CanChat: A Cantonese Empathetic Chatbot for Secondary School Student Counseling

This study introduces an innovative Cantonese chatbot, CanChat, which is designed to enhance secondary counseling services in Hong Kong. CanChat aims to offer personalized conversations and supports to students grappling with academic and familial challenges. By engaging with students before direct interaction with school counselors, the chatbot streamlines the counseling process, enabling counselors to allocate more time to critical issues. Furthermore, CanChat supplies mental health-related information and guidance, empowering students to regulate their emotions effectively. Its integrated alert system also facilitates timely intervention by social workers when necessary. By addressing the emotional well-being of students, particularly in light of the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, CanChat seeks to create an accessible and stigma-free support system for Hong Kong’s youth. By offering assistance beyond traditional face-to-face counseling methods, this paper is expected to aspire and foster a renewed sense of confidence and comfort in discussing mental health initiatives for teenagers in Hong Kong.