The Opportunities and Challenges of the First Three Years of Open Up, an Online Text-Based Counselling Service for Youth and Young Adults

Bibliographic Data

ID15466541
AuthorsPaul Yip (0000-0003-1596-4120, University of Hong Kong, corresponding author), Wai-Leung Chan (Youth and Community Services, Caritas Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China), Christian S Chan (0000-0003-2616-5199, University of Hong Kong), Lihong He (University of Hong Kong), Yucan Xu (0000-0003-0247-0404, University of Hong Kong), Evangeline Chan (0009-0001-5562-6735, University of Hong Kong), Yui Chi Chau (Head Office, Hong Kong Children and Youth Services, Hong Kong, China), Qijin Cheng (0000-0002-6223-5345, Chinese University of Hong Kong), Siu-Hung Cheng (Youth Service, St. James’ Settlement, Hong Kong, China), Florence Cheung (0009-0001-1744-3997, University of Hong Kong), James C L Chow (0000-0003-4202-4855, University of Hong Kong), James Chow (Centre for Suicide Research and Prevention, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China), Shirley Chow (Youth and Community Services, Caritas Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China), Jerry Fung (0000-0003-3247-2400, University of Hong Kong), Siu-Man Hsu (Hong Kong Federation of Youth Groups), Yik Wa Law (0000-0001-5165-8193, University of Hong Kong), Billie Lo (Hong Kong Federation of Youth Groups), Sze-Man Miu (The Boys' & Girls' Clubs Association of Hong Kong), Wai Man Ng (Youth and Community Services, Caritas Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China), Ken Ngai (Independent Researcher, Hong Kong, China), Christy Tsang (University of Hong Kong), Cynthia Xiong (University of Hong Kong), Zhongzhi Xu (0000-0002-0514-0200, University of Hong Kong)
Year2021
Volume18
Issue24
Pages13194-13194
Publication date2021-12-14
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueInternational Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1661-7827 • E-ISSN: 1660-4601
PublisherMultidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute (PUBLISHER • CH)
DOI10.3390/ijerph182413194
PMID34948802
OpenAlexW4200238466
LanguageEN
Citations received4
References cited22

We present the opportunities and challenges of Open Up, a free, 24/7 online text-based counselling service to support youth in Hong Kong. The number of youths served more than doubled within the first three years since its inception in 2018 in response to increasing youth suicidality and mental health needs. Good practice models are being developed in order to sustain and further scale up the service. We discuss the structure of the operation, usage pattern and its effectiveness, the use of AI to improve users experience, and the role of volunteer in the operation. We also present the challenges in further enhancing the operation, calling for more research, especially on the identification of the optimal number of users that can be concurrently served by a counsellor, the effective approach to respond to a small percentage of repeated users who has taken up a disproportional volume of service, and the way to optimize the use of big data analytics and AI technology to enhance the service. These advancements will benefit not only Open Up but also similar services across the globe

Analytics · Business · Data science · Globe · Identification (biology · Internet privacy · Medical education · Mental health · Order (exchange · Psychiatry · Scale (ratio · Service (business · Applied Psychology · Computer Science · Digital Mental Health Interventions · Impact of Technology on Adolescents · Medicine · Mobile Health and mHealth Applications · Psychology · Marketing

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