The Global Contribution (Shared) Learning Association is in its infancy. The "201708 Study Tour in Taitung, Volunteer" is the first volunteer activity held based on the association's spirit of "Contribute what you have learned, contribute to (shared) learning". Special thanks to Ms. Rao Qingling, Chairperson of the Taitung County Council, for her support. Through her introduction, our association learned that we could serve as volunteers in the tribes of Taitung and do our part to improve local life.
After roughly planning to take volunteers recruited from all over the country to serve in Taimali Xinxianglan Village and Taitung Xinmalan Fuji Village in August this year (2017), I took two high school classmates in the United States to volunteer for six days in advance in June. I realized that life there really needs help. For example, in Fuji Village, there are more than 70 families in total, and each family has a different story and lives a hard life. One of the parents has a mental disability and lives outside the village for a long time because he works outside the village, so he can't take good care of his children. The eldest sister of the five children has inherited the disease of her parents, so she is currently receiving treatment in a mental hospital. Fortunately, thanks to the kindness of Lin Jianchang and Guo Youci, they brought my brother and sister to the remedial center they established in the Xinmaran Fu Ji Tribe, providing them with good care and appropriate learning resources. As a result, my brother made rapid progress, his speech became much more normal, and he was able to attend junior high school smoothly.
And my younger sister is also very outstanding and is currently studying in the nursery class. In addition, a previous student worked hard and was admitted to the National Taiwan Normal University. The above are just some examples. There are still many people in the tribe who are very short of resources and need our help. In view of this, the association, together with Teacher Guo Youci, who established the after-school tutoring center in the Fuji Tribe, and the senior executive director of the Xinxianglan Tribe, officially finalized this volunteer activity and recruited volunteers to participate in this trip in order to improve local living conditions and help the children of the Xinmalan Tribe and the Xinxianglan Tribe grow with more sufficient resources. In addition, the association also hopes to continue to counsel local children through video or video through the "Contribution (Co-) School" by video volunteers and video volunteers, and is committed to implementing the spirit of "contributing what you have learned and contributing (co-)learning." I sincerely invite you here, if you have the energy to help others, to become a volunteer of our association, do your part, and help those in need with us.
Global Contribution Association founder Chen Qingyu September 2017
Interview with Speaker Rao Qingling
When we were in Taitung, we visited Chairman Rao, who gave us a lot of advice and assistance in terms of both volunteer work and the overall operation of the association. Therefore, we put the record of this visit on the website to share with everyone.
The speaker really likes this hotel called THE GAYA HOTEL because it has many original elements of Taitung aboriginals and combines Chinese calligraphy. The speaker also told us about the places he often went and ate when he lived in the Bay Area.
The volunteer work we are doing now is aimed at global activities. We hope to use Taiwan as a starting point so that we can have the opportunity to volunteer around the world and help people in need.
People often have misunderstandings about how to volunteer, and often think that "volunteers can do things that people don't want to do." In fact, volunteer work can be more inspiring and no longer just about labor: volunteers can also impart knowledge and experience. In the hope that our global learning can develop as we wish in the future, I would like to ask the speaker some questions here, and I hope the speaker can give us advice and guidance!
Q1:
Because our volunteer association prefers to use the Internet and websites to volunteer, so that people can browse the knowledge and experience articles posted by these volunteers. However, we went to relatively backward places like Lanyu and Taitung this time, and we realized that the use of technology is not that simple for them... May I ask if you have any suggestions on "how can we provide volunteer services for these children in remote areas"?
Rang:
You must clearly understand that when volunteers want to impart some knowledge to children in rural areas, "how should we convey it?" "These things are not what they need?" For some children who cannot even reach computers, they need the most traditional way─door to door volunteers' field visits. You must clearly know─"For different service objects, different ways must be used to convey it." For example: using platforms, books, and even school teachers are all good channels.
Another example is a social enterprise. The company itself is doing social services, but it has become a business.
Q2:
In the past decade, Taiwan has only required students to accumulate 30 hours of volunteer work. The United States requires 60 hours. Many of my classmates have good grades but are unwilling to do volunteer work. Now many students are more passive in participating in this kind of social service work. Why do you think this is the case? And how to increase their social interaction?
Rang:
Every year, I organize marathons in Taitung and need a lot of volunteers, nearly 150. Summarizing these experiences, I think there are two points: First, the teachers leading the school are very important. Because I work with some high schools and vocational schools in Taitung City, I can clearly feel that the atmosphere of the leading teachers is different. Whether the school actively encourages or not, the enthusiasm and attitude of the students are completely different; the second is the atmosphere of the whole society. How do students who need volunteer hours view it? Do they regard it as a score? Or do they really feel that they are helping others? Today's society is more oriented to: This is just a must for your further studies and a list of life, so that students are more passive. In my opinion, if the school and teachers can actively encourage students to do it, the students will be better off.
Total:
In Taiwan, as long as you work for a public institution, you can volunteer. But in the United States, there aren't that many opportunities to volunteer.
Rang:
I think the definition of volunteer in the Taiwan team is a little loose. I think the understanding of volunteering should be correct: I am giving my own time and money, I am willing to put myself aside and not hold an arrogant attitude. The mentality is very important.
Q3:
Many people have lost interest in their own traditional culture, or have lost the desire to continue or spread it; most people abroad don't even know that Taiwan has aboriginal culture. It's hard for ordinary high school students to write such an influential book like Saknu, so what can we do to reduce the impact of civilization on our own culture and minority culture?
Q4:
Finally, I would like to ask if you have any words of encouragement for the volunteers in Taiwan?
Rang:
I think being a volunteer is the same as doing anything else: starting from the heart and serving others!
