HKBU Office of Student Affairs: Service-Learning Showcase 2016-2017

Service-Learning Shotcase 2016-2017

Office of Student Affairs Hong Kong Baptist University

Index

Feature Story Unexpectedmlife, p.10 Unexpectedmhappiness Servingmhelpsmmem rediscovermmymdream

p.24

Happinessmismsimple

p.38

Nevermtoomearly

p.52

Foreword 2 About Office of Student Affairs and Leadership Qualities Centre 4 Service-Learning: Love, Learn, Act 5 Statistics of Service-Learning Programmes 2016-17 6 Programme Highlights 2016-17 • Change-Makers Programme • Service-Learning Global unternship Programme • Paint the Future — Nepal Service Trip • Project M.A.u.L. • Love Mission @ Myanmar • Hubei Elderly Service Trip • Freshman Experience Programme — Community Explorer • University YMCA® (HKBU) Global Vision Programme — Wanderer • University YMCA® (HKBU) Social Concern Programme — KidDeJoy • unterdisciplinary General Education (uGE) Course — Paths to Service Leadership in Health Services (GDSC/GDAR1887) • EQ Express (EQE) — Psychological Service Trip • Other Service-Learning Programmes

8 10 16 20 24 30 34 38 44 48 52 58 62

Acknowledgement 66 Contact Us 68

2

Service-Learning is a form of co-curricular learning that complements students’ academic studies with community service. Martin Luther King Jr. once said, “Everybody can be great because everybody can serve.” Indeed, no matter how well you fare in your studies or New Year’s resolutions so far, surely you would become great by serving others – something that everybody can do. In doing so, you would also likely draw on insights from your experiences to help optimise different aspects of your life, including your studies and relationships, and help follow through on your resolutions. The Office of Student Affairs has organised various programmes designed to expose student participants to real community needs through innovative approaches and thoughtfully planned activities. Hands-on activities in partnership with non-profit organisations and schools allowed the student volunteers to make an impact on global communities and establish meaningful connections.

In this booklet, you will find highlights of these programmes, including their objectives, key activities, photo galleries and participants’ reflections on their experiences. There is no doubt that the best way to learn practical leadership skills and about global cultures is by getting involved, rather than just seeing what other students have done.

I am delighted to see that in the 2016-17 academic year, nearly 900 students engaged themselves in various worthwhile local and international programmes packed with cultural and service elements that helped foster civic responsibility and cross-cultural understanding. These programmes also enabled volunteers to have the time to reflect on the service experience. We encourage all of you to share and pass on the spirit of service. Always remember that “it is more blessed to give than to receive”. Never underestimate your power to cause a change, as your thoughtfulness, commitment and acts of service will certainly play a part in the betterment of the world.

Finally, we are most grateful for the support of our long-term partners, Wofoo Leaders’ Network and Chinese YMCA of Hong Kong, as well as that of our colleagues and every participating student, without which our programmes would not have been possible. We look forward to yet another exciting year of purposeful global experiences for our students to shine and flourish as they continue to serve actively and make a positive difference to the communities they serve.

4

About Office of Student Affairs The Office of Student Affairs seeks to foster the holistic development of all HKBU students, including their character and competence, through the provision of quality services and development of co-curricular programmes covering leadership training, counselling and mental health enhancement, as well as career advice and preparation among others.

By engaging students in U-Life/Campus-Life and Hall-Life activities and functions, the Office aims to cultivate a caring, respectful and stimulating learning environment on campus.

About Leadership Qualities Centre As part of the Office of Student Affairs, Leadership Qualities Centre (LQC) aims to empower HKBU students to become committed global and local citizens who assume active roles in facing and resolving global challenges and contribute proactively to local communities. This aim is in line with the mission of the University to provide a higher education that develops and sustains the integrity of the whole person and with its values of strong commitment to both academic excellence and community service.

Service-Learning: Love, Learn, Act In an era of globalisation and greater global interdependence, one of the increasingly crucial missions for members of the University is to examine global issues affecting our lives, students’ lives and the society.

LOVE -

Our President Professor Roland Chin has been taking pride in the fact that “care and compassion are HKBU’s core DNA”. The HKBU family is known for the compassionate and caring nature of its members – from staff to students and alumni who genuinely care for the well-being of society and eagerly contribute to the betterment of the world.

LEARN -

Service-Learning is a learning process as it educates students, challenging them to apply concepts and principles taught in class to other experiences and to use experiential insights critically and creatively in their academic learning. Additionally, it fosters students’ academic and personal growth, as well as their understanding of different global issues affecting the lives of the underprivileged.

ACT -

Service-Learning is a service process as it benefits others for sure, making education a collaborative effort where students benefit the community by exercising both their rights and responsibilities of citizenship.

In its role as an educator, the Office of Student Affairs develops Service-Learning activities to foster a sense of community engagement in our students and encourage them to serve the society and the needy, not just locally but globally.

6

Statistics of Service-Learning Programmes 2016-17

848 Participants

8,144 BeneďŹ ciaries

10,699 Service Hours

Programme Locajions

Shaoguan, China Hubei, China

Berlin, Germany

Beijing, China Dhading Bensi, Nepal New Delhi, India Kengjung/ Lashio/ Mandalay, Myanmar

Tokyo, Japan Jiangxi, China Taipei/ Taichung/ Yilan/ Kaohsiung, Taiwan Hong Kong, China Yangjiang, China

Bangalore, India

Yangon, Myanmar Mae Soj, Thailand Kok Payom, Thailand

8

Programme Highlights 2016-17

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

Jan

Feb Change-Makers Programme

Paint the Future – Nepal Service Trip

Hubei Elderly Service Trip Freshman Experience Programme – Community Explorer University YMCA® (HKBU) Global Vision Programme — Wanderer University YMCA® (HKBU) Social Concern Programme — KidDeJoy IGE Course – Paths to Service Leadership in Health Services EQ Express (EQE) — Psychological Service Trip

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Service-Learning Global Internship Programme

Project M.A.I.L. Love Mission @ Myanmar

Aug

ers e-Mak Chang mme Progra

10

Feature Story Wong Po Man (Year 3, English Language & Literature and English Language Teaching) Participant of Change-Makers Programme

Life is fragile by nature yet strong by nurture.

This programme provided us with ample opportunities to understand and interact with people with disabilities. The stories of the disabled have been motivating. Every one of them has all the reasons to live a passive life, but none of them are doing so. Persistence and optimism not only helped to pull them through difficult times but also helped their family and friends through sorrow. The disabled fight with their defects every day, making them heroes

and heroines. At the same time, their family and friends supporting them should also be commended for their love and caregiving. As the storyteller of their own stories, they were calm and at ease. The words from their mouths moved us more than any Oscar-winning film or must-read item. These stories were so real and close to us that it was easy to put ourselves in their shoes. Overcoming unanticipated enormous difficulties leads to unexpected joy and peace in life.

"Life is like a box of chocolates.

You'll never know what you're gonna get next."

(Adapted from Forrest Gump)

While developing and implementing advocacy initiatives, we tried to reconcile ideals with reality. Little things with a big impact are hard to find. Eventually, we came up with the idea of developing braille menus for HKBU’s food and beverage outlets. Expectations are everywhere, as well as in our advocacy. Works are still underway, and we do not know the outcome yet. Nevertheless, with our persistence and optimism, we are looking forward to eliminating barriers within HKBU and across Hong Kong.

From my point of view, regardless of the success of the idea, I have learnt that the most ‘barrierfree’ place of all should be our mentality where there should be no discrimination but inclusion, no sympathy but empathy and no mercy but a warm helping hand. It is only then that we can make our planet a lovelier place.

