Life Education Program
A survey was carried out in 2003 by SSP DC Working Group on New Arrival, Youth and Families (the Working Group) and a local university to study the life values of young people. 2,392 students aged 10-21 were surveyed. About 60% of them were aged 13-16. 88.4% of students had positive life value. For the remaining 11.6%, they had negative life value related to difficulties in study. Peer influences or to identify with peer was common in the youngsters. Some students claimed they had peers involving in triad society. Some of their peer like watching violence/sexual media. As shown in these media, use of violence was a common mean to tackle problem. By and large, they gradually became belittled upon life. Besides, new immigrants living in Hong Kong less than 5 years tend to have more positive life value. It was recommended that promoting positive life value, support the youth with difficulties in studying, implement Life Education curriculum were necessitated.

Another study done in 2001 by The Hong Kong Family Planning Association, among 2,586 high school students, 21% reported suicidal ideation or attempt(s) in the past 12 months. Among them, 1% reported having at least one injurious attempt that required medical attention. Compared to male students, a larger proportion of female students had suicidal ideation; whilst the proportions of male and female students having made suicide attempts were about the same. The significant risk factors associated with increasing levels of suicidality among adolescents are young age, being female, showing depressive symptoms, having poor self-rated health, unhappy or average family life, use of inhalants and alcohol, being upset with appearance and early onset of sexual activity. Non-violent method is more prevalent amongst youth attempters in HKSAR and about 50 percent or even more incidence adopted poisoning in their suicidal behavior. Wrist cutting is another common approach amongst youth in deliberates self-harm.

There was also an increasing trend of aged 15-24 attending AED of CMC due to self-harm (see table below).

With the recent increase in juvenile delinquency, younger drug abusers, bullying in schools, increasing self-harm behaviour and risk of suicidal attempts, the Working Group worked closely with local schools to plan and implement a series of life education for students since 2003. This was to instill positive life values, beware of the consequence of substance abuse, learn proper problem solving approach, decrease the incidence of school bullying, and enhance interrelationship skill in family and the community. Special attention was also made to new arrival students to help them to integrate into the community so as to secure their positive life value as much as possible.

Examples of the programmes were:
   -Youth Life Education Programme
   -Stay away from substance abuse
   -“Youth desirable community”carnival and praised ceremony

In 1982, 41.7% daily cigarette smokers started smoking before the age of 20. This was increased to 65.7% in 2000 then decreased to 61.5% in 2003. A rise in tobacco use by teenagers was a danger signal because those who started smoking at young age are hard to quit. If the current trend continued, the smoking prevalence and tobacco related diseases and deaths were expected to rise dramatically. Therefore, the Tobacco Control Office, Department of Health offered anti-smoking health education about the addictive nature and consequence of smoking regularly to remind students to stay away from cigarette smoking.

Refer to “Safe programmes for Different Environments – Occupational ”.