Ernest hopes to close crucial gaps in Hong Kong’s mental health infrastructure. He aims to network and learn from mentors through the Fellowship. His goal is to normalize talking about mental health and make mental health care services more accessible.

Ernest’s social justice journey seamlessly intertwines mental health with educational equity. As a mental health practitioner and simultaneously in recovery himself, his unique perspective is informed by his psychology and sociology training in Canada and experiences working as a Fellow at Teach for Hong Kong. Through these experiences he identified how injustice and inequity not only harms specific communities, but also inhibits prosperity on a broader scale. Now, working as a clinical psychologist at the Hong Kong Federation of Youth Groups, an associate lecturer at Hong Kong Metropolitan University, and a director on the executive board of Teach For Hong Kong, his work is focused on improving health and learning outcomes among members of marginalized communities.

As an alumnus and board member of Teach For Hong Kong, he is involved in recruiting diverse talents to enrich underprivileged students’ learning experience, both inside and outside of classrooms, with the ultimate objective of nurturing a community of proactive leaders to bring about systemic change. Additionally, as Honorary Secretary of the Hong Kong Psychological Society, Division of Clinical Psychology, he helps guide the standard of practice and teaching of Clinical Psychology in Hong Kong and disseminates knowledge to empower members of the public to strive for greater wellbeing. In his role as an advisor of Heart to Heart, he promotes and destigmatizes mental health.

Ernest believes that the mental healthcare infrastructure of Hong Kong needs improvement: from long waiting times to high private fees, a number of barriers make accessing holistic mental healthcare a challenge particularly for vulnerable members of society. Through the Fellowship, he hopes to connect with a group of diverse yet equally passionate individuals to learn from each other and collaborate. He also aims to sharpen his skills through Resolve’s workshop and mentorship opportunities.

He spends his free time catching up on sleep, leisure reading, self care and dabbling in analog photography.