Life is like a box of chocolates. You’ll never know what you’re gonna get next. At the very least, it is sweet.

ers e-Mak Chang mme Progra

16 12

Oct 2016 – May 2017 Berlin, Germany With the motto “Global Vision, Local Action”, Change-Makers Programme (CMP) aims to nurture participants into responsible global citizens who care about the world around them. The programme consists of (a) training sessions, (b) an overseas field trip and (c) post-trip advocacy activities. Students are required to carry out creative action plans with the objective of making some changes to address a particular issue. Additionally, they are expected to become agents of social change for a better world for humanity through a series of research and experiential learning activities. The global issue selected for study in the 2016-17 academic year was “We Care & Love. Make Changes for Social Inclusion”.

Learning/Training Activities

2 Overseas Field Trip

1 Training Sessions Eight training sessions, including workshops and a day trip with the visually impaired, were organised before the overseas field trip to increase students’ understanding of social inclusion.

During the 11-day trip to Berlin, the winner of the “2013 Access City Award for Disabledfriendly Cities” in January 2017, students visited the EU, NGOs, universities, the visually impaired and other parties to learn about Germany’s barrierfree facilities and policies. The students also engaged in selfinitiated activities such as street interviews to gain unique local experience.

3 Advocacy Activity 1: Braille Menu Launch at HKBU Coffee Shop After the field trip, students reviewed the interviews and surveys conducted in centres for the visually impaired and identified the importance of a braille menu for helping such individuals read on their own. Hence, the students decided to launch braille menus in HKBU as the first step in raising awareness of social inclusion. They liaised with various parties and food and beverage outlets on campus, and with the help of USSEN and FO, HKBU Pacific Coffee will have a braille menu in the coming year to serve the disabled.

4 Advocacy Activity 2: Awareness Day on Campus A ceremony was held in HKBU in April 2017 to announce the launch of the braille menu and promote social inclusion. The ceremony started with performance art followed by a music performance

by Molecular Mind, a local band comprising both visually impaired and normally sighted individuals. Studentdesigned postcards and cookies made by the visually impaired were also distributed to people on campus to raise awareness of social inclusion.

ers e-Mak Chang mme Progra

14 16

Ex

plo r

in gt

he c

om

m un

ity

in

aw

he elc h . air

Lee Chun Ying (Year 3, Creative and Professional Writing) We learnt to appreciate people’s differences and understand the real needs of the disabled by having a short interview with Ms Kerstin Gaedicke who is visually impaired. She has a positive attitude to overcoming difficulties in her life. We had a great time there!

Participants’ Reflection

Qiu Zhiyu (Year 3, Information Systems and e-Business Management) Lyu Yiting (Year 4, English Language and Literature) “Experience the city in darkness” – I guess this was the best selfinitiated experiential activity we had in Berlin. For the first time, we explored the city by the senses of temperature, smell and hearing rather than the so-called ‘sightseeing’. It certainly gave us a more directly perceived feeling as volunteers helping those suffering from visual impairments.

In this programme, we were trying our best to bring advocacy initiatives to the local community.

During the process, I realised that the most compelling ideas and actions come from the environment to which we are exposed. When I tried my best to feel the life of the visually impaired, they encouraged and inspired me with their bravery, and I learnt not to place ‘dis’ in people’s ability.

T e st ory of M

sK erst

in G

ae d i

Disability does not stop us from enjoying the beauty of Berlin, the winner of the “2013 Access City Award for Disabled-friendly Cities”.

cke, a visu . ally im a lot paired lect urer, impresses us

We invited some foreigners to translate the sentence “Blind people can really see the true beauty” into their own languages in Berlin. This activity impressed me pretty much. Although we did not speak the same language, there was no barrier to caring for people with disabilities.

From this experience, I have also realised that the issue is in fact a worldwide one. Countries should work together to tackle discrimination towards the disabled.

Man Chi Hang (Year 4, Chemistry)

It was a golden opportunity to have Ms Hermann introduce us to Berlin’s barrier-free facilities from an urban planning perspective. Her lecture has not only provided us with a new direction to observe the city but also reviewed the details that we neglected before. It was a brief but meaningful talk for the field trip.

Wong Po Man (Year 3, English Language & Literature and English Language Teaching)

Highlight As an advocator, Change-Makers successfully launched a braille menu at HKBU Pacific Coffee. The students hope that this is the first small step towards creating a more inclusive society.

Watch the promotional video to learn more about their advocacy initiatives:

For other information, please visit them on Facebook:

Nowadays, it is easy for us to stereotype certain groups of people, especially those with disabilities. We thought they are lacking some physical abilities, but what they can do is beyond our imagination. We invited Molecular Mind, a visually impaired band to perform during the ceremony. Their performance proved that they can do everything. This has changed my point of view towards the disabled and hopefully yours as well. “Disability, this is ability”!

Lai Wing Lam (Year 2, Social Work)

A braille menu to be launched at the coffee shop in HKBU as a post-trip advocacy initiative.

ing -Learn Service Internship l a b lo G mme Progra

16

Mar – Aug 2017 Mainland China, India, Japan, Myanmar, Taiwan and Thailand Service-Learning Global Internship Programme (SLGIP) provides opportunities for students to undertake summer internships with nongovernmental organisations (NGO) and social enterprises worldwide.

These internships, lasting four to seven weeks, may involve teaching, health education and outreach, community development, environmental projects, business development, tourism, construction or a variety of other activities.

The aim is to broaden students’ perspectives on societal and global issues by enhancing their reflective ability and awareness through active, hands-on involvement and immersion experience in working side-by-side with local community members.

Community Partners in 2016-17 Organisation

Nature of Service

Destination

Duration

Arakawa Council of Social Welfare

Parent-children centre, toy education

Tokyo, Japan

4 weeks

Build A Music School

Music teaching in orphanage

Kengtung, Myanmar

4 weeks

Centre for Social Action, Christ University

Community, children’s rights, youth projects for deprived groups and communities

Bangalore, India

4 weeks

Child Friendly Movement

Children’s rights and education, NGO development and planning, website management

New Delhi, India

4 weeks

Insein Grace Haven Children Home

Children’s home

Yangon, Myanmar

4 weeks

Nan’ao Natural Farm

Natural farming and hostel

Yilan, Taiwan

4 weeks

Science and Technology Training Centre

Building of classrooms and playground for migrant schools

Mae Sot, Thailand

4 weeks

Beijing Hong Dan Dan Educational and Cultural Exchanging Centre

Service to the visually impaired

Beijing, China

6 weeks

Sheng Hui Foundation for Children

Service to hearingimpaired children and their parents

Taichung, Taiwan

6 weeks

Co-life Home

Service to the homeless and underprivileged

Kaohsiung, Taiwan

7 weeks

Kuo-Kuang Elementary School

Homework tutorial for primary school students, event planning

New Taipei City, Taiwan

7 weeks

Taiwan Toy Library Association

Toy library, parentchildren centre, toy education

New Taipei City, Taiwan

7 weeks

New Taipei City Banqiaohaishan Day Care Centere

Service to the elderly

New Taipei City, Taiwan

7 weeks

New Taipei City Volunteer Association

Service to vulnerable groups in the community (e.g. the elderly and homeless)

New Taipei City, Taiwan

7 weeks

ing -Learn Service Internship l a b lo G mme Progra

18

Participants’ Reflection

Lui Lok Yin (Year 5, Translation) (Arakawa Council of Social Welfare)

Lui Cheuk Nok (Year 2, Visual Arts) (Taiwan Toy Library Association) After undertaking an internship with Taiwan Toy Library Association, my mindset regarding toys has changed from ‘should buy’ to ‘should not buy’. During the internship, our team had been clearing up huge numbers of toys that were such a waste.

For example, many toys and dolls at McDonald’s. People play with them only once and then throw them away.

Toys are not a necessity but something we should think twice about before buying.

We had the chance to visit a rehabilitation facility for the elderly and participate in a seminar about single mother support network. From these two activities organised by the toy library for us to know more about the issues facing the community, I have learnt that the government is working hard with the people to strengthen the family support network so as to make the district a better place to live. Japan provides national health insurance, unlike Hong Kong where we have to depend more on non-governmental organisations for family support service due to the lack of government-funded health insurance. NGOs in Japan cooperate closely with the government to support people’s livelihood. Even though we cannot develop an insurance system in the short term, we can come up with a scheme for smooth cooperation between the government and NGOs without bottlenecks, in the hope of improving the lives of people in Hong Kong.

