If you’re not feeling great, our peer support groups can help
( FIND THE SUPPORT YOU NEED )
For anyone struggling, you can speak to others who have struggled before.
Regular groups are available in Cantonese and English.
These are run by trained volunteers who have lived experience in a variety of areas that can affect mental wellbeing.
This includes grief, cancer treatment, heartbreak, men’s support and employment.
Find a group
What support do you need right now?
Crisis Helplines
If you don’t feel like you can keep yourself safe
Sliding Scale Counselling and Therapy Service
Online Community Directories
Move and find community
( MOVEMENT GROUPS )
Taking part in physical activity can improve mental health in many ways; better sleep, happier moods, managing stress, anxiety, and intrusive thoughts, improved self-esteem, and connection to the community, to name a few.
We aim to make fitness for mental health accessible in Hong Kong. Proceeds from these classes will go to helping The New Normal deliver free mental health and grief support in the Hong Kong community.
Why peer support
( LONELINESS IS A GLOBAL HEALTH PRIORITY )
33% of adults say that they cannot rely on anyone for emotional support (PSE HK).
A significant number of people in Hong Kong lack social support in times of need. Social isolation has serious consequences for physical and mental health and can increase your risk of death by 25-33%.
Social isolation is now widely considered to be as impactful as obesity, lack of physical activity, smoking, other forms of substance abuse, and poor access to healthcare.
Peer support groups:
Brings together people with shared experiences to support each other
Treats everyone’s views and experiences as equally valid
Reduces stigma and self stigma
Encourages help-seeking and the learning of new coping strategies
Improves self confidence and help you to self-advocate within and outside the group
What to expect
“They have given me the vocabulary and space to feel that I can share about my grief with or without sadness, without judgement (by myself or others) and with the comfort of knowing I'm not alone.”
Attendee and now host
( WHAT HAPPENS AT EVERY SUPPORT GROUP )
Our peer support groups were created to give people a supportive space to comfortably discuss life's challenges, in the comfort that your experiences are shared with others who can relate.
There is no pressure at all to speak, many people attend to listen.
You will meet two trained volunteer hosts who have lived experience of the topic of the group.
At the beginning of each group, attendees take it in turns to introduce themselves and why they came
We offer the option to share pronouns to create a safe space for all
The hosts of the group will then ask if anyone has anything they would like to talk about
Whatever a person has to say is relevant and they are welcome to bring anything to the group
All attendees are asked to respect the privacy of the space and treat others and ourselves with kindness throughout
FAQs
-
Of course, it is normal to be nervous before you do anything new for the first time. We are here to support you, and nothing is expected of you.
-
Each group is hosted by two volunteer ‘hosts’ with lived experience: these are people who have personal experience of the topic and support the running of the group. We provide our hosts with training and support to hold these groups, but they are not trained professionals and do not give advice.
-
At the start of the group, we ask that you share your name, reasons for joining and pronouns if you feel comfortable. After that, there is no pressure to speak, and lots of people attend to listen.
-
No, all of our peer support groups are free. If you’d like to make a donation you can do but that is not expected.
-
Our peer support groups are informal facilitated conversations. Attendees are asked to introduce themselves and why they are joining. We also share our pronouns, if comfortable, to create a respectful and inclusive space for all.
Attendees are not required to speak for the rest of the meeting if they do not wish to, you can attend and just listen. Hosts will invite the group to share and will facilitate the session, ensuring everyone who wishes to gets the opportunity to speak.
We do ask that everyone is respectful of privacy and to treat each other, and themselves, with kindness.
-
The group size varies. We currently have registration limits in place for our in person groups to ensure that the venue can safely accommodate the number of attendees. Generally, our groups vary between five and twelve people.
-
Our support groups are currently held in Wan Chai and Jordan. We welcome expressions of interest from people who may wish to volunteer to run peer support groups in other locations. Please email hello@thenewnormalcharityhk.org
-
Our peer support groups are open to anyone who shares the experience of that group. If you share the experience of multiple groups, you are welcome to join any or all of the relevant groups if you would like to.
-
If there are no spaces available for the group you are interested in and you would like to attend, click “Join Waitlist”.
In the event that a space becomes available, those on the waitlist will receive an email with further information.
