2025/26 iACT Wellbeing Practitioner Training & Placement Programme
Are you passionate about mental health and eager to directly support people experiencing mental health problems in the community?
Mind HK’s 2025/26 Improving Access to Community Therapies (iACT®) Wellbeing Practitioner Training Programme is starting in May 2025!
This training and placement programme is for people who wish to learn how to deliver early mental health interventions and contribute to improving access to mental health treatments for those in need. The programme will train individuals to become iACT® Wellbeing Practitioners to deliver free, manualised therapy to individuals experiencing mild to moderate mental health problems, currently based on principles of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and self compassion. Those taking part in this programme must be able to complete at least 120 supervised direct clinical hours.
Candidates should have a strong interest in mental health and a wish to work in a frontline position, supporting people with mental health difficulties. We seek applications from individuals who meet the basic criteria and wish to embark upon this training and placement programme.
General Requirement:
Ability to Work in Hong Kong
Hong Kong resident or valid working visa for the duration of the programme
Sexual Conviction Record Check
Must pass a Sexual Conviction Record Check prior to starting placement
Education
Undergraduate degree, or equivalent, in any subject, with a 2nd class honours or above.
Mental health or health-related study (e.g., psychology, social work, education, public health etc.) is preferred but not a must.
Language ability
Bilingual, fluent in Cantonese AND English or Mandarin AND English
(Training will be delivered in English, but practitioners must be bilingual for service delivery.)
Values and attitudes
Caring, compassionate, person-centred, reflective, willingness to take in feedback and learn from experiences, responsible, non judgemental.
Commitment
Training:
Complete all e-learning content.
Must attend at least 90% of in-person lectures (Personal leaves will be allowed but this must be discussed and approved with Mind HK beforehand)
Placement:
Must complete 120 hours of supervised direct clinical hours within the placement period (tentative: August 2025 – April 2026).
General Skills
Skills
- Excellent communication skills
- Ability to work with and show empathy towards people from diverse backgrounds and across different life stages
- Willingness to engage people experiencing mental health conditions with a non-stigmatising attitude
- Ability to build professional therapeutic relationships and adhere to codes of ethics
- Awareness of common mental health problems (e.g. depression, anxiety) and willingness to adopt a evidence-based manualized intervention protocol
- Strong community awareness and wish to challenge stigma around mental health
- Clear understanding of important clinical ethics such as confidentiality and boundaries
- Basic IT skills: using Google Workspace, Zoom, etc.
Role of wellbeing practitioners
- Lead workshop/ engagement activities to increase invisibility of the intervention
- Conduct one-on-one session using a manualised intervention with adults aged 18-65
- Ability to apply training to practise with flexibility and integrity in clinical settings
- Ability to work independently, while also closely with a clinical supervisor
- Commitment to thorough documentations in a timely and professional manner
- Commitment to adhere to professional clinical governance procedures, including regular database management and clinical supervision
- Understand the importance of research to promote evidence based practices
Experience
- A minimum of 2 years of post-graduation work experience: Work or volunteering experience in a physical or mental health related settings is desirable
Key Information :
Application dates:
The application of 2025/2026 cohort is now closed. If you are interested in this program, please send an email to [email protected] .
Applicants who pass the first round of screening will be invited to interviews in January 2025
Tuition fees:
All tuition fees for 2025/2026 have been kindly covered by our programme sponsor, MINDSET. However, an upfront deposit of HKD 6,000 is required when trainees accept their place on the programme. The deposit will only be returned to trainees in full, upon completion of the training block AND the placement period.
Training platforms/venues:
Self-study content: be released to successful candidates from March 2025
In-person training: be released in late April 2025
Live online lectures: Zoom
Placement details
Type: Unpaid placement
Commitment: Must complete 120 hours of supervised direct clinical hours within the placement period (tentative: August 2025 – April 2026).
Placement guide:
0-3 months
40 clinical hours AND 7-10 clients
3-6 months
40 clinical hours AND 7-10 clients
6-9 months
40 clinical hours AND 7-10 clients
If trainees fail to meet the required clinical hours, then the placement period may be extended. Alternatively, if trainees are able to meet the requirements sooner, then they may be able to finish the placement earlier (but no less than 6 months from start date).
Placement passing requirements:
Provide service for 25 clients AND complete a minimum of 120 supervised direct clinical hours between August 2025 – April 2026
Curriculum:
Core modules
- Introduction to mental health/mental health in Hong Kong
- Counselling skills
- Clinical risk assessment and management
- Introduction to Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
- Implementation of ACT-based manualised intervention
- Troubleshooting
Assessments
Role play:
- Intake assessment
- 1 randomly selected intervention session
Optional module
(Available for selected trainees only. Qualified individuals will be notified for applying for this module)
Youth intervention:
- Common mental health problems among youth
- Youth safeguarding and risk monitoring
- Youth intake assessment & intervention
- Youth engagement: Counselling skills & rapport
- Group intervention
FAQs
What is Acceptance and Commitment Therapy?
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) is a form of psychological therapy derived from the principles of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) and mindfulness. It focuses on promoting the acceptance of painful thoughts and feelings in service of living a meaningful life, through working on important goals and activities in their lives. Also, there is now increasing evidence for the effectiveness of ACT in managing a wide range of psychological difficulties.
What is manualised intervention?
Manualised interventions clearly list out steps in the intervention, allowing practitioners to easily follow them to provide therapy. Standardised interventions are particularly important for providing effective, low intensity interventions.
Practitioners work through a standardised, step-by-step treatment procedure with each client, and depending on the clients needs, they will guide them through different concepts and exercises in the modules.
Although the intervention procedure is mostly standardised, practitioners will work flexibly with clients to address individual presenting problems and unique characteristics.
Will trainees from NGO/clinics/university counselling centre backgrounds be able to conduct the placement at their existing organisation?
Yes. Trainees will be able to conduct their placements at their employment organisations providing their organisations are participating in the programme and are supportive of this initiative. Please discuss this with team members from Mind HK to confirm this arrangement. Independent trainees without association to any organisations will be assigned to host organisations by Mind HK.initiative. Please discuss this with team members from Mind HK to confirm this arrangement. Independent trainees without association to any organisations will be assigned to host organisations by Mind HK.
Will trainees be able to arrange their own placements?
Yes. Trainees who are able to arrange their own placements will be given priority consideration for this programme. However, all placement arrangements must be reviewed and approved by the Mind HK team to ensure suitability. Typical host organisations for placement often include NGOs, clinics, community organisations, universities, colleges etc.
How will trainees be assessed?
Trainees will undergo an assessment at the end of the initial teaching block. They will lead a practice session with a trainer to assess their skills and knowledge. The session will be recorded and reviewed by two assessors to verify that they have reached the required standard to commence their placements.
Supervisors will monitor trainees’ development throughout the placement to ensure that they are meeting the required level of competency to pass the training course at the end of the placement.
Do I need a counselling or mental health degree to apply for this course?
You are not required to have a counselling or related background to apply for the programme. It would be desirable for you to have basic knowledge on mental health, and for you to share this in your application.