People & Purpose Theatre

Connecting Through Sport: Mental Health and Community Well-being

12 Sep (Fri) Day 2 : 15:40 – 16:20

Full Programme
People and Purpose Theatre

This topic explores the powerful intersection of sports, mental health, and community building. Discover how sports participation not only enhances mental well-being by reducing stress and fostering a sense of belonging but also serves as a catalyst for building strong community connections. Through inclusive programs and partnerships, sports play a vital role in promoting diversity, supporting mental health initiatives, and creating a supportive environment for all. Join us on this journey of leveraging the transformative power of sports to nurture mental health and enhance community well-being.

Learnings

  • Recognizing the role of physical activity in promoting mental well-being through the release of endorphins and improvement in overall brain function.
  • Appreciating how sports can create a sense of community by fostering relationships, teamwork, and social connections among individuals.
  • Exploring how sports programs can be tailored to address specific mental health challenges within communities, providing a platform for support and healing.
  • Emphasizing the importance of inclusivity and diversity in sports to ensure that everyone has the opportunity to benefit from the mental health and community-building aspects of sports.
  • Learning about successful collaborations and partnerships between sports organizations, mental health professionals, and community groups to promote mental well-being through sports.

Post-Event Actions

  • Reflective Journaling: Encourage delegates to reflect on key insights gained from the event in a personal journal. This can help them internalize learnings and identify actionable steps for implementation.
  • Community Engagement: Encourage delegates to volunteer or participate in community sports programs that promote mental health and well-being. They can contribute their time and skills to support initiatives within their local communities.
  • Action Planning: Encourage delegates to develop action plans based on the event learnings. They can set personal or company goals related to mental health, sports participation, or community building and work towards achieving them.

Speakers

Moraine Chan

Laureus Sport For Good Foundation

APAC development

Moraine is currently engaged with the Laureus Sport For Good Foundation in partnerships, fundraising, and development for the Asia-Pacific region. Coming from a strong sporting heritage, her journey began as a junior national track and field athlete, a key contributor to her passion for pursuing sustainable sport for development and youth empowerment.

Throughout her professional career, Moraine has extensive experience in commercial marketing and event management, giving her opportunities to collaborated with commercial brands and National Sports Associations in Hong Kong, including M-Mark events, and many other local and regional sports initiatives and events. Presently, she serves as a trusted advisor for several sports and youth development NGOs, including the Hong Kong Association of Athletics Affiliates, Hong Kong Water Sports Council, and The Hong Kong Award for Young People, actively contributing to development endeavours in Hong Kong. Fuelled by a profound passion for instigating positive transformations, Moraine strive to harness the unifying influence of sports to reshape communities.

Speaking at:

Day 2

Connecting Through Sport: Mental Health and Community Well-being

Rocky Chow

Rugby For Good

Executive Director

Rocky is a sports industry leader and Executive Director of Rugby For Good, Hong Kong’s first Section 88-approved sports charity, empowering underrepresented youth through rugby-based social inclusion and wellbeing initiatives. Since joining Hong Kong China Rugby (HKCR) in 2015, he has driven community growth, holding roles as Chief Community Officer, Chief Commercial Officer, and General Manager of Marketing, managing strategic and operational facets of the organization.

With 20+ years of operational expertise, Rocky bridges commercial strategy and grassroots impact, refined through senior leadership at global fitness chains, including a 16-year tenure at California Fitness. A trailblazer in Hong Kong rugby, he made history as one of the first local players in the first-division Tigers RFC and later represented the Hong Kong Dragons on international tours in the 1990s.

His legacy merges sport, business, and social change, leveraging rugby as a catalyst for equitable community development.

My Sustainability Goals for 2025

  • Champion Green Sports Practices for our events in Hong Kong.
  • Using sport as a tool to enhance social and emotional development for children and youth in Hong Kong.

Speaking at:

Day 2

Connecting Through Sport: Mental Health and Community Well-being

Christine Loh

Hong Kong University of Science and Technology

Chief Development Strategist, Institute for the Environment

Christine Loh is Chief Development Strategist at Institute for the Environment at Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, and Scholar in Residence at Asia Society Hong Kong (2023-25). She serves on the boards of New Forests Pty Limited, and Towngas Smart Energy. She is a published author of many academic and popular works.

My Sustainability Goals for 2025:

To develop transdisciplinary studies with real world context.

Speaking at:

Day 1

Advances in Climate Science: Fine-Scale Projection for Managing Extreme Risks in Asia’s Cities

Day 2

Rethinking Water: Securing Hong Kong’s Liquid Lifeline Connecting Through Sport: Mental Health and Community Well-being Financing for Nature: Investing in Biodiversity Across the Indo-Pacific Corridor The Great Debate: This House Believes AI is the Most Impactful Tool in a Business’s Sustainability Strategy

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