Mental Oasis: Hong Kong teens organise art events, workshops to give students solace from pressures they face
- Founders received HK$25,000 from Mind Ambassador Programme for project collaborating with cafes on art exhibits, book clubs, sharing sessions related to mental health
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Bavithi Sanchana (left), 17, and Aria Law Sum-Yuet, 16, members of Mental Oasis, hope to address the mental health issues prevalent among students. Photo: Xiaomei ChenIn a cosy corner of a cafe in Sham Shui Po, an enticing card machine awaits patrons.
After pressing a button, visitors of Garden at Mei Ho Cafe are treated to a surprise: a thought-provoking card with inspirational words from artists who have grappled with mental health issues, such as American painter Bob Ross and Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama.
There’s more to discover: the cafe’s walls are adorned with art that the artists hope can spark discussion and empathy for those with mental illnesses.
This exhibition was organised by Mental Oasis, a project run by seven Hong Kong secondary school students to address the mental health challenges they and their peers are facing.
“Hong Kong secondary school students are facing immense pressure, including myself. I’ve noticed that many of my friends are mentally unstable. I hope that they can find solace through these activities and know that many others are facing the same challenges,” said one of the Mental Oasis founders, Violet*.
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The 17-year-old Form Six student from Marymount Secondary School added: “Art ... helps people to confront those difficult emotions, and reflect on what mental health is to them.”
The group’s vision is to create an “oasis” that gives students a much-needed respite from the pressures they face. Besides the art exhibition, Mental Oasis has organised other community events at the cafe: a book club in collaboration with a community arts group; workshops on the psychological benefits of plants and sports; and a sharing session with someone who struggled with bipolar disorder.
A Form Five pupil from Violet’s school, Dawn Wong, designed the cards in the machine. The 17-year-old believes art has healing power: “Art is intrinsically linked to my mental state. When my mental health suffered, I craved art that spoke to me – something that symbolically represented myself – and I hope that my art this time can do the same for someone else.”
A mental health crisis
It all started in August with the Mind Ambassador Programme, which trains Hong Kong youth to become mental health advocates and gives financial support for wellness projects that participants design.
Through this programme, Violet, Dawn and a few other students were awarded about HK$25,000 for their proposal to collaborate with local cafes to organise events related to mental health.
Amid what experts have called a mental health crisis among the city’s teens, Violet described her peers’ stress levels as “water overflowing” and highlighted that many struggled with self-image and self-harm. Compounding the issue is the stigma against seeking professional help.
“Even if people express verbal support for others to find help, the shaming culture persists in society,” she said. “Especially students who tend to overachieve, they wouldn’t seek help even if they feel their stress has reached a boiling point.”
Bavithi Sanchana, a Form Six student also from Marymount Secondary School, said she began feeling the stress in Form Three when she had to choose her subjects: “The pressure has been quite high since then, but unfortunately my grades don’t meet the requirements.”
The 17-year-old shared that her family moved from Sri Lanka to Hong Kong with the hope of providing Bavithi with a better education.
“I struggle to not let anyone down,” said Bavithi, who recently joined Mental Oasis as a student organiser. “I want to help people who are also struggling with their mental health ... I don’t want the stigma to continue on for the future generations,” she added.
What can schools do better?
While many experts blame the Covid pandemic for Hong Kong students’ deteriorating well-being, the Mental Oasis organisers believe it is only a symptom of a crisis that has been evident for years. They say current efforts are not enough.
Another organiser, Form Five pupil Aria Law Sum-yuet, 16, noted that de-stressing workshops or assemblies were not long-term solutions: “Schools should adjust the learning environment and let students know it is essential to take care of ourselves, rather than thinking academics are the most important.”
How can schools adjust? Violet expressed her hope for students to have an “emotional health leave”, allowing them to take a day off when they feel emotionally under the weather.
“Going to school could be overwhelming, and students might want to recharge themselves before going to school, though some parents wouldn’t allow something like that,” she said. “Is it really bad to take one to two days off to take care of our mental health?”
Bavithi noted that it was crucial to allow students to take breaks, especially when juggling many responsibilities: “If we have the freedom to take at least one day off to rest and recharge ourselves, it really benefits our mental health stability.”
Beyond their advocacy with Mental Oasis, Violet, Bavithi and Aria also have similar career aspirations: studying psychology in university.
Aria explained: “I could relate to the high pressure in school. So I want to help those who share similar problems and help reduce their stress.”
*Name withheld at interviewee’s request.
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