Play to Thrive project from Save the Children Hong Kong enhances youth mental well-being through football

Having spent most of his time in kindergarten at home because of the pandemic, the Primary Two boy didn’t have a chance to play with his peers.

“His communication and interpersonal skills suffered due to the lack of a social life … But [after playing football], he gets more talkative and brighter,” the mother shared.

At first, Bellamy was clueless about how to be a team player, and he would stay to the side and avoid getting involved in the action. However, after some encouragement from his coaches, he started actively teaming up with others.

“He is happier after joining the programme. He always shares with me the things that happened in class and the new friends he made. He passed all his subjects on his most recent exam, which quite surprised me,” his mother said.

Play to Thrive, launched by Save the Children Hong Kong this June, is a three-year project for children aged six to 12. Currently, it serves families in Sham Shui Po and Tin Shui Wai, with the goal of reaching approximately 1,100 children in different parts of the city. The project aims to enhance children’s mental well-being through the power of football.

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“[It] was designed to use football to teach [children] social-emotional skills, from understanding their emotions and emotion management to communication with others, conflict management, and relation building,” said Carol Szeto, CEO of Save the Children Hong Kong.

The programme is inclusive and free of charge for every child, regardless of gender or ability, and provides participants with all the football gear they need.

“What we have observed in Hong Kong is that the prolonged isolation due to Covid, [as well as] learning interruptions and economic pressure on families, have significantly impacted children’s mental health and psychosocial well-being,” she noted.

A survey published by the Chinese University of Hong Kong on Wednesday found that 25 per cent of children aged six to 17 had experienced at least one mental health issue in the past year.

It interviewed 6,082 children and adolescents, including non-Chinese pupils and their parents, between 2019 and 2023.

Professor Alex Chan, dean and professor of the School of Arts and Humanities at Tung Wah College, said home learning and wearing masks during the pandemic had hindered children’s social interaction. A lack of motivation has become apparent since students returned to face-to-face learning.

“After Covid, people have focused mostly on catching up on academics, which puts stress on children’s emotions and behaviours,” explained the adviser at Save the Children Hong Kong. “Well-being is not just about cognitive development; we need to strike a balance [between study and mental health].”

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Football is a great way to address these challenges. “When children devote themselves to playing the sport, it increases their motivation … if they see improvements in their abilities, they will be more willing to take up challenges,” said the psychologist, who specialises in positive psychology.

“Through team play, children can develop social skills, such as communicating with each other through language or facial expressions. It helps children achieve holistic development with better emotional regulation, peer relationships, organisation, and executive skills.”

Having taught in the Play to Thrive programme for about two months, full-time football player Chan Ho has witnessed significant improvement in the participants.

“At the beginning, the children always had a hard time focusing and listening to our instructions … So we had a reflection at the end of each class; our main coach would point out what they had learned in the lesson and what they could improve. After these talks, children would behave better in the following session,” said the 21-year-old.

The young coach added: “Teaching football skills is important, but I believe that interpersonal skills, collaboration, and self-expression are paramount.”

As the programme continues to roll out and make a difference in children’s well-being, the CEO of Save the Children Hong Kong acknowledges the significance of their work.

“With the growing wealth disparity, the needs are significant for children of disadvantaged backgrounds. There is much work for us to do to give every child an opportunity to thrive,” said Szeto.

*Full name withheld at interviewee’s request.