Eden Foundation workshop A10 at the 20th IAVE World Volunteer Conference, Panama 2008
Workshop for XX IAVE Conference
Be Part of Global Village-International Affairs Volunteer linking Taiwan and Abroad
Organization: Eden Social Welfare Foundation
Presenter: Jochen Lu
Position: International Affairs Volunteer Project Coordinator
Preface
Ms. Liu Hsia, a female wheelchair writer suffering from rheumatic arthritis, witnessed the discrimination against people with disabilities in Taiwan. In response to God's calling and with a great love for people with physical and mental disabilities, she decided to create a place where the disabled are truly cared for and loved - The Garden of Eden in Dreams. She donated her income from publishing and initiated a group of Christians who shared her vision to bring people with disabilities out of their isolation. On December 1, 1982, Eden Social Welfare Foundation was founded to serve people with disabilities as well as other socially marginalized groups.
The foundation has expanded significantly over the years. Starting with only two part-time employees, today Eden has a staff of over 1,200, nearly 40 percent of which are people with disabilities. Eden has established overseas branch offices in Penang and Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia as well as one overseas service center in Vietnam. Today, Eden has already served more than fifty hundred thousand people with disabilities.
Eden provides “comprehensive human care” for people between the ages of 0-65, including vocational training, employment service, rehabilitation, early intervention, long-term care service, new immigrant service, and community reconstruction for disaster victims. Every effort is put together to ensure that our mission is carried on.
The history of Eden is closely linked to the development of disability rights in Taiwan. Based on our own service experience and learning from other countries, Eden has been actively advocating for the rights of people with disabilities in Taiwan. We have been pushing for amendments to the Physically and Mentally Disabled Citizens Protection Act, raising public awareness to the need of special education, supporting the legislation of the Act for Social Workers, and advocating for a professional certification system for social workers.
In addition to serving people with disabilities in Taiwan, Eden also joins international aid efforts, spreading love to the world. Ms. Liu Hsia often said, “Being able to love is a blessing, understanding how to love is wisdom. God's love transcends race and nationality.” Hence, since 1996, Eden has been actively participating in international relief activities and promoting the welfare of people with disabilities around the world.
Eden has established for 26 years. In the first decade, Eden was a disabled service foundation in Taipei city. In the second decade, Eden developed into a nation-wide social welfare foundation. In the third decade, Eden now aims to become a modernized, computerized, and international foundation. In the process of internationalization, international affairs volunteers assist Eden to participate in different international activities. Moreover, the service learning tour groups bring love and serve needy people in many developing countries.
The Goals of the Programs of Volunteer
Through the volunteer services, there are three main goals Eden achieves:
(1) Assist Eden to be internationalized
(2) Foreigners get to know about Eden and the situation of disabled people in Taiwan, so that they can identity with Eden’s causes
(3) Needy people in the developing countries obtain assistance from Eden
(4) Cultivate volunteers’ abilities to participate in international affairs and inspire the caring consciousness of international aid.
The Main Programs of Volunteer
(1) Programs of International Affairs Volunteers
1. Organize International Conferences
2. Receive Foreign Guests
3. Translate Documents
4. Accompany People with Disabilities to Participate International Conference
5. Accompany Foreign Volunteer to serve in Taiwan
6. Research Data
(2) Programs of Service Learning Tour
1. Teaching
2. Farming
3. Hygiene Education
4. Public Constructions
5. Material Donation
6. Group Activities
7. Visitation
The Contents of Volunteer Service
(1) Organize International Conference
The international affairs volunteers were responsible for administrative work
in the 2005 International Accessible Tourism Conference, the 2006 WI-Asia International Conference and the 2007 East Asia NGO Forum. They offered help in translation, recording, and receiving international guests.
(2) Receive Foreign Guests
The international affairs volunteers assist Eden to receive the Thailand Wheelchair Basketball Team in 2007 for three days with translation and accompany.
(3) Translate Documents
The international affairs volunteers translate documents and information for Eden’s English website.
(4) Accompany Disabled People to Participate International Conference
2002 Asian and Pacific Network for Work-Center of People with Disabilities Conference, 2003 World Summit on the Information Society Conference
(5) Accompany Foreign Volunteer to serve in Taiwan
The international affairs volunteers accompany foreign volunteers to serve the needy children and people with disabilities in Eden’s service centers.
(6) Research Data
The international affairs volunteers collect information including, accessible tourism, country disability information, United Nation disability convention, etc.
(7) Service Learning Tour
Eden Social Welfare Foundation holds ‘Service Learning Tours’ since 2004. To this date, more than 500 people have attended the service learning tours and served the groups of disadvantaged or disabled people. Service locations include Gansu, Inner Mongolia, Hebei in China, Chiang Rai, Lanta Island in Thailand, Macao. Eden has four different service learning tour teams:
1. Service Team: Volunteer services including, Teaching courses, Propagate Hygiene education, Holding Group Activities, etc.
2. Professional Team: Volunteer services including, Medical service, Teaching English with foreign volunteers.
3. Explore Team: Explore new service location.
4. Barrier Free Team: Volunteer services to help disabled people to go abroad
Volunteers’ Stories
Deme(Foreign Volunteer)
‘My volunteer experience at Eden Social Welfare Foundation was great in many ways. The staff was so friendly and welcoming, and it was rewarding to feel that I could use one of my skills contribute to Eden's mission. In the Office of International Affairs, I helped proof-read English translations of various written materials. I also researched English language websites for news and reports related to disability issues around the globe. Exposure to these sources of information enhanced my knowledge of Eden's services and vision in the context of the international community. At the Wan Fang Center for Disabled Youth, I got to see Eden's direct services in action. It was a joy participating in class with the disabled students. I was fortunate to be present on 25885 Day, because I was able to witness the positive interaction between Eden and the general public. I was impressed by the good rapport that Eden has established in the community. Quite possibly, the best part of volunteering at Eden was the INSPIRATION ignited by so many dedicated professionals working together to make the world a better place. This will be an experience that I will not forget.’
Ya Ting(Service Learning Tour Volunteer)
The poor children in Xi Da Tan didn’t have much, however they shared everything with me. They showed their love and had a great impact on me. I feel what they gave me are much more than what I did for them. What I learned most is life can be simple, and people often desire much more than their truly need. Xi Da Tan is just like a paradise and another home for me forever.
The Future Plan
(1) Present problems
1. Not enough foreign volunteers
2. Eden is not well known internationally
3. Not enough international volunteer partnership organization
(2) Strategy
1.Build up volunteer organization partnership both abroad and domestically
2.Recruit Taiwan foreign language majored students and foreigner as volunteers
3.Provide professional volunteer courses
4.Identify more service locations both abroad and domestically
In the future, Eden aims to explore service locations in Taiwan and different countries. Eden will recruit more foreign volunteers and international affairs volunteers to serve in Taiwan. In addition, Eden will invite more volunteers and send love to other countries.
Wherever there is a need, there is an answer from Eden.
http://engweb.eden.org.tw/
