A Learning System
A learning system that helps people to expand their repertoire of strategies and skills through systematic learning so that they become more effective in meeting their own needs and achieving their goals in life (read more).
What's New
Ka Tat Tsang will be presenting on SSLD and Cross-Cultural Psychotherapy in Seoul in September. The paper will be published both in English and Korean. Special thanks to Hanna Kim for her help in preparing the manuscript.
SSLD and Happy Community? The application of SSLD to community work will be taken further with a request to address the issue at the International Conference on Mental Health in Bangkok in August, as well as consultation with community workers involved post-earthquake redevelopment in Sichuan. SSLD will be in New Zealand in August. A lecture tour will bring the system to mental health practitioners, settlement workers, as well as problem gambling counsellors in Auckland, Christchurch, and Queenstown.
Look Out for the Book on SSLD! Ka Tat Tsang has finished writing a complete draft for the first comprehensive text on SSLD. The working title is: Social Skills Training and Beyond: Learning to Change Lives through SSLD. He is now looking for a publisher. The book is expected to come out later in 2010 or early 2011. Arrangement is currently being made to have the manuscript translated into Chinese.
Ka Tat Tsang and Linus Ip are now working with a group of parents in Toronto with children who have been diagnosed with Autism or Autistic Spectrum Order. The objective is to develop a program that will help both the parents and their children to develop strategies and skills that will enhance the children’s capacity for social learning.
After completion of three modules based on SSLD principles, Ka Tat Tsang is working with graduates of the Certificate Program on Settlement Practice (offered by the University of Toronto as a continuing education program) to develop a handbook on settlement practice. Sophia Kim, Theresa Peng, and Jane Wu will be assisting Ka Tat Tsang in developing the handbook.
On, July 9, 2010, Ka Tat Tsang delivered a keynote lecture on SSLD and Cross-Cultural Mental Health at the Annual Professional Development Program of the Chinese Mental Health Network of Toronto. A SSLD Basic Level Training was offered at the University of Toronto in early June, the participants will continue to explore SSLD application in a study group, which will meet regularly.
A SSLD Basic Level Training was offered at the University of Toronto in early June, the participants will continue to explore SSLD application in a study group, which will meet regularly.
A SSLD Couples Workshop was delivered at the Social Work Practice Centre at the Chinese University of Hong Kong over the first weekend in June. Eight couples participated, and we are all very impressed with both the process and the outcome. Strong signs of positive change were observed at follow up (3-4 weeks post-program). Cecilia Cheung Man Sze, Johanna Jen, Cheung Ka Wan, and Linus Ip were the co-leaders.
In May, over 40 social workers of the Hong Kong Christian Service took a training program on SSLD as applied to addiction. The group showed strong interest to continue learning and development. Follow-up programs are currently being planned.
Ka Tat Tsang is developing a SSLD program for addiction, covering both substance use and internet. Professor Lin Fang, also at the Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work, will join the R&D work, focusing on outcome evaluation.
An online Global Network for SSLD practitioners has been set up as a Facebook Group. A Chinese network has also been set up as a blog for colleagues who can read/write Chinese. These platforms will allow members to share their experience and insights regarding the application of SSLD.
Ka Tat Tsang gave a lecture on SSLD in Shenzhen on December 20, 2009 at the Tengxing Social Service Centre, followed by a mini-workshop on dating. The workshop was very well-received, and good words have travelled to different parts of the country. Upon returning to Canada, Ka Tat Tsang worked with Mark Sy and Steve Shi to put on dating workshops for different groups of young people in Toronto. Now we have people showing interest in dating workshops for older people.
In December, 2009 Ka Tat Tsang conducted a 3-day SSLD workshop for social workers at the Hong Kong Christian Service, which was among the first organizations in Hong Kong to apply the earlier version of SST to their PS33 program for young people with substance use problems.
Ka Tat Tsang conducted a workshop on PHS (Proactive Health Strategies), based on SSLD principles,to a group of health and mental health professionals on December 6, 2009.The social workers, psychologists, doctors, and counselors who attended have found SSLD very helpful, and many of them have already signed up as members of the Global Network.
An intensive training program on Counseling and Social Skills Development was offered to settlement service practitioners in Toronto in November 2009. The two-day training is part of the Certificate Program in Settlement Practice offered by the Continuing Education Department of the Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work, University of Toronto.
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 Tsoi, 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.
Look Out for the Book on SSLD! Ka Tat Tsang has finished writing a complete draft for the first comprehensive text on SSLD. The working title is: Social Skills Training and Beyond: Learning to Change Lives through SSLD. He is now looking for a publisher. The book is expected to come out in 2010. Arrangement is currently being made to have the manuscript translated into Chinese.
For those who are serious about mastering the SSLD practice system, there is now an opportunity to go through a systemtic and thorough training. The Oshawa Psychotherapy Training Institute (OPTI) is offering a comprehensive program, complete with theory and practice modules, as well as supervision and case conferences.
Ka Tat Tsang is developing a SSLD program for addiction, covering both substance use and internet. Professor Lin Fang, also at the Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work, will join the R&D work, focusing on outcome evaluation.
An online Global Network for SSLD practitioners has been set up as a Facebook Group. A Chinese network has also been set up as a blog for colleagues who can read/write Chinese. These platforms will allow members to share their experience and insights regarding the application of SSLD.
Ka Tat Tsang gave a lecture on SSLD in Shenzhen on December 20, 2009 at the Tengxing Social Service Centre, followed by a mini-workshop on dating. The workshop was very well-received, and good words have travelled to different parts of the country. Upon returning to Canada, Ka Tat Tsang worked with Mark Sy and Steve Shi to put on dating workshops for different groups of young people in Toronto. Now we have people showing interest in dating workshops for older people.
In December, 2009 Ka Tat Tsang conducted a 3-day SSLD workshop for social workers at the Hong Kong Christian Service, which was among the first organizations in Hong Kong to apply the earlier version of SST to their PS33 program for young people with substance use problems.
Ka Tat Tsang conducted a workshop on PHS (Proactive Health Strategies), based on SSLD principles,to a group of health and mental health professionals on December 6, 2009.The social workers, psychologists, doctors, and counselors who attended have found SSLD very helpful, and many of them have already signed up as members of the Global Network
An intensive training program on Counseling and Social Skills Development was offered to settlement service practitioners in Toronto in November 2009. The two-day training is part of the Certificate Program in Settlement Practice offered by the Continuing Education Department of the Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work, University of Toronto.
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 Tsoi, 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.