Manulife rallies HK families to talk about feelings

In support of World Mental Health Day today (10 October), Manulife Hong Kong has partnered with local emotional education non-governmental organisation JUST FEEL to promote emotional wellbeing through family education and community initiatives.

Anchored by the philosophy of the compassionate communication framework, the campaign features a parent seminar, an interactive workshop, and the city-wide “My flag day” initiative. Together, these initiatives aims to encourage parents, children and the public to understand better and express their feelings, while fostering greater empathy and emotional wellbeing across the community.

The campaign also aims to spark conversations and raise awareness of emotional wellbeing across the wider community, aligning with the Manulife Longevity Institute - a global platform advancing research, innovation and advocacy to help people live longer, healthier, more financially secure lives.

The campaign will kick off with two complimentary public events, the compassionate communication parent seminar and the interactive workshop, on 3 October. The parent seminar, “Parents get tired too: Self-care before childcare”, aims to help parents better understand their own feelings and needs. It will explore how practicing self-care amid stress can help parents respond to their children with greater understanding and empathy, fostering healthier and more nurturing relationships.

The accompanying interactive workshop, "Unlock the dialogue: Reconnecting with your child,” will use relatable real-life scenarios and interactive exercises to help parents practice compassionate communication in everyday family life. Through hands-on practice with the JUST FEEL Feelings & Needs Cards (bear hug edition), parents will learn practical ways to initiate more open and genuine conversations by tuning into their children’s feelings and needs. 

To further promote emotional wellbeing across the community, the city-wide initiative “My flag day” will be held on 10 October. A total of 500 parent-child volunteers will engage more than 10,000 members of the public, distributing free feeling flags designed by local primary school students through the “My flag day” flag paper design competition held earlier this year.

Members of the public will be invited to choose a flag that reflects how they feel at that moment, whether joyful, contented, relaxed, tired, worried or sad, providing a simple way to express their unspoken feelings and spark meaningful conversations.

In addition, volunteers will distribute a self-connection tracker, encouraging a week of simple daily reflection to help people better understand their emotions and develop self-care practices. These initiatives encourage people to pause amid their busy lives, reflect on their feelings, and raise awareness of the importance of emotional wellbeing.

Alice Ma, chief marketing officer for Manulife Hong Kong and Macau, said: “Emotional wellbeing is a vital part of living a healthy and empowered life, and it begins with ongoing self-awareness and practice. At Manulife Hong Kong, we are committed to investing in community partnerships that support holistic health and drive action around longevity.”

“Through the World Mental Health Day Campaign with JUST FEEL, we hope to encourage parents to understand, express and embrace their feelings, while extending greater care to themselves, their children and others, helping to build healthier relationships, stronger communities and better lives.”

Raymond Yang, co-founder and executive director of JUST FEEL, said: “Parents' wellbeing and how a family communicates deeply shape a child’s growth. When adults take a moment to care for themselves first, they can show up for their children with a grounded state to truly hear and embrace their children’s feelings and needs, creating a home where children feel safe, heard and supported.”

“Through the upcoming ‘My flag day’ and our Compassionate Communication parent seminar and workshop co-organized with Manulife Hong Kong, JUST FEEL hopes to bring empathy beyond schools into more families and the wider community,” Yang added. 

MARKETING-INTERACTIVE has reached out to Manulife for more information. 

Don’t miss: Manulife HK and JUST FEEL team up to foster 'compassionate school culture'

Manulife and JUST FEEL began their partnership in April last year, forming a multi-year strategic charity collaboration to work more closely with partner schools in fostering a "compassionate school culture" among students, teachers and parents.

This collaboration aims to enhance awareness of students’ emotional well-being within schools and the broader community, and is expected to reach over 100 primary schools and 150,000 students, teachers, and parents cumulatively. This partnership aligns with Manulife’s Impact Agenda, demonstrating the company’s key commitment to empowering sustained health and wellbeing within the community.

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