Tsang Yee Man (Year 2, Geography) (New Taipei City Volunteer Association) The seven-week internship in Taiwan has increased my understanding of social services a lot. I had opportunities to serve different groups of people, including the elderly, women and vagrants.

Serving the vagrants was the most profoundly memorable experience to me. Before I met them, I thought they were a group of lazy and dirty people. However, after chatting with them and listening to their stories, I realised most of them have work of their own but cannot afford to rent a house with too low a salary. Fortunately, there are some good institutions in Taiwan to help them. These organisations help them to find jobs and rent houses. Moreover, I have learnt the importance of family from the stories of the vagrants. Family supports you when you encounter difficulties and provides you with a ‘home’.

Li Jess (Year 2, Music) (Build A Music School)

Chan Hing Ning (Year 4, Social Work) (Co-life Home) What’s most memorable about our experience at Colife Home was love without difference and confirmation of personal ability.

A typical example is Lu Yue (盧月婆婆), a 70-year-old lady who burns wood and paper boards every day. The job might seem simple to us but is difficult for Lu as she suffered two strokes in her lifetime. However, God’s love brings her to Co-life Home and makes her valuable there.

While serving as music teachers at Build A Music School (B.A.M.S), we were so amazed by our students’ hard work and perseverance.

Waking up real early in the morning and starting the class at 6:30 am, none of our students was lazy – they were highly focused in class and willing to learn. No matter how many times they failed to achieve the goal of playing the rhythm correctly, they kept trying. They reminded us of a famous quote: “You never know how close you are... Never give up on your dreams!”

Sometimes we forget that it only takes time to succeed.

Life might be hard, and it does take a lot of time and practice to be a good musician, but as long as we keep trying and hang in there, we are still moving forward.

We are all blessed, and we hope we could leverage our expertise to help others and be a blessing to them.

Heung Yuen Ki (Year 4, Statistics and Operations Research) (Centre for Social Action, Christ University) My internship in Bangalore had an unexpected beginning. Everything there was new to me and quite different. But what I felt the same was the pure hearts of the children. I was impressed by their eagerness to learn.

They are living in such a poor place, and yet the poor environment did not bring them down but instead made them treasure what they have even more. Every time I entered the classroom, they were excited and asked, “Sister, class?”. I was so glad to hear that. If I hadn’t gone there, I would never have experienced such a touching moment.

re – e Futu Paint thService Trip l a p e N

20

Oct 2016 – Jan 2017 Dhading Bensi, Nepal Students went on a self-initiated service trip this semester to a remote location in Nepal called Future Village. They spent six days doing service work comprising voluntary teaching at three different schools, village home visits and classroom painting. It was an experience that enabled them to understand the influence of earthquakes as well as the culture and life in Nepal.

Paint the

oom lassr c a r wall fo

Learning/Training Activities

4

1 Teambuilding and Briefing Session Participants got together to form a service team. They shared with each other their service experience and expectations of the programme.

Background information on earthquakes in Nepal and the vision of the trip were also shared.

2 Service Training and Preparation Meetings Students designed the local and Nepal volunteer services.

They planned the content and format of voluntary teaching in line with the themes, namely English and the culture of different countries.

3 Local Service A local service serving South Asian girls was organised. Students specially designed thematic activities for cultural exchange purposes.

Paint the Future – Nepal Service Trip Twenty-five students were in Nepal for nine days, during which they visited Katunge Village and conducted voluntary teaching, home visits and classroom renovation. The partner organisation was Future Village.

22

Participants’ Reflection

Yang Dejia (Year 2, Financial Journalism) The most precious thing to me was the days spent in wards 4, 5 and 9 without internet access.

Those days were really peaceful, giving us plenty of time to think.

I love the time when I stayed outside the house we lived in and saw kids playing football or Sepak Takraw (a kick-volleyball game played with a woven rattan ball) until sunset. I love the harsh environment and the experience of standing on a pick-up travelling along the mountain roads at night in the dark.

Pao Pui Man (Year 4, China Studies) The biggest takeaway from the Nepal trip is that the value of material donations is incomparable with the physical connections between people.

With this in mind, I am even more resolute in continually devoting myself to voluntary service.

Lin Yanping (Year 4, Chinese Language and Literature) In Future Village, I enjoyed playing with the children, whether it was singing in the classroom, playing games outside the classroom or exercising with them. They might not be living a rich material life, but their intangible life is rich.

Money cannot buy happiness.

If we treasure what we have, we can also smile like the children.

25 stu d

re – e Futu Paint thService Trip l a p e N

ts en

dt rte sta

r hei

fr

ul j uitf

ey ourn

here

s Ta

ale

ials Purch asing the mater home visit and teaching

from

se C ultu re

Te a

tin gN ep

Teng Shuyan (Year 2, Pharmacy in Chinese Medicine) Despite having returned to Hong Kong for several days, the scenes of Future Village keep popping in my mind. One scene, in particular, is the room in which we painted the words “NEPAL=Never Ending Peace And Love� on one of the walls.

These five words will remain in my mind forever, and all my best wishes go to the people of Nepal for their kindness and spirit.

Li Pik Wa (Year 4, Physical Education and Recreation Management) The people of Nepal are happy and satisfied with their present lives. They live simple lives and are pure and true. After seeing this, it occurs to me that I am blessed and should cherish what I have now instead of complaining endlessly.

ng with local stu dents engagi and g din l i bu m

al lo c

re sto

.I.L.

t M.A Projec

24

Feature Story Chuang Hoi Kiu (Year 3, Sociology) Participant of Project M.A.I.L. Before I went on this trip, I innocently thought voluntary teaching would merely bring benefits to the kids. Out of my expectation, the children there inadvertently helped me realise the dream I gave up on two years ago.

Teaching had been my dream career since I was in primary school. However, I ended up straying from this dream after entering university. Thanks to this programme, as well as to the little kids I met at Qinglong Chijiang Primary School, I managed to rediscover my inherent teaching qualities and passion. I felt so at ease and natural while teaching in front of a class and talking to the children, even when the class I had to manage was an uncontrollable one.

I was also glad to see the impact I made on the children in just six days. There was a little boy who scored zero in all his exams.

But from the drawing he gave to me and his responses in class, I could see that his world is full of imagination. In our interactions, I discovered he is not that naughty and unwilling to listen to teachers. Therefore, I

tried to talk to him every day during recess and motivate him to learn. I was so touched when he came to me before I left and said he would work hard and visit me in Hong Kong someday. This little boy and all other kids have proven to me that a teacher still has the power to cause changes. Seeing how a teacher could make a positive impact on children was a touching experience.

More importantly, I was blessed to have my amazing teammates with me through all the ups and downs of this trip. Their support was crucial to me, especially when I doubted my ability to be the PIC of the Children’s Day event. The friendship between us was yet another surprising and valuable takeaway from this trip.

And to top it off, I will always remember how enthusiastic and recharged I was when I got on the train home. This attitude and passion will remain with me in the pursuit of my dreams in life. Project M.A.I.L. is certainly not a once-and-for-all experience for me. I am sure I will return to the town of Qinglong in Jiangxi province soon.

.I.L.

t M.A Projec

26

Hom e vis its a rran ged

to gai n

ad ee

pe ru

nd e

lo the of ing nd ta rs ca l

ilie fam s and c

ommunity.

Mar – Jun 2017 Jiangxi, China Project M.A.I.L. is a three-year bi-annual sustainable service project aiming to provide long-term support to schools and communities in mainland China and to promote their self-development. Four groups of BU-ers – Mainland Chinese students, Alumni, International and Local students (M.A.I.L.) – will cooperate in organising and undertaking direct service work such as voluntary teaching, home visits, community service, as well as social research. By bringing M.A.I.L. together, participants of different backgrounds will have opportunities to learn from each other. The first service trip was held from 20 May to 2 June 2017 in Dayu county of Jiangxi province.

Learning/Training Activities

2 1 Teambuilding Workshop and Briefing The student organising committees delivered an interactive briefing to introduce the programme and the Dayu community.

Additionally, the session included ice breakers, expectation sharing and team building activities aimed at establishing relationships between the participants.

Training and Preparation Workshops Students received training on different topics, such as classroom management, teaching skills and community map in preparation for the service trip. They also held meetings to discuss and prepare for voluntary teaching and other service work to be undertaken during the trip.

3 Pre-trip Briefing and Rehearsal A full-day rehearsal was organised as a final preparation before departure.

Other than rehearsals of the teaching and activity plans, a pretrip briefing was also given to students as a final reminder.

4 Mainland China Service Trip During the 14-day service trip to Jiangxi, students organised various kinds of social service work, including voluntary teaching, home visits, elderly home visits and activities, as well as activities for Children’s Day. They also met and discussed with university students and volunteers in mainland China to understand more about the volunteering situation there.

.I.L.

t M.A Projec

28

Participants’ Reflection

e stud nal sh class taught by o i l g n o E i n t a a n ne of our intern ely i g activ gagin n e s ent Stud

Xiao Hui (Year 1, Chinese Medicine) I miss the days of my ServiceLearning trip in Jiangxi so much. The trip was very memorable. It has helped me to recognise my strengths and weaknesses and grow a lot from them. What’s more, I have a stronger sense of belonging to HKBU after the trip. I am proud to be a BU-er.

y. oth im T , nts

Lam Kai Ying (Year 2, Human Resources Management) There was a girl who was always alone, standing away from the crowd. As it turned out, other students avoided her because of her health problem. I tried to talk to and play some simple games with her.

Unfortunately, she initially ignored me.

Nonetheless, after a few interactions, she started to talk to and play with me. It was at this moment I felt most energised, and I was touched.

Zhu Yulin (Year 2, Accounting) I have gained a lot from this programme: the pure hearts of the children, the smiling faces of the elderly, an initial understanding of the community, inspirations from teammates and great guidance from the professors and alumni. The trip has not only made me more willing to communicate with and understand others, but also made me more enthusiastic about Service-Learning.

Teaching classes with a broad range of themes, i ncluding EQ Management, Art and PE classes.

English , Grou p ph oto w

Zhong Yuting (Year 2, Finance) The trip has made me more aware of the education system in mainland China.

I reflected more on it and tried to come up with more solutions to the English education problem.

A possibility would be to build a free and comprehensive English learning platform.

ith t

he t each ers and stu

Chan Wai Yee (Year 2, Human Resources Management) This trip allowed me to meet a lot of great people from around the world showing their love and care to the underprivileged. I am glad to have had the chance to meet these fabulous people.

Thanks to them, I have got a better understanding of different cultures and now have a broader global outlook.

Alumni and international students working together in a mini carnival organised to celebrate Children’s Day in mainland China.

ijiang dents of Qinglong Ch

S ary Prim

Ren Yinong (Year 2, Applied Economics) I couldn’t imagine this Service-Learning trip without the support and hard work of all my teammates. It was my friend and teammates who gave me the courage to stand on the classroom stage. With them around, I never felt lonely during the trip.

ol. cho

ission @ Love M ar m n a y M

30

Mar – Jun 2017 Yangon, Lanshio and Mandalay, Myanmar Love Mission @ Myanmar aims to nurture participants into servant leaders.

The service trip, along with the pre-trip training sessions and a local donation drive, offers a platform for leadership training. Students are required to design and carry out a refurbishment plan for a toy library and organise a donation campaign to collect the materials needed. Apart from sharing resources from Hong Kong, this service trip seeks to provide opportunities for students to experience lives and explore the needs in developing countries, thus broadening their global outlook.

Learning/Training Activities

3 Overseas Service Trip

2 1 Training Sessions Eight training sessions were organised before the service trip to increase students’ understanding of Myanmar’s cultural background, local service organisations and the concept of a toy library.

Local Donation Campaign Before embarking on the Myanmar trip, students ran a one-month donation campaign to collect toys on and off campus. From promotion on campus and social media to contacting district council offices for offcampus promotion, the donation campaign received overwhelming responses and raised public awareness of the needs in Myanmar.

During the 11-day trip to Myanmar, students completed the refurbishment of a toy library in Lashio.

All the toys collected were placed in the toy library. Local children and teachers were given tutorials on playing educational board games and cards. Students also undertook service work at Grace Haven’s children’s homes in Yangon, Lashio and Mandalay and distributed gifts collected in Hong Kong to the local children.

Other than serving children, students conducted a sharing session with local university students to introduce Hong Kong’s culture and gain an understanding of tertiary education in Myanmar.

ission @ Love M ar m n a y M

32

Participants’ Reflection

Kwok Chiu Ming (Year 3, Chinese Language and Literature)

Fan Chin Wing (Year 1, Communication) In Hong Kong, we all have too much pressure, worries and dissatisfaction.

Our happiness comes and goes quickly. But in Myanmar, people can be full of joy for simple things, in spite of their inconveniences of life. I hope the toy library we built in Lashio would be a blessing to that place. This trip allowed me to think outside the box and see the world from an entirely different perspective.

Happiness is to be contented and thankful. As we grow up, there are more to pursue. But in the meantime, we have neglected all the little things to be cherished in our lives.

This trip has impacted me a lot. Listening to the stories of the local children was heartbreaking. These stories have led me to think about what more I could do in the future to help the children.

Li Hiu Tung (Year 1, China Studies) Whether it was giving tutorials in the toy library or chatting with the youths at Grace Haven’s children's homes, I have come to realise that children in Myanmar are so curious about the world. However, they lack the resources and opportunities to explore this world. This valuable experience enabled me to be involved personally.

Instead of making a financial donation, I cherished the time spent with the locals to understand their needs and find out more ways to truly help them.

Kwok Pui Man (Year 1, Arts)

Chan Sau Man (Year 2, History)

Chan Ho Ching (Year 3, Communication)

Happiness can be contagious.

In Myanmar, a simple smile can break the ice, regardless of the language barriers.

Moreover, while packing the toys we collected, I was shocked at the vast numbers of toys filling up an entire classroom. We are leading such a prosperous life that we easily get bored with what we have and discard them at no cost. But what we see as ‘useless’ is precisely what these children want.

It is important to think twice before buying anything and not create waste.

“What’s essential is invisible to the eye.”

Myanmar is a unique place to me. This trip is beyond my expectation. Not only have I gained an understanding of Myanmar, but the experience has also touched my heart.

The children in Myanmar are shy but pure. What’s meaningful is that we have shared with them moments of care, company and warmth in their lives.

I cannot forget what I have seen and experienced in Myanmar. What we have done might appear little but can bring great happiness to the people there. Never before had it occurred to me that bottled water and airconditioning are luxuries. I realised we had taken a lot of things for granted. After this trip, not only should I reflect on myself, but I should also share and pass on what I learnt.

Elderly Hubei Trip e ic rv e S

34

ar St

f to

er nd wo e th

f

ser erly of eld y e n ur u l jo

vice!

Oct 2016 – Apr 2017 Hubei, China With Life and Death Education as the theme, this programme aims to develop students’ knowledge, attitude and skills towards elderly service and the related policies in Hong Kong and mainland China through experiential learning activities. This year, twenty students and four student organising committees went to Wuhan, Hubei in mainland China to serve three local elderly homes.

They organised several workshops and activities to disseminate healthcare messages. Students also visited the elderly homes. Before the trip, they attended a series of training, preparation meetings and local services.

Learning/Training Activities

1 Teambuilding and Briefing Session Participants got to know their teammates, formed a team and shared with each other their points of view towards elderly issues. Background information and details of the programme were also introduced.

2 Local Voluntary Services Two local services were organised whereby students went on home visits and planned group activities to disseminate healthcare messages.

