth Wellbeing Practitioner (YWP) Programme.

In Hong Kong, those who require mental health support are often faced with a dilemma; either they are met with long waiting times at public hospitals, or they are forced to seek private treatment which can come at a high cost. At present, the waiting time for the intake of new cases at the psychiatric specialist out-patient clinics (PSY SOPCs), ranges from 14 to 64 weeks for stable cases (HA, 2022).

Mind HK believes that by increasing the support capacity in Hong Kong and adopting an early intervention approach, we can make a positive difference to the mental health landscape, and reduce the existing strain on healthcare services. 

Based on a model similar to the UK’s Children and Young People’s Increasing Access to Psychological Therapies (CYP-IAPT) initiative, this project aims to bridge the gap in mental health services in Hong Kong, and increase access to mental health support for youth (aged 12-24) in Hong Kong. This is achieved by training practitioners to deliver free, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy-based, low-intensity, manualised and guided self-help interventions.

So far, we trained 50 practitioners in June – July 2022. On completion of their theoretical training, these practitioners have been placed in host organisations in community settings to deliver free support  to youth facing mild to moderate mental health problems in need till July 2023. 

How It Works

Future opportunities

The YWP programme is part of Mind HK’s Improving Access to Community Therapies (iACT^®) initiative, and is the start of Mind HK’s wellbeing practitioner series.

Our Improving Access to Communities Therapies (iACT^®) Programme – Wellbeing Practitioner Training Course is now open for application until 15 Dec, 2023. For more information, please click here.

Thank you to all organisations who are hosting our YWPs as part of our pilot programme: