What’s New

Look Out for the Book on SSLD! Learning to Change Lives: The SSLD System, the first comprehensive text on SSLD, was completed in April, 2009. Ka Tat Tsang is now looking for a publisher. The book is expected to come out in early 2010. Arrangement is currently being made to have the manuscript translated into Chinese

SSLD Workshop (Basic Level): Ka Tat Tsang delivered a 2-day intensive workshop at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, on May 6 & 8, 2009.

SSLD Supervision Group: The first SSLD supervision group started meeting in Hong Kong on Friday, May 29, 2009. The supervision group is co-led by Ka Tat Tsang, Timothy Leung, and Cheung Man-Sze. Other experienced SSLD practitioners such as Au Kit Lin may join later. Members who attended this historic first meeting include: Cheung Ka Wan, Valerie Yingli Chang, Xie Yan, Johanna Jen, Ada Luk, Sally F. Y. Sin, Jenny Zhuang Jie, Liu Kwok-hong, Mooly M. C. Wong, Grace Leung, and Fanny M. Y. Siu. The group will continue to meet through video-conferencing with Toronto, and face-to-face sessions in Hong Kong.

DVD on Problem Translation (Basic Level) is now completed and ready for distribution. Special thanks to Ivan Yau (Executive Producer), Sherlyn Hu (Research, Design, and Logistic Support), and Willie Lo (Post-Production).

SSLD Sleep Well Program 2.0: The first SSLD Sleep Well Program was piloted in Toronto in 2007. The program was developed by K. T. Tsang in collaboration with Linus Ip, and Colleagues at the Yee Hong Centre for Geriatric Care, Toronto (Kwong-yuen Liu, Maria Chu, and Charles Wong). This new version is going to be fully re-designed, with invaluable input from Timothy Leung, Cheung Man Sze, Au Kit Lin, and Linus Ip. The new program will be in trial run in the Fall of 2009 in Hong Kong (Dr. Timothy Leung, Cheung Man Sze, and Au Kit Lin), Beijing (Dr. Huang Xuezhu of Tsinghua University Department of Psychiatry), and Toronto (by Linus Ip).

SSLD Parent-Child Play Program: Development of this program started in 2007. The program is designed to help parents learn how to improve their relationship with their children and to support their growth. Specific modules on assessment and observation learning have been tested. K.T. Tsang is now working in collaboration with Simon So, Janice Tsui, and Maria Wong in Toronto to finalize the program design. A full program will be developed and piloted later this year.

Community Organization and Development: Au Kit Lin has been actively applying SSLD to community organizing and development. She delivered a training program to community organizers in Hong Kong in April 2009. She is also applying SSLD to community re-development in the temporary housing area in Jiannan, Sichuan Province. Ka Tat Tsang is a consultant to the project.

Chinese Book on SSLD Application: Ka Tat Tsang and Ivan Yau are going to edit a book on SSLD application, to be published in Chinese. The book will document the development of SSLD as a practice system, tracing its roots back to the social skills training (SST) years in the 1970s and 1980s. Contributors include experienced SST/SSLD practitioners and academics. Invited contributors include: Dr. Timothy Leung, Dr. Roxco Chun, Ms. Cheung Man Sze, Ms. Florence Yan-ming Chu, Ms. Au Kit Lin, Mr. Simon So, Ms. Maria Wong, Ms. Janice Tsui, Dr. Kam Ping Kong, Ms. Linus Ip, and Dr. Chu Chi-keung.

SSLD in South China? Ka Tat Tsang has already conducted many training programs in China (e.g., Tsinghua University Department of Psychiatry, State Commission on Population and Family Planning, Shandong University). On June 5, 2009, he delivered an invited lecture at Sun Yat Sen (Zhongshan) University in Guangzhou, titled: Integrating Social Work Practice – The SSLD Approach. The lecture was attended by social work colleagues from Guangzhou, Jiangmen, Shenzhen, and Hong Kong. The lecture was very well received, and members of the audience are interested in pursuing the SSLD system further. Valerie Yingli Chang has agreed to liaise with this group.

Tuning in to SSLD: A number of organizations in Toronto and Hong Kong have adopted SSLD as their primary intervention model. Just within the month of May, 2009, we are exploring with at least 3 more organizations in government, social service, and healthcare. Timothy Leung, Mooly Wong, and Ka Tat Tsang are working with these organizations to see if they would introduce SSLD to their employees and adopt it as a key intervention system. The Hong Kong Christian Service, which was among the first Hong Kong organization to adopt the earlier version of SST in their PS 33 Program back in the 1980s, has confirmed that it will set up a 3-Day SSLD training course for 40 of its employees in December 2009.

SSLD in Healthcare and Rehabilitation: Timothy Leung is organizing a workshop on SSLD in Healthcare and Rehabilitation, now scheduled for December 6, 2009, to be held at the Chinese University of Hong Kong. The workshop will, among other things, introduce the PHS (Proactive Health Strategies) System, which is built on SSLD principles. Ka Tat Tsang will be conducting the workshop together with other experienced SSLD practitioners.