Carelinkers mark anniversary with Annual Forum
Delivering an opening speech at the event, Assistant Commissioner (Personnel) Tang Kam-moon praised Carelinkers for their unfailing efforts in promoting positive living in the Force and rendering peer support to Force members as volunteers in the past two years. He encouraged all Carelinkers to keep up this good work and to continue helping build a caring Force in the years to come.
Prior to the start of the Annual Forum, Mr Tang also officiated at the launching of the Carelinks Cadre's Website (http://www.carelinker.hk).
In the first half of the forum, Dr Winnie Mak, Assistant Professor of the Department of Psychology, the Chinese University of Hong Kong, and Miss Venus Yiu, Student Counsellor of the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, shared with Carelinkers some of the important elements of mental health enhancement, and introduced a three-tier model for promoting mental health in the community: enhancement of self-awareness, encouragement of help-seeking, and stigma reduction.
Senior Police Clinical Psychologist Eddie Li then outlined the World Health Organisation's key messages for promoting mental health at the workplace and introduced the concept of "Living, Being and Policing".
The presentations were very well received, with Carelinkers engaging in a fruitful exchange of views and experiences with the speakers during a discussion session moderated by Cadre Chairman Gilbert Wong.
In the afternoon, Carelinkers shared among themselves their experiences and personal growth in the past two years as a volunteer peer supporter. They also discussed with Steering Group Members how to further enhance the functions of a Carelinker, and identified the Cadre's way forward. Despite having sacrificed their own time for the Cadre's various activities, they remained as keen as ever to share with fellow officers what they had learned about mental health.
The Carelinks Cadre was set up on July 9, 2005 to promote life values, a caring culture and peer support among Force members. At present it has 46 Carelinkers who are led by a six-member Steering Group. After a series of training in mental health knowledge and peer counselling skills, they have participated in a wide range of peer support services such as running self-development groups for Recruit Police Constables (RPC) at the Police College, setting up a Carelinks Kiosk at the PSRC, promoting positive mental health in the Healthy Lifestyle Carnival, setting up a Book Corner in the Force Library, and conducting sharing sessions with different units such as CTPD, EU NTS, CWDIV, and RCCC KW.
The Carelinks Cadre is planning to extend support service to RPCs in the first week of their entry into the Police College to help with their initial adjustment and in the first few months after their passing out for their adjustment at the workplace. It will also set up a peer support hotline to listen to officers' problems and to provide them with information on the professional assistance available both in the Force and community.
Last but not least, Carelinkers will continue upgrading their helping skills, such as those relating to critical incident stress management, in the coming year.
The cadre is committed to serving the Force with a caring heart. Officers having any comments and suggestions on how the Cadre can serve better, may contact Gilbert Wong on 2860-2129, Edmond Lau on 2866-1561 or e-mail to carelinks@police.gov.hk.
Carelinkers serve Force members with a caring heart
Jolly over another year of rendering peer support
Cadre Chairman Gilbert Wong thanks Assistant Commissioner Tang Kam-moon for his support for the Cadre with a Cadre T-shirt
