Social Welfare Bureau (IAS) President Wilson Hon Wai told reporters at the headquarters of the Macau General Union of Neighbourhood Associations (UGAMM), colloquially known as Kai Fong, in Toi San district yesterday that its toddlers’ emotional education pilot scheme will be launched at two nurseries in the middle of the year.
Hon said that the teaching materials have been designed in collaboration with the University of Macau (UM), after the trial run’s validation the materials will be rolled out for use in crèches across Macau.
Hon stressed that the period until the age of 3 is a crucial stage in which infants and toddlers* learn to express their feelings and emotions through language, which is highly important for future emotional management.
He pointed out that the bureau began planning relevant emotional education initiatives for very young children last year, including training for nursery staff, adding that a four-themed lecture has been arranged for parents, enabling them to take on the role of coaches in supporting their children’s emotional development.
Meanwhile, Hon also said that the “Survey and Registration of Isolated Elderly and Families of Two” has collected over 30,000 questionnaires. The data is currently being integrated with geographic mapping to obtain a more precise distribution of elderly residents across different districts, Hon said.
Hon also said that his bureau’s 10-year plan for rehabilitation services will incorporate smart technology. Considerations will include aspects such as facility management, occupational safety and health for facility staff, and home arrangements, Hon said, adding that technology products designed to ensure home safety will also be included in the procurement list.
2-day seminar focuses on smart technology and mental health
Meanwhile, Kai Fong hosted a launch ceremony about its 2-day seminar titled “2026 Asia-Pacific Youth Conference–Integration and Innovation of Smart Technology and Mental Health” at the group’s headquarters in Toi Son district yesterday.
Kai Fong President John Chan Ka Leong said in a speech that the seminar has invited experts from the Chinese mainland, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Malaysia, Singapore and other regions to discuss “integration and innovation of intelligent technology and mental health”.
Chan expressed hope that the seminar will be able to respond to the demands of the new era and promote youth services to keep pace with the times.
Chan pointed out that the rapid development of AI and intelligent technology has brought opportunities and challenges to teenagers’ growth and social services.
The popularisation of technology has reshaped teenagers’ learning modes, knowledge acquisitions and mental health support systems, Chan said. However, he warned that problems such as Internet addiction, information overload and online bullying are also increasingly prominent.
Chan highlighted that the seminar also aims to explore how to guide teenagers from passive “users” to active “good users” and “creators”, prevent excessive dependence on intelligent technology and transform AI into a tool to promote academic progress, career planning and mental health support.
The seminar, which ends today, features a combination of online and offline keynote speeches, along with roundtable discussions and breakout sessions**. It also includes an organised visit to social service organisations.
*“Toddler” typically refers to a child aged about 1 to 3 years. Infants’ age range typically runs from birth to 12 months. – Poe
**”Breakout sessions” are small-group meetings or activities that take place within a larger event (conference, workshop, training, or class). They allow participants to focus on specific topics, engage in discussion, practice skills, or work collaboratively in a more intimate setting than the plenary session.
Social Welfare Bureau (IAS) President Wilson Hon Wai speaks to reporters at the Macau General Union of Neighbourhood Associations’ (Kai Fong) headquarters in Toi San district yesterday.
Kai Fong President John Chan Ka Leong delivers a speech during yesterday’s opening ceremony at the group’s headquarters. – Photos: Armindo Neves
