Manulife, Mind HK launch anti-stigma campaign

The two-year partnership will begin with four programmes to launch in 2024.

Manulife Hong Kong and Hong Kong-headquartered mental health charity, Mind HK, inked a two-year partnership to boost health and well-being initiatives.

“Over the course of the partnership, the two organisations will work together to organise a series of awareness events, anti-stigma programs, and ongoing professional training initiatives aimed at advocating for improved mental health support within the local community,” the joint statement said.

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Both entities are set to roll out four programmes this year: 

1. Improving Access to Community Therapies (iACT)
   1. Developed by Mind HK, the iACT initiative is a stepped-care model for mental health services. Trained iACT Wellbeing Practitioners provide free, short-term, in-person, and remote support for local citizens dealing with mild to severe anxiety, mild to moderate depression, or emotional distress. 
2. Mind HK x Manulife Public Awareness Raising Events
   1. These events will feature experts from clinical psychology, public health, NGOs, and individuals with firsthand experience in mental health. They will discuss mental health topics and share recovery stories. The first event is on June 21, 2024, at Quarryside in Hong Kong's Quarry Bay district, with Benjamin Au Yeung, a linguistic scholar-turned-TV host, facilitating conversations on emotion management alongside a clinical advisor and a Mind HK ambassador.
3. More Than a Label” Anti-Stigma Campaign
   1. This campaign, in collaboration with MINDSET Hong Kong, trains individuals who have faced mental health challenges to become ambassadors. These ambassadors share their experiences through campaigns, websites, and social media to present holistic representations of recovery, educate the public, and reduce stigma.
4. Hong Kong Mental Health Conference 2025
   1. This three-day international conference, titled “Birth, Life, and Mental Health,” will explore the evidence, psychology, and cultural aspects of lifespan and its relationship to mental health. It is expected to attract 1,000 attendees.