P.A.T.H.S.: Transforming Life Skills Education in Hong Kong, Mainland and Beyond

Lead  Prof. Daniel SHEK

Department of Applied Social Sciences

By bringing together research in experiential learning pedagogies, Prof. Daniel Shek led the Positive Adolescent Training through Holistic Social (P.A.T.H.S.) Project of the Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust and developed a life skills education programme to empower adolescents to navigate challenges during growth and development.

The P.A.T.H.S. programme has enhanced the life-skills (e.g., emotional competence, resilience, positive self-identity) and well-being of students, initially in Hong Kong and the Mainland. Focusing on student strengths, Prof. Shek and his team use experiential and student-centered pedagogies (such as role play, group discussion, reflective activities and games) and develop curriculum resources to enhance student reflection and engagement—a significant paradigm shift from the traditionally didactic and goal-based pedagogy of the Chinese education system.

The programme was initially implemented in over 360 Hong Kong schools and nearly 30 schools in cities in the Mainland. In response to the growing mental health challenges faced by young people, which has been further intensified by the COVID 19 pandemic, P.A.T.H.S. has been expanded and successfully adapted for adolescents in China as an effective tool in both rural and urban environments.

The roll out was also accompanied by the development of tailored teaching resources and training programme to support teachers in adopting the pedagogy, improving their mental health and transforming the professional practice. By enhancing teacher competence, professional practice and well-being, it has addressed the adolescents’ psychosocial needs and, in the COVID and post-COVID aftermath, helped re-build young people’s mental health and resilience. P.A.T.H.S. has also transformed the Chinese education system and provided a ‘visionary blueprint’ for the future of educational endeavours in China.

Beyond China, the impact of P.A.T.H.S. has extended internationally through adoption by UNICEF in Sri Lanka and implementation in Malaysia, demonstrating the programme’s adaptability across diverse educational, cultural, and social contexts. Furthermore, Korean, Argentine and Indonesian P.A.T.H.S. programmes have been developed.

More recently, the research team and a Malaysian university launched an innovative extension called “GP.A.T.H.S.” in Malaysia, bringing positive youth development into gamified digital learning experiences, reinforcing holistic learning through interactive storytelling, problem‑solving, and real‑time feedback. It has reached 1,010 students and 70 teachers across 20 schools in two northern regions.

The excellence of GP.A.T.H.S. has also been recognised globally, winning five international innovation awards.

RAE 2020 Impact Case Study