Development, implementation and evaluation of a holistic positive youth development program: Project P.A.T.H.S. in Hong Kong

To promote holistic development among adolescents in Hong Kong, The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust initiated a multi-year universal positive youth development program entitled Project P.A.T.H.S. Besides developing Chinese and English curricula for Secondary 1 to Secondary 3 students, training programs for the program implementers teaching Secondary 1 to Secondary 3 programs were designed. For the evaluation of the program, objective outcome evaluation, subjective outcome evaluation, secondary data analyses, process evaluation, interim evaluation, and qualitative evaluation based on focus groups, student weekly diaries and case studies were used. Based on these strategies, existing research findings generally revealed that different stakeholders had positive perceptions of the program and workers, as well as perceived benefits of the program, and that the program was effective in promoting holistic positive youth development among Chinese adolescents in Hong Kong.