Training of understanding the situation and needs of elderly

3 Hubei Field Trip Twenty-four students were in Wuhan, Hubei for eight days, during which they visited two elderly homes and served 400 senior citizens. The project was coorganised by Social Workers Across Borders.

Both elderly and student were very concentrated

Elderly Hubei Trip e ic rv e S

36

Participants’ Reflection Zhong Yuting (Year 2, Finance) Serving the elderly has reinforced my concept of equality. I look forward to making good use of my skills by participating in more voluntary activities in the future.

Yang Xinyi (Year 1, Social Sciences) The elderly service was especially meaningful.

We might not improve the elderly's life immediately; however, when I saw they smile during the service activity we organised, I felt like they could perceive our care and concern. That made us feel as though we had done a good deed for society.

Ho me vis

tory y’s s it and listen to the elderl

Yang Xiaxin (Year 1, Chinese Medicine) We demonstrated the power of teamwork by staying together, learning from and helping each other. All these made me fully understand the importance of team spirit.

ing Mak

se ni ga Or

a

wo rk sh op and d

the Chinese Kn ot with e lderly

raw w

hina ith elde rly in Hubei, C

m for Per

an ce

Lo Siu Man (Year 1, Arts) I have found that it is not at all difficult to get closer to people. Sincerity makes everything possible.

pre sented

by students

Liu Shiqi (Year 2, Information Systems and e-Business Management) During the one-week service, we visited two elderly homes and interacted with all kinds of senior citizens. The service allowed me to reflect on my attitude towards friends and family and cherish the valuable time I had with them.

Shi Bingjun (Year 2, Financial Journalism) The cool grandpa finally started to talk to me! He might not be talkative or might not feel comfortable to share things with me. However, with a caring heart, it can be very simple to establish a close relationship with others.

erience an Exp Freshmmme – r Progra unity Explore Comm

38

Feature Story Liu Hoi Ki (Year 1, Social Sciences) Participant of Freshman Experience Programme – Community Explorer I am pleased to have participated in this programme. I love children and have been serving a group of kindergarten kids at my church. However, this programme has brought me an entirely different experience.

Children living in Hung Hom or To Kwa Wan lead a simpler life and might not have access to adequate resources compared with those in my community. Kids from low-income families love to play in parks instead of burying themselves in smartphones. I could not imagine seeing so many children still staying in the park late in the evening.

The children enjoyed a fun afternoon of mini games, reminding me that happiness is really simple. Friends and a place are all we need!

The children enjoyed a fun afternoon of mini games, reminding me that happiness is really simple. Friends and a place are all we need!

I made lots of new friends from other faculties, and we planned and led the games together. Most young people nowadays are so engrossed in their busy university life that they may not be willing to participate in voluntary work. It was truly a great opportunity to meet those sharing the same vision as me!

erience an Exp Freshmmme – r Progra unity Explore Comm

40

Sep – Nov 2016 Hong Kong

Freshman Experience Programme – Community Explorer is designed with freshman orientation needs in mind. Each group is led by two to three seniors providing any necessary assistance and advice to help first-year students adapt to life at HKBU more quickly. Participants will get to know more about the various Hong Kong communities through community engagement activities. This year we focused on low-income family service, poverty problem and street market of Sham Shui Po, the cultural preservation of To Kwa Wan and the development of Wan Chai.

Learning/Training Activities

1 Kick-off and Teambuilding Night Participants greeted each other, shared their expectations and built a trustworthy team. Listening to the stories shared during the “Living Library” activity allowed them to familiarise themselves with the people and culture of HKBU.

2 Thematic Community Exploration Activities 1

2.2

2.4

A Peek into Street Market Economy @ Sham Shui Po

City Tour @ Wan Chai

#CommunityEconomicSurvey #TourToStreetMarkets #Experience #VisitToSubdividedUnits Many low-income folks gather in the night market from 10 pm to midnight every day. What a bustling street market packed with trading activities! Why does this phenomenon exist and what does it mean to us? Does the street market economy bring any value to the low-income population?

Participants looked at this issue by stepping into the shoes of the community.

2.1

2.3

Low-Income Family Service @ Kowloon City

Exploration Journey @ To Kwa Wan

#ServingLowIncomeFamilies #HomeVisit #CommunityInPlay #LearnFromPlaying

#UrbanConservation #SiteVisit #SCLDevelopment

Playing costs nothing. Let us have fun together! By way of exploring the districts, the “Community In Play” programme targeting Kowloon City enabled participants to meet and play with low-income families and, in turn, understand their living conditions.

Participants got a grasp of the characteristics of To Kwa Wan and the impacts of economic transformation and ongoing SCL construction on the district.

They also explored the ways of striking a balance between urban conservation and economic development.

#OldDistrictDevelopment #TheBlueHouse #GuidedTour Participants got to know more about the characteristics of and conservation efforts in Wan Chai as well as the impacts of economic transformation and development on the community.

They also investigated the roles of community participation in assisting and balancing the development.

3 Appreciation and Sharing Night All participants got together to share and communicate their findings in an interactive yet creative approach.

erience an Exp Freshmmme – r Progra unity Explore Comm

42

Participants’ Reflection

Chan Tsz Ching (Year 2, Computing Information Systems)

Lau Ka Yui (Year 3, Government and International Studies) This programme provided me with a golden opportunity to familiarise myself with and visit the sellers at the night market and those living in sub-divided units and to see the negative labels attached to them by society in a new perspective. Everyone we spoke to is living their own story, reminding me to cherish what I have and the meaning of dignity.

and

People are often dissatisfied with what they have and tend to magnify what they lack.

However, there are always people in need. Learning to treasure what we have is something that might appear so lame but is always true as long as we feel joyful and blessed. Happiness can be that simple with just a smile or a greeting. You will receive more than you give.

Hui Yat Nam (Year 1, Social Sciences) I have realised from the Exploration Journey @ To Kwa Wan that everyone is an independent individual with a unique personality, and for that, I will try to put myself in their shoes. Right now, I have gained a better understanding of the pros and cons of the redevelopment project and amassed a wealth of experience from the street interviews and surveys conducted during this programme.

Lau Pik Ying (Year 2, Computing Information Systems)

and

City Tour @ Wan Chai has deepened my understanding towards urban development, old district redevelopment and Wan Chai itself. I found out that there are still many unique spots such as the Blue House in this bustling city.

Furthermore, I can deeply sense the contradiction between development and preservation and the helplessness involved.

I am so glad that this activity allowed us to care more for our community, including both the needy and the hidden issues.

Leung Wun Tung (Year 1, Social Sciences)) We are so satisfied that the children enjoyed the “Community In Play� programme we designed and have also realised that happiness simply comes from communication and connections.

A® ity YMC Univers) U B K (H Vision Global mme – Progra rer Wande

44

Oct 2016 – Feb 2017 Taipei, Taiwan

University YMCA® Global Vision Programme is a five-month programme aiming to foster students’ awareness of global issues and nurture them into responsible global citizens. The theme for each year’s programme varies depending on the global trend as well as students’ interests. In the 2016-17 academic year, the theme was Wanderer, with homelessness selected as the focus of investigation. Students had the opportunity to broaden their horizons on specific global issue and the corresponding mitigation measures through a series of experiential learning activities that included, among others, a seminar, voluntary service, empowerment workshops and an overseas field trip.

Learning/ Training Activities

1 Homelessness Talk An experienced social worker from the Society for Community Organisation and a professional photography reporter were both invited to share an overview of the local and global homelessness situations with the Wanderer team and other HKBU students through touching videos and photographs capturing the life of the homeless.

2 Visits to the Homeless on Hong Kong Island Participants paid nightly visits to local homeless communities across the various districts of Hong Kong Island, bringing with them gifts such as snacks and necessities. Most importantly, students showed their love and care to the homeless by listening to their unique stories, as after all what most of the homeless want is having someone to talk to and to care for their situation.

