Sowing the seeds of hope builds character, compassion
AT YCIS Shanghai, we believe that charityfocused volunteer work is a key way to teach and develop character for children. The wonderful thing about volunteering is that by helping others, you are also helping yourself. One significant way students can experience this is through our school’s charity, Seeds of Hope.
Throughout our school year, students and parents raise funds for Seeds of Hope in a number of ways, allowing us to make improvements at the various Seeds of Hope schools that we support, including furniture, eye testing, gift bags and reusable stationery.
Beyond fundraising efforts, we arrange for our students to participate in trips to visit and volunteer at these partner “Seed” schools. These trips are designed to take our students out of their comfort zone and allow them to face challenges they don’t experience at home. They need to overcome (perceived) challenges related to hygiene, food and accommodation, and use the skills they have learned in their Chinese language classes to help them communicate.
Beyond that, we take our students into the classrooms where they help teach the younger children. They build strengths of kindness and patience. One repeated phrase I hear after this activity is: “Wow, I didn’t know how hard it is to teach a class!” This task helps our students develop their sense of responsibility, and understand what it takes to persevere, to think on their feet, and to be flexible. They also learn about endurance, with multiple classes to teach in one day.
Outside of the classroom, our students get to explore the local village where they see the challenges others face, and this builds empathy and broadens our students’ perspectives.
For many of our students, there are many other firsts. For example, it’s often their first time on an overnight train, a big step toward developing their independence. On some trips, the students have to prepare a menu, buy food at local markets, then cook it to be shared with the group, and this teaches appreciation for cooperation. Further character skills enhanced on these trips are sharing and respect for others.
When I meet our school’s alumni, many often say that the Seeds of Hope trips changed their lives, and that they were a defining moment in their education. This charity work reinforces the entire ethos of the Yew Chung Education — to support children as they become caring, global citizens.
Whether this happens at school, as we do at YCIS Shanghai, at home with families, or through any of the highly reputable charities in Shanghai, one thing is for certain for children and families: By volunteering their time, there is an equal or greater return in the form of the fantastic opportunity to build positive character aspects that will last a lifetime.