The Project P.A.T.H.S. in Hong Kong: Development, Training, Implementation, and Evaluation

Abstract

We review, a multi-year positive youth development program entitled “P.A.T.H.S. to Adulthood: A Jockey Club Youth Enhancement Scheme” (Project P.A.T.H.S.), which was initiated and funded by The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust with the involvement of 5 universities in Hong Kong, is described. The Research Team developed curricula-based positive youth development programs for junior secondary school students (20 hours per grade) and designed training programs for the potential program implementers (20 hours per grade). Roughly half of the secondary schools and more than 200,000 students in Hong Kong joined the program. Multiple evaluation strategies including objective outcome evaluation, subjective outcome evaluation, secondary data analyses, process evaluation, interim evaluation, qualitative evaluation based on focus groups, student weekly diaries, case studies, and repertory grid method were employed. Existing evaluation findings revealed that different stakeholders had positive perceptions of the program, workers, and benefits of the program. Results also showed that the program was effective in promoting holistic positive youth development and reducing risk behavior in Chinese adolescents in Hong Kong.