Joint University “Bringing Love to the Homeless” City Hunt

3 Homeless Experiential Day Participants were divided into small groups to explore Sham Shui Po and Tsim Sha Tsui and experience part of the life of a homeless person for a day. They started with no money and had to earn their dinner and breakfast by collecting and selling cardboards.

Additionally, they were required to find a safe place to sleep at night.

4 Homeless Empowerment Workshop — Making of Wooden Coasters By upcycling wooden pallets, the Wanderer team unleashed the talents of seven strong homeless males recruited by the Salvation Army who are skilled in woodworking and worked together with them to make nearly 70 beautiful, unique wooden coasters.

6

5 Taiwan Field Trip (6 days) Through a series of workshops and visits to Taipei-based NGOs working on homeless empowerment, the Wanderer team got to understand homelessness in Taiwan and the different creative ways of empowering the homeless to build their self-confidence and achieve harmony with the community in which they live. The team also visited nearly 80 homeless people living around Taipei Main Station and brought love and care to them.

In this event organised by the team for students from HKBU and other universities, participants got to learn about homelessness in Hong Kong and learn from the reflections of the Wanderer team through games and focus group sessions. Participants also visited the homeless in Sham Shui Po, bringing with them love and care for those in need.

7 Advocacy: On-campus Charity Wooden Coaster Sale Wooden coasters made jointly by HKBU students and the homeless were sold on campus for fundraising purposes. The promotion counter also included an exhibition on homelessness in Hong Kong. Additionally, sharing booklets containing programme details and participants’ unique learning and reflections from the whole programme were distributed to increase other students’ understanding of homelessness. All funds raised were given to the homeless who made the coasters as a reward.

A® ity YMC Univers) U B K (H Vision Global mme – Progra rer Wande

46

Chan Wai Man (Year 2, Humanities) When it comes to homelessness, we should all not sympathise with others in a high key. Do not invert root and branch!

Moreover, we have to understand that everyone is special and unique. Never generalise a person or a group of individuals. To me, voicing and caring for the vulnerable is not just a good deed but a commitment to acknowledging unfairness in society.

Yeung Pui Yan (Year 2, Social Work) When I first visited the homeless previously, it did not occur to me that homelessness can eventually be tackled. However, during my recent trip to Taiwan, I learnt of a successful empowerment programme offering a sharing platform for the homeless and the community to help them regain self-value and reintegrate into society.

Knowing this has significantly eased my worries about the satisfactory resolution of the issue. As a soon-to-be social worker, it is my wish to influence others and bring changes to the world in the future.

Poon Chun Kiu Jacky (Year 2, Applied Biology – Biotechnology) “Homeless Experiential Day” impressed me the most.

It is still hard to forget the tiring yet dirty times when I was searching for scrap cardboards right near the rubbish bins. We were just pretending to be street sleepers. However, the real homeless are enduring such ordeals every day. Being neglected by others over time, the homeless might feel desperate towards life.

If we could take the initiative to talk to and care for them, they would at least have the courage to fight for their lives even for one more day. It is a long-term commitment to provide assistance to the homeless and understand their feelings. We should make them feel that society cares about them.

Participants’ Reflection

Luk Tsz Ying (Year 2, Accounting) This programme has given me the inspiration that it is only by tackling the root cause that the homeless can be reintegrated into society and grow together with the community. The “Homeless Empowerment Workshop” proved the feasibility of implementing an empowerment programme in Hong Kong, with street sleepers able to achieve their fullest potential and regain self-confidence. And during the Taiwan field trip, we saw for ourselves many successful yet creative efforts of various organisations in helping the homeless reintegrate into society. Reflecting on all these areas, I see that there are still lots of room for improvement in supporting the homeless.

Tsui Pui Ying (Year 2, Public Relations and Advertising) Chan Yuen Ting (Year 1, Accounting) I have learnt from the “Bringing Love to the Homeless” City Hunt that I am still able to influence others to pay attention to the homeless, despite being just a student who is incapable of changing the policies of the Hong Kong government or providing prompt assistance to the homeless. Doing this might arouse empathy among those of my peers who were not interested in serving the needy and encourage them to take practical actions. I know that helping those in need to the best of our ability is in itself contributing to an incredible progress.

We brought bags of stuff to the Taipei Main Station over two nights during our trip. In such cold weather, despite our non-fluent Mandarin, the street sleepers were still willing to share everything with us when all lights were out. They were of all kinds and sorts. As a foreigner, we vividly read a life story at Taipei Main Station that midnight. The warmest unity and inspiring stories shared by the homeless certainly make up the best memories we had.

A® ity YMC Univers) U B K (H Concern Social mme – Progra oy KidDeJ

48

Oct 2016 – Feb 2017 Hong Kong University YMCA® Social Concern Programme is a five-month programme aiming to foster students’ love and care for the underprivileged and increase their understanding of the local communities. The theme for each year’s programme varies depending on the communities’ needs and students’ interests. In the 2016-17 academic year, the theme was KidDeJoy, with kids from low-income families living in Cha Kwo Ling and Yau Tong as the service targets. Students had the opportunity to broaden their horizons on local poverty issues and serve the Cha Kwo Ling and Yau Tong community together through a series of experiential learning activities that included, among others, an overnight camp, workshops and a carnival.

Learning/Training Activities

2 1 Overnight Experiential Poverty Camp In this experiential poverty activity, each participant was assigned a different role in a family and required to complete all tasks in exchange for dinner allowance.

Rooms in the camp were arranged as cubicle apartments, allowing participants to experience life in cramped environments for themselves.

Upcycling Creative Workshop Held at the Cha Kwo Ling Centre of the Neighbourhood Advice-Action Council, the workshop included such activities as ice breakers, an introduction of the upcycling concept to children from lowincome families as well as making eco-friendly bags and photo frames made of milk bottles.

3 Picnic Day @ HKBU On the picnic day, children got to show their creativity by making new toys with existing resources.

Upcycling made possible everywhere!

Children also got to explore new places outside of the community in which they live. All participants joined the group game on campus in the morning and enjoyed a picnic, sports race and upcycling DIY session in the afternoon outside.

A® ity YMC Univers) U B K (H Concern Social mme – Progra oy KidDeJ

50

Learning/ Training Activities

4 Carnival Preparation Workshops HKBU participants worked together with the children to design and set up game booths and exhibition boards for the carnival, giving children the opportunity to make good use of their creativity and enhance their self-confidence.

5 KidDeJoy Carnival @ Shek Kip Mei The programme ended with KidDeJoy Carnival held at the open space in Pak Tin Estate. Participants learnt to care for, share with and actively offer assistance to those in need, especially low-income families in the community.

The objective was to change the traditional mindset of minding one’s own business without caring for others and, in turn, regain the warmth and hospitality of people nowadays. The carnival included game booths, exhibition boards about squatter huts in Cha Kwo Ling and a photo display area.

6 Reunion and Appreciation Party All participants and children got together to review the happy moments and sum up their learning.

The party comprised games, refreshments, video watching and certificate presentation.

Participants’ Reflection

Ng Shuk Ling Charity (Year 1, China Studies) What impressed me most was the interviews with Cha Kwo Ling residents. Mr Siu, who was one of those we spoke to, greeted every neighbour passing by and introduced them to us. In Cha Kwo Ling, hospitality is not just paper talk but something inherent in every family, thus fully demonstrating the spirit of cooperation. From this, I have realised that in getting along with others, what the most precious is to have a caring heart. A helping hand or just a simple greeting can build a caring society.

Sy Man Man (Year 2, Chemistry) I have the deepest feelings for the carnival as everything was prepared by us together with the children. They were the best ‘helping hands’ ever!

Some of them designed name boards for the booths, while some served as hosts or introduced the history of Cha Kwo Ling at the exhibition area. Many guests stayed around and listened to their presentations! We all had great fun and got closer to each other. I do hope to organise activities together with the children again.

