简介
Listen to #Hashtag Hong Kong every Sunday morning at 8.15
Focussing on issues affecting civil society, we'll hear from representatives of NGOs, associations, statutory bodies, and non-profit groups.
(Sundays 8.15am - 8.25am)
最新
Heymans Wong, Chairman, The Samaritan Befrienders Hong Kong
September 10th is World Suicide Prevention Day, established on September 10, 2003, by the International Association for Suicide Prevention (IASP) and the World Health Organization (WHO). Suicide is a global concern and a serious public health issue in every country. This day aims to call on governments, suicide prevention associations and agencies, local communities, healthcare workers, and volunteers to join in various local actions, collectively raising public awareness of the importance of suicide prevention and reducing suicide rates.
Most annual holidays are celebrations, but World Suicide Prevention Day evokes sadness. There is nothing to celebrate on this day; it serves as a reminder that our work is not yet done, as the number of suicides remains alarming. Nearly 700,000 people die by suicide each year worldwide, with someone taking their life every 40 seconds. According to a report from the Hong Kong Coroner's Court, there were 1,092 suicide deaths in Hong Kong in 2023, averaging 2.99 deaths per day, the highest number since 2003. The number of elderly suicides in 2022 broke the record since 1973. Although the figure in 2023 is slightly lower than in 2022, it still accounts for the largest number of suicide deaths in many years.
Elderly suicides may be related to the death of their spouses and the emigration of their children. Older individuals are less likely to seek help from hotlines or online resources, resulting in a higher proportion of suicides compared to other age groups. Youth suicides have also continued to rise in recent years, increasing from 130 cases in 2021 to 159 cases in 2023. In addition to the societal atmosphere, the high expectations placed on young people are also contributing factors to suicide. However, suicide is preventable.
The theme for World Suicide Prevention Day from 2024 to 2026 is "Changing the Narrative on Suicide," which aims to shift perceptions of suicide from a taboo subject to one that can be openly and honestly discussed, drawing greater attention to the issue. In recent years, local governments have actively strengthened suicide prevention efforts, such as removing the stigma surrounding suicide, enhancing emotional support services, and promoting the message of cherishing life. The rising suicide rates among the elderly and youth in Hong Kong are particularly concerning. The government has implemented various targeted measures, such as the "4Rs Mental Health Charter" focused on school children's mental health, to assist schools in promoting students' physical and mental well-being. Our organization has also participated in this initiative, providing immediate crisis intervention, in-depth counselling services, mental health promotion, and life education.
However, government resources may not be sufficient. Therefore, we suggest that authorities increase staffing in schools to help address the student suicide crisis and proactively reach out to the elderly to provide emotional support. We hope that the societal atmosphere will become more open regarding suicide, which can improve the current situation: parents can support their children and avoid exerting pressure. At the same time, the government should adjust the current education system to provide more opportunities for young people to develop their talents. Children can listen to and accompany their elders more, actively expressing concern. Everyone can take an extra step to walk alongside friends and family members experiencing emotional problems, alleviating their mental stress.
With technological advancements, The Samaritan Befrienders Hong Kong has also expanded its existing online suicide prevention services. The "ChatPoint" online chat service has increased staffing and extended service hours, allowing more individuals to seek help, particularly targeting the younger generation and those accustomed to using online channels for support, aiming to provide more appropriate assistance to reduce their risk of suicide.
As a member of the International Association for Suicide Prevention (IASP), The Samaritan Befrienders Hong Kong aligns with international standards. In addition to providing a variety of suicide crisis intervention services and early life education that emphasizes the importance of cherishing life, it also assists Southeast Asia and neighbouring regions in establishing organizations with similar goals. We hope to strengthen suicide prevention efforts, allowing our experiences to support others in this critical work. We encourage all sectors of society to unite as guardians, caring for those experiencing emotional distress in the workplace, school, neighbourhood, and home. Our organization is committed to providing assistance and raising social awareness about the issue of suicide.
This morning, I'd like to dedicate " Don't Give Up " by Mia Stegner to everyone who's going through a tough time and facing challenges in their lives.
重温
John Ng, Careers Master of St Paul's College
How has life treated you? Each of you may have a different answer at different stages of life.
When I was small, I wished to stand tall.
I asked my teacher, “What will I be?”
Here’s what my teacher said to me,
“Any dream will do.”
I’m sure many of you have been encouraged to do the same: pursuing your own dreams. But I doubt whether many adolescents have dreams of their own in this day and age. For those who do, I am wondering whether the dreams contribute to genuine happiness. The World Happiness Report 2024 sounds alarm on the mental well-being of the youth. Our youth’s happiness has hit a new low.
Many teenagers are living with the mundanity of daily routines, and worryingly, lack long-term plans of their own. With a lack of personal life goals, these youngsters go with the flow, and tend to follow a fragmented path, which is not sustainable in the long-term. When facing headwinds, they can become disoriented and experience mental breakdown easily. Their setbacks in life include unsatisfactory academic results, huge pressure from parents and the deprivation of social life. To our dismay, despair often leads to tragic stories.
Career and life planning is particularly important for our youth. Gone are the days when we were burdened with making important life decisions, such as choosing university courses or applying for a job, in the nick of time. Life is a journey and it should be perceived this way.
Now I have students of my own,
they ask me, “What will I be?”
I say to them, “Whatever will be will be.”
Of course, I am not encouraging them to engage in inaction. What I am telling them is that they should plan ahead without excessive planning.
There is a world of opportunities awaiting them. I usually tell them this: go all out and explore. Yet nothing should be set in stone to start with. Nor should they overwhelm themselves with as many experiences as possible. Remember, it is not the more, the merrier. They should embrace new opportunities while committing themselves to a few experiences at a time. Gradually, they will form their own goals, work towards the goals, review them from time to time, form new life priorities and build career resilience. It’s okay to face hardships. Don’t be failed by the future but let future find us. Life planning is a perennial and dynamic process.
To be future ready, we are often told that we should adapt to the emerging AI world. I am not worried about Gen Alpha’s preparedness for the AI world because they are generally tech-savvy. What I am worried about is their exposure to the real world experience. When some youngsters have spent too much time in the virtual world, they only know how to write fragmented sentences as social media messages instead of composing proper emails; or they only know how to customise their online experience without feeling the need to collaborate with others. Worse still, some of them only know how to input commands in order to generate music and artworks while losing human creativity. I hope none of these will become the norm or else our future will be bleak.
Our future will be bleak because the youth is our future. If they thrive, we thrive. That’s why I encourage NGOs, schools and businesses to work together to organise experiential activities for our youth so as to connect their learning experiences with the real world. Nothing is more valuable than providing them with mentorship and internship. Giving them a flavour of the workplace allows them to appreciate the beauty of teamwork and gain practical experiences making them more humanistic. In fact, many of our students are grateful for the enlightening and life-transforming experiences of learning from mentors experienced in the field. Their experiences are conducive to their career planning.
At the end of the day, we are reduced to a name, or slightly better, a character. I hope when we reach that note, we can proudly say:
“I lived a life that's full
And traveled each and every highway
And more, much more than this
I did it my way”
These few lines are taken from the song “My Way” by Paul Anka. “My way” does not denote a solitary journey. Rather, it means that we, especially our youth, should navigate the world ourselves, have forward planning and chart a course that suits us best. If we can, Hong Kong will prosper.
