The Wellness and Counselling Centre (WACC) of the Office of Student Affairs is dedicated to strengthening students’ peer support. By engaging committed undergraduate volunteers, WACC provides relevant training and service opportunities that empower them to serve the CUHK community.
In January 2026, the new cohort of Peer Support Network programmes—including the uBuddies Peer Counselling Network, uPals Wellness Promotion Team, and uShine SEN Service Team—launched a series of mental health-related training sessions, marking the beginning of their journey to promote wellbeing and an inclusive culture on campus.
Peer Support Network 2026 – Adventure Training Camp
To foster interaction among the members and to enhance team cohesion, the teams participated in a three-day, two-night adventure training camp from 16 to 18 January. Members from the 2025 cohort also joined as Seniors, sharing their valuable experiences and guiding new members as they integrated into the team.
Under the guidance of experienced coaches, participants took on a range of high-structured adventure activities, such as ziplining, abseiling, orienteering, and raft building. Yolanda, one of the uBuddies members, shared: “What impressed me most was abseiling and ziplining—activities I had never tried before. If I hadn’t joined uBuddies, I wouldn’t have had the chance to step out of my comfort zone and challenge myself.”
These activities not only helped participants break through personal limitations and deepen self-awareness, but also nurtured their leadership skills.
During the reflection sessions, members organized and reflected on what they had gained. Carmen from uShine shared: “I gained so many joyful memories, learned how to interact with others and to face myself honestly.” Maggie from uPals focused on teamwork and leadership: “The strongest leadership doesn’t come from personal ability but from the courage built together with others.”
These reflections highlighted the transformative impact of the camp, which not only provided participants with meaningful growth experience, but also a solid foundation for their future service.
uPals Wellness Ambassadors Shenzhen Exchange Tour 2026
On 16–17 January 2026, 6 graduates of the Peer Support Network who continue to serve as uPals Wellness Ambassadors visited The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen (CUHK-Shenzhen) for a two-day, one-night exchange with the Student Health Counselling Centre (SHCC) and its student wellness promotion team.
During the exchange, the uPals Wellness Ambassadors hosted a leather crafting workshop, guiding Y∞UTH members to relax and relieve stress through creative expression. Following the workshop, both teams joined a campus tour of CUHK-Shenzhen, where they connected in a friendly and relaxed atmosphere. They also engaged in in-depth discussions about their approaches to promoting mental health initiatives on campus, exchanging ideas and learning from each other.
Participants from both campuses described the exchange as a rare opportunity, not only allowing them to build new friendships, but also helping them gain a fuller understanding of each other’s event planning processes, enabling mutual learning.
Peer Support Network Handover Ceremony 2026
The handover ceremony for the 2026 Peer Support Network was successfully held on 27 February 2026, officiated by Professor Ko Wing-hung, Associate Vice-President and University Dean of Students, and Ms. Elaine Tam, Director of Student Affairs. In the presence of the two officiating guests, they celebrated the graduation of the 2025 cohort and passed on the mission of promoting mental health on campus to the new cohort.
During the ceremony, Prof Ko, Ms. Elaine Tam and Mrs. Eunice Yip, Head of the Wellness and Counselling Centre, presented a number of awards and graduation certificates to the 2025 cohort, recognizing their outstanding contributions and selfless dedication over the past year.
Representatives from the Best uBuddies, Best uPals, and Best uShine—Norris, Tweety, and Louise—also shared their transformative journeys:
Reflecting on his time with uBuddies, Norris spoke about the deep connections he formed. He described uBuddies as a supportive and warm family which empowers its members to be bold to innovate, and pursue their dreams.
Tweety expressed her heartfelt gratitude for the friendships and personal growth gained throughout her journey with uPals. Through serving others, she not only sharpened her leadership skills but also achieved self-discoveries that will support her future development.
Louise described her uShine journey as one filled with warmth and purpose. By organizing various Special Educational Needs (SEN) support activities and participating in workshops, she experienced the power of true teamwork and took pride in contributing positive energy into the mission of building a more inclusive campus.
The new cohorts of uBuddies, uPals, and uShine have already begun a series of professional training sessions. They are fully prepared to provide peer support services and foster a caring culture for the CUHK community. Stay updated by following them on Instagram!
uBuddies: @cuhk_ubuddies
Treehole CUHK (uBuddies): @treehole_cuhk
uPals: @cuhk_upals