Lui Kai Yi (Year 1, Business Administration) Before participating in this programme, I had heard of Cha Kwo Ling but knew nothing about it. I live in Kwun Tong and yet never noticed a native village in this fast-growing area. The villagers there live aloof from worldly affairs in cramped tin-sheeted structures.

People nowadays focus a great deal on pursuing a material life and often overlook pure interpersonal relationships. Money can buy goods and services but not fairness, calmness or true love. Perhaps it is time for us to stop and think – how can we make our ‘poor’ souls ‘wealthy’?

ry ciplina Interdis l Education ra e n e G ourse – (IGE) Cto Service Paths rship in Leade Services Health /GDAR1887) (GDSC

52

Feature Story Cheng Ho Chun (Year 3, Accounting) Student of Interdisciplinary General Education (IGE) Course – Paths to Service Leadership in Health Services (GDSC/GDAR1887) The experience gained from the two services in the course certainly impacted me a lot.

I can feel that except for the general issues faced by the elderly in Hong Kong, every one of them has issues of their own. The elderly might not be facing severe health problems or economic burdens, but they, especially those living alone, are confronted with a lack of care and love. To this end, the health and elderly support systems in Hong Kong have still a long way to go towards a complete system providing an environment full of love and care for the elderly.

For now, the majority of those taking up the responsibility mentioned above are organisations like the three elderly service centres with which we cooperated. Although it may appear that the elderly participating in our service activities are living quite well, they are merely a small picture of the whole elderly problem. Apart from the well-to-do ones, we can expect large numbers of hidden elderly hardly covered by social support.

Hence, more effort needs to be put into the elderly service sector, which requires lots of human and financial resources.

After engaging in the services, I am more aware of the elderly’s needs and feelings.

I have come to realise that, in fact, many young people, including myself, are not showing enough concern for the elderly, not even for our own parents. From this experience, I have also realised that my parents will be joining the ranks of the elderly sooner or later, and it is never too early to shower them with adequate care and love. In my opinion, if this view is shared by the majority of the public, the pressure on the elderly service sector would be significantly reduced.

Hong Kong is a metropolis plagued by social problems. A lot of the needy need help, but the overall sense to care for them is low.

The experience gained through this course has increased my willingness to support community service in the future. As the social care system and policies can hardly be perfect, the onus is on the public. Otherwise, there will not be care and love in the society anymore.

ry ciplina Interdis l Education ra e n e G ourse – (IGE) Cto Service Paths rship in Leade Services Health /GDAR1887) (GDSC

54

Sep – Dec 2016 Hong Kong

Service leadership is about providing high quality care services. Given that “the Server is the Service”, the emphasis of this course is on the quality of the server. The different elements of service and leadership competencies, including knowledge, skills, values, communication and attitudes, will be introduced through a review of care services such as those provided by Christian Care Services in

Hong Kong over the past years and insight into the ethos behind such services. Special emphasis will also be on health communication involving healthcare personnel, administrators, the community and the media.

Students will have opportunities during the course to put what they have learnt into practice by serving in two host organisations for the needy groups in the communities.

Learning/Training Activities

1 Lectures During the lectures, students learnt the concept, principles and competencies of service leadership, the basics of health and disease in Chinese medicine and the current healthcare system and policies in Hong Kong and gained an understanding of the impact of and ethos behind Christian Care Services in Hong Kong.

2 Visits to NGOs Students were divided into three groups.

Each group visited a different elderly service centre to gain a better understanding of elderly services and the healthcare system in Hong Kong.

4 3 Health Service on Campus The elderly were invited to the University to attend a health talk by a professor from the School of Chinese Medicine and were treated to a oneto-one Tuina body massage by students.

Care Service on Campus The elderly participated in group activities designed by students. Students and the elderly interacted with and cared for each other through various activities such as games, handicraft making and a visit to a Chinese medicine museum.

ry ciplina Interdis l Education ra e n e G ourse – (IGE) Cto Service Paths rship in Leade Services Health /GDAR1887) (GDSC

56

Participants’ Reflection

Lu Xiao Lin (Year 2, Accounting)

Yu On Ling (Year 4, Chinese Language and Literature ) I was afraid to express my opinion. But luckily most of the elderlies are very friendly, so we get used to each other very quickly. But after all, I think my weakness still has to be solved. This course provided a good opportunity for me to try to work with someone new. Unlike the project from other courses, we indeed have to work hand in hand either in planning or delivering the service, which is a very new experience for me.

In the future, I will try to participate in some community services regularly, which is meaningful to me.

These community services help me to understand my strengths and weaknesses deeper. The most important thing is that there are a lot of elderlies who are still waiting for our care and attention to them. In conclusion, the service-learning process and the service delivery are not only a GE course. It’s more about personal development and social responsibility.

I need to spend time to experience, apply what I have learned into real life situation and learn from mistakes.

Hung Yan Yee (Year 2, Marketing) I had greatly improved my organizational and problemsolving skills through planning and implementing the service projects in this course. There is a memorable experience during the service. One of the elderlies is illiterate and she faced difficulties in playing the game that we prepared.

She was worried and did not want to participate in the game section. Then, we immediately thought about a contingency plan and it solved the embarrassing atmosphere finally. All of the elderlies participated in the games and enjoyed the time with us very much.

Leung Yin Chun (Year 2, Accounting)

Wan Lai Mei (Year 2, Finance) I learnt a lot from the elderlies, such as their life and working experience.

They inspired me a lot. The elderly I served likes to do voluntary services. He let me understand that when I am capable of doing something for the community, I should devote myself in serving the community. I would never forget what he taught me.

After studying this course, I learnt how to start a conversation with the elderly that I newly met and keep the conversation on. One of my service targets is a male elderly who has difficulty in hearing, but I can feel that he is happy when I am chatting with him. I applied the skills that I learnt from this course during the home visit, such as using more open-end questions instead of yes-no questions.

Partner Organisation's Feedback

Lam Cheuk Wai (Year 2, Accounting) “The ones who are delivering the service are not senior than the ones being served�. This is the most important thing that I have learnt from this course.

Many people think that they are at a higher position during service delivery because they are helping the ones in need. However, that is wrong. Actually, the one being served is also helping the one who serve, such as recognizing their potentials and the areas to improve.

I appreciate the students’ efforts in designing, leading and implementing diversified activities to suit the abilities and needs of the elderly and their caregivers who are also appreciative of the services provided by the students.

It helps to enhance communication and understanding between the young and old. < Hong Kong Sheng Kung Hui Chuk Yuen Canon Martin District Elderly Community Centre>

QE) – e ress (E EQ Exp logical Servic Psycho Trip

58

Nov 2016 – Jan 2017 Shaoguan, China

A 7-day EQ Express (EQE) – Psychological Service Trip is organised by Counselling & Development Centre which aims to foster students’ EQ development and psychological competence. EQ Ambassadors get to practise what they have learnt and strengthen their positive values and caring attitude by organising an EQ camp and teaching EQ in mainland China. Additionally, they are expected to help promote a serving spirit on campus.

Learning/Training Activities

1 Four Training Workshops Training workshops were held to get participants ready for the service trip. Four areas were covered: Understanding and Managing Own Emotions; Motivating Self; Empathy, Social Intelligence and Effective Communication; and Classroom Management.

3 2 Pre-Camp Rehearsals Twenty-three hours of rehearsals were held in November and December with the objective of strengthening the participantsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; EQ knowledge and their confidence in delivering EQ teaching to children.

Winter Camp for Mainland Chinese Primary School Students During the service trip in Shaoguan, a school visit was organised in the first day as a final preparation of the winter camp. An opening ceremony was held in the beginning of the camp, which was followed by the tailor-made and interactive EQ teachings in the following days. Lastly, an awardâ&#x20AC;&#x201C;giving and closing ceremony remarked the end of the camp.

Our participants attended daily debriefing session each night so as to consolidate their learning.

4 Cultural Exchange with Mainland Chinese College Students Cultural exchange and sightseeing activities were also organised to increase participantsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; understanding of Chinese culture.

