Prof. Hector TSANG, Interim Director of MHRC, Cally Kwong Mei Wan Professor in Psychosocial Health, Head and Chair Professor of Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, was awarded a grant of HKD 2.4 million from the Beat Drugs Fund to support his anti-drug education programme for local youths.
The project aims at integrating creative and entertainment technology such as virtual reality (VR) and interactive robots to deliver mini films and workshops that engage young people, raise their awareness about drug use, and promote positive mental health. The community-based project will engage multiple stakeholders, including parents, teachers, social workers, counsellors and healthcare professionals, to comprehensively explore the effective approaches to drug prevention.
Prof. Tsang said, “Edutainment is an effective health communication strategy to promote drug users’ community re-integration and combat the temptation of drug use, particularly the commonly misused ones like marijuana and cannabidiol (CBD), among young people. The use of innovative technology including VR in providing youngsters with simulated experience of the side-effects of drug abuse can raise their anti-drug awareness.”
The Beat Drugs Fund Regular Funding Scheme aims to support projects that provide drug treatment and rehabilitation services to people with drug problems, organise preventive education and publicity programmes targeting the general public and/or specific groups, and conduct research on drug abuse problems.
Congratulations to Prof. Tsang!
| Research Units | Mental Health Research Centre |
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