Head of Strategy and Partnerships, The Yeh Family Philanthropy
Kenny Cheung is the Head of Strategy and Partnerships for The Yeh Family Philanthropy. He oversees the foundation’s operations and multi-year strategy, focusing on social emotional learning in Hong Kong programme and early childhood in China.
He has managed the foundation’s philanthropic portfolio since 2015, including the flagship program Nurturing Social Minds, a public-philanthropic partnership with the HKSAR government’s SIE Fund that taught social entrepreneurship and venture philanthropy at three Hong Kong universities.
Before entering philanthropy, Kenny embarked on extended travels through the developing world to work with microfinance institutions and social entrepreneurs to alleviate poverty at the grassroots level.
Kenny previously worked with HSBC as Vice President in the International Corporates division, managing a portfolio of customers with combined banking facilities of over USD100 million. He holds a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Toronto.
Background
According to the World Health Organization,
• Globally, one in seven 10-19-year-olds experiences a mental disorder, accounting for 15% of the global burden of disease in this age group.
• Depression, anxiety and behavioural disorders are among the leading causes of illness and disability among adolescents.
• Suicide is the third leading cause of death among those aged 15–29 years old.
• The consequences of failing to address adolescent mental health conditions extend to adulthood, impairing both physical and mental health and limiting opportunities to lead fulfilling lives as adults
The situation is alarming which requires our immediate attention. Similar findings from research done by CUHK showed that 24.4 per cent of children and adolescents had experienced at least one mental health issue in 2022 in Hong Kong.
The strategies to deal with the phenomenon has been mainly on promotion and prevention, and early detection and treatment. The latest global trends in wellness education and learn how integrating emotional well-being into educational frameworks is transforming lives. Research shows that happiness is a key predictor of adult well-being, even more so than academic achievement.
The Panel
The approach to wellness education encompasses all dimensions of wellness—emotional, physical, social, spiritual, and mental health. By embedding these elements into the heart of educational environments, it is aimed to create supportive systems that benefit both students and educators. This holistic approach fosters growth mindsets and cultivates learning environments where everyone can thrive.