QE) – e ress (E EQ Exp logical Servic Psycho Trip

60

Participants’ Reflection

Tam Wing Sze (Year 1, Science)

Cheung Chin Ue (Year 3, Social Work)

Au Tsz Ho (Year 1, China Studies)

I have learnt from this service trip to get out of my own trap and be carefree to share to express my feelings openly in front of others.

Having worked with teammates with different styles as well as facing and managing the behaviours of children with so many spontaneous feelings, I have grown to be more aware of my emotions, principles and values. In the past, I was reluctant to face myself.

However, when I could reflect on myself together with all EQE members every night during the trip, I no longer tried to avoid it. To me, that was the most valuable part of the journey.

The children’s enthusiastic welcome and involvement made all our overnight preparations for this service trip worthwhile. I think that the most valuable part of this journey was the heartfelt memories we gave each other.

Wong Kin Yu (Year 3, Social Work) The theory of emotion management is straightforward but difficult to be put into practice. It is only when we treat every setback as a lesson learnt that we can maintain a positive attitude and build our resilience. I hope that what we taught is helpful for the schoolchildren to overcome every hurdle and growing up happily regardless of any negative emotions in the future.

Tang Tsz Pui (Year 1, Arts) I found that I was the one who gained the most from the seven-day programme.

Other than EQ knowledge, I have also built more selfconfidence.

Mo Jiayin (Year 1, Communication) There is a saying that the best way to learn something is to teach it. Not only did the schoolchildren gain knowledge of EQ, but we, the teachers, also learnt a lot both in managing our emotions more effectively and facing our difficulties with a positive attitude.

ervicees Other S g Programm in rn a e L

62

Other Service-Learning Programmes Effective Presentation Programme

by Career Centre

Effective Presentation Programme (EPP) aims to equip students with all-round skills to express their innovative ideas and boost their self-confidence when facing an audience, while also providing various practical sessions to enhance studentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; presentation skills. For example, participants would have opportunities to facilitate English discussion and group activities among secondary school students in Sham Shui Po.

After-school Support Class for Ethnic Minority Children

by Counselling & Development Centre

This seven-week programme provides opportunities for local and mainland Chinese students to work together as volunteer tutors and help Hong Kongâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ethnic minority children. The aim is to promote social inclusion between our students and ethnic minority children in the multicultural society of Hong Kong.

Face-to-Face Support Class for Underprivileged Children

by Counselling & Development Centre

This programme provides opportunities for mainland Chinese students to teach local pupils from low-income families in Hong Kong. The aim is to enable mainland Chinese students to contribute to the Hong Kong society by leveraging their strengths, as well as increase their understanding of Hong Kongâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s culture and social issues.

Project WeCan

by Leadership Qualities Centre

Project WeCan is a Business-in-Community initiative providing students who are disadvantaged in learning with opportunities and care to empower them to pursue higher studies and future careers. Using an â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;adopt a schoolâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; model, Project WeCan is an open platform that matches each school with a partner in a multi-year collaboration for providing financial and volunteer support.

Yang Jiang Cai Yuen Pei Primary School Service Trip

by Student Accommodation Section

Yang Jiang Cai Yuen Pei Primary School Service Trip provides opportunities for residents to organise Service-Learning programmes and undertake service work in rural China. Apart from holding teaching classes for such topics as music and sports, students get to re-orientate their values by exploring the simple lives in the countryside and build longterm relationships with rural children.

ervicees Other S g Programm in rn a e L

64

Thailand Service Program

by Student Accommodation Section

Thailand Service Programme consists of two elements: (a) Service-Learning and (b) Cultural Exchange. Running for seven days from 3 to 9 January 2017 at Kok Payom, a fishing village in Thailand, the programme provided opportunities for our residential hall students to undertake various voluntary work, including teaching, renovation of the education centre and fixing of facilities, as well as opportunities for our students to engage in cultural exchange with the local community.

Volunteer Guide Runners

by Student Accommodation Section

Organised by the Hong Kong Society for Habitation, this event aims to promote healthy lifestyles among patients with chronic illnesses. Our residents led the patients to Kowloon Tsai Park before the event and served as guide runners and cheering team members during the event.

Coastal Clean-up

by Student Accommodation Section

To make a difference to our environment, members of Soong Hall participated in a coastal clean-up activity in Cheung Chau as part of the programme initiated by the Hallâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Council since 2015.

Child Sponsorship Programme

by Student Accommodation Section

Launched in 2014, Child Sponsorship Programme provides opportunities for residents to help needy children, both in mainland China and Hong Kong, by supporting their education and daily needs. A Fundraising Floor Photo Taking Night was held in November 2016 to raise funds for supporting the children.

Community Engagement Organisers

by Student Accommodation Section

Community Engagement Organisers (CEO) Programme aims to get both local and non-local hall residents involved in organising community engagement activities. This year, the residents partnered with a vegetarian restaurant on Hong Kong Island to deliver meal boxes to the needy in the Fortress Hill neighbourhood.

Yang Hall Barefoot Walkathon

by Student Accommodation Section

Yang Hall is sponsoring a child in China through World Vision. A barefoot walkathon was held to raise funds for the child sponsorship. Participants climbed the stairs from ground floor to the rooftop of the student residence hall without shoes on. By experiencing for themselves how the sponsored child walked barefoot every day and everywhere, students have grown aware of the problems of the needy in China.

66

Acknowledgement (In alphabetical order) • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Arakawa Council of Social Welfare Ashima Buffet Beijing Hong Dan Dan Educational and Cultural Exchanging Centre Berlin für Blinde Blickwechsel Build A Music School Caritas Community Centre – Kowloon CCC Rotary Secondary School Centre for Harmony and Enhancement of Ethnic Minority Residents (CHEER) Centre for Social Action, Christ University Child Friendly Movement Co-life Home Concerning CSSA & Low Income Alliance DaLaa Thailand Evangelical Lutheran Church Social Service Hong Kong – Shatin District Community Centre for the Golden-Aged Future Village Helping Hand Hong Kong Bank Foundation Lok Fu Care Home Homeless Taiwan Hong Kong Christian Service – Integrated Service Centre for Local South Asians Hong Kong Mutual Encouragement Association – Jane Shu Tsao Social Centre for the Elderly Hong Kong Sheng Kung Hui Wong Tai Sin District Elderly Community Centre Hong Kong Sheng Kung Hui Chuk Yuen Canon Martin District Elderly Community Centre House of To Kwa Wan Stories Insein Grace Haven Children Home Kuo-Kuang Elementary School Lions Club of South Kowloon, Hong Kong Love and Care Running Association

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Nan’ao Natural Farm National University of Taiwan New Taipei City Banqiaohaishan Day Care Center New Taipei City Volunteer Association Office of Deutsches Studentenwerk Project WeCan S.K.H. St. Christopher’s Home Salvation Army, Taiwan Science and Technology Training Centre Senate Department for Urban Development and Housing, EU and International Affairs Shaoguan University Shek Kip Mei Lutheran Centre for the Blind Sheng Hui Foundation for Children Social Workers Across Borders St. James’ Settlement Wanchai Integrated Family Service Centre Summerbridge Hong Kong Taiwan Toy Library Association The Hong Kong Society for Habitation The Neighbourhood Advice – Action Council Cha Kwo Ling Centre The Salvation Army Integrated Service for Street Sleepers The Salvation Army Kowloon City Family Support Centre University of Applied Sciences (Hochschule für Technik und Wirtschaft Berlin) VolTra Limited Volunteer Space Wong Kam Fai Foundation Yang Jiang Cai Yuen Pei Primary School 無肉食義工團 韶關市曲江區實驗小學

68

Contact Us Hong Kong Baptist University Office of Student Affairs Email: sa@hkbu.edu.hk Website: http://sa.hkbu.edu.hk Leadership Qualities Centre Email: lqc@hkbu.edu.hk Website: http://sa.hkbu.edu.hk/lqc Aug 2017 All rights reserved.

Designer: Oskar Shek (oskarshek@gmail.com)