Education and Training 

 Many in our community still believe in the following misconceptions:  

• Epilepsy is contagious.
• Epilepsy means ‘you are crazy’.
• Epilepsy only affects people with lower intelligence.
• During a seizure you should restrain the person and /or put a wooden spoon in the person’s mouth.

What We Do?

Through our Bi-lingual Community Education and Training Programmes, we aim to improve the knowledge and understanding of epilepsy; to eliminate the stigma that surrounds epilepsy in today’s society; to work with people of all ages to help change the perceptions and encourage people to talk openly about it.

How We Do It?

We run regular interactive sessions and training programmes that provide:

• Up-to-date epilepsy information to eliminate the stigma
• Dispel myths with facts
• Demonstrate first aid to help a person with a seizure
• Help eradicate the fear associated with seeing a seizure

	Primary school Epilepsy Training "Sunflower Primary Schools Epilepsy Education Programme"
	Secondary Schools Epilepsy Training "CARE about Epilepsy" Secondary Schools Epilepsy Programme

For Whom Do We Do It?

Everybody!!!

Through our programmes we constanly aim and work towards running special tailor-made sessions to meet the needs of our various target audiences including:

Schools

Corporate

Government organizations

Public sessions for the general public

Carers of people affected by epilepsy and others.

Community Support & Welfare

What We Do?

Through our bi-lingual Community Support and Welfare Programmes we  provide one-on-one consultations to help people directly or indirectly affected by epilepsy to understand more about epilepsy.  What should they expect? What questions should they ask the doctor ? How to prepare?  How best to manage symptoms or side effects?

We support our beneficiaries and their families by providing up-to-date information regarding epilepsy, offering practical help and professional advice on issues concerning epilepsy, providing emotional support to people affected by epilepsy and helping them lead an active life, providing information on community resources, and empowering people living with epilepsy.

Our support group has a network of members, who are directly or indirectly affected by epilepsy.  They provide encouragement, information and support on a more personal level.

The ultimate aim of this programme is to improve the quality of life of those individuals with and affected by epilepsy.

How We Do It?

• We provide counselling and support to people with epilepsy, some of whom are on long-term support.
• Our hotline is confidential and our social worker is always there lend an ear to anyone affected by epilepsy.
• We organise activities like Family Days, Support Network etc to support the children and youth affected by epilepsy, their parents and carers.
• We plan to expand the services provided by including tailor-made programmes geared towards teenagers, adults, women and seniors.
• Our Hospital project is a  community-based outreach programme that provides  direct support and advice to families affected by epilepsy. 

For Whom Do We Do It?

We lend an ear and hold the hand of anybody directly or indirectly affected by epilepsy. Many of those affected need the assistance, but often do not receive it or cannot afford it.  Indeed many do not even ask for it as they fear being discriminated against.

Enlighten will be expanding its services to be more audience specific: youth, adults, women, and senior focused.

Click here to read  "Enlighten's True Stories"  and how we have made a difference!!!

Epilepsy Awareness

Those who are affected by epilepsy in Hong Kong are forced to live in silence as many are discriminated against professionally and socially. 

Stigma, job loss, lack of family support, physical violence, isolation, misunderstanding and fear are just some of the experiences encountered by people affected by epilepsy.  Most of the general public are not aware of what they should do when they witness someone having a seizure.   This misunderstanding and misinformation have led to unnecessary injuries, traumatic experiences and job loss for those affected with epilepsy.

The stigma attached to epilepsy is extremely strong in this part of the world and the strong belief that Epilepsy is a contagious mental illness leads to huge discrimination in the society. 

What We Do?

Through our Community Epilepsy Awareness Programmes we aim to:

• To reduce stigma, public discrimination
• To dispel the many myths with the facts
• To encourage empathy, respect and understanding towards those affected by epilepsy.
• To increase public knowledge about epilepsy
• To promote equal opportunity and equality in the workplace
• To encourage people affected by epilepsy to stand up and have a voice

How We Do It?

Enlighten understands that people with epilepsy are forced to live in silence as many are discriminated against, professionally and socially. Enlighten has launched the  Helping Other People with Epilepsy (HOPE) Campaign, drawing on the experiences of those with this condition to bring about a positive change in the community. We aim to do this  by getting those living with epilepsy to Stand Up and Be Counted, going through a series of training workshops and providing them with speaking opportunities so that they can use their experiences to change public opinions about this condition.  For more information on HOPE, click here.

We also work hard to capitalize on every opportunity that helps us reach out to various sectors of the Hong Kong community.

Our programmes include: 

• Working with different property estates and management offices to setup epilepsy awareness booths in a number of shopping centres and housing estates across Hong Kong. These booths provide epilepsy information including first aid management of seizures and our staff share information and case studies to raise epilepsy awareness.
• Participation in fairs, bazaars and public exhibitions raise epilepsy awareness in a very casual environment and the charity sale booths help promote Enlighten and its causes. The public exhibitions display epilepsy information and photographs that draw public attention.
• Development of media campaigns across the city to promote Enlighten and encourage the public to get involved and make a difference!
• Engagement with local press
• Developing our corporate relationships

For Whom Do We Do It?

The Hong Kong Community!

Proposed Projects

We at Enlighten-Action for Epilepsy are hoping to raise epilepsy awareness across every section of the Hong Kong community. We would like to improve the quality of life of every person in Hong Kong who is directly or indirectly affected by epilepsy. We would like to ensure no child or adult in Hong Kong will have to face any discrimination due to their epilepsy.  We can do so only by raising epilepsy awareness and we need to embark on further programmes to make an impact.

We are looking for funding for the following programmes and please contact Ms. Ada Wong T: 2820 0111 or E: ada.wong@enlightenhk.org for more information, should you be interested.  Your support will help make an Impact!!!

Corporate Training Programme

Enlighten has heard the need for awareness to be built inside the workplace to address issues related to equal opportunities and working with people with epilepsy. 

We are working towards developing a brand-new programme targeting HR Professionals and Line Managers who may need to handle issues related to employment of people with epilepsy.

Corporate Training Publication

As part of the launch of the Corporate Training Programme, Enlighten would also like to put together an “Epilepsy Guide for the Workplace” publication to be of help to companies so that they can better address the issues related to employment of people with epilepsy.

Government Training Programme

Enlighten also understands that our voices have not fully reached the civil service sector.  We would like to make sure that this important sector also has the knowledge and hope they will be another catalyst to further advocate the change society towards epilepsy.

This  programme hopes to target government departments with the aim to educate the employees on epilepsy and provide knowledge on dealing with seizures.