A Taipei City-based juvenile services organization is making a significant difference to the lives of many underprivileged urban youths from around Taiwan.
The brainchild of pastor and lawyer Liao Wen-hua, House of Dreams arose from his desire to help teens who had fallen foul of the law while providing them with legal services.
“My interactions with underage offenders convinced me that legal sanctions are not always an effective solution to their problems. There has to be a better way to get them back on track.”
Starting September 2006, Liao offered free after-school tutoring in Wanhua District’s Ximen—a bustling shopping neighborhood where the youth tend to congregate. The number of attendees surged past over 200 within three months, and several nearby schools began referring special needs students.
According to Liao, at this point he realized that not every young person is academically minded, so he expanded the center’s offerings to include drama, music, self-defense and street dance classes.
“Since most of the attendees come from dysfunctional families, it is hard for them to have any dreams. For many, the only future they can think of is a job at a local teashop or convenience store.”
This pragmatic approach to addressing youth training issues explains why the center regularly invites eminent professionals to share their stories with students and serve as role models. Equally important, every attendee is required to take part in character development classes.
“A complete education is about more than study and grades,” Liao said. “It is imperative these kids learn to care for others and devote themselves to good causes.”
To date, the center has helped more than 5,000 teenagers, with 500 signed up for center activities every month.
With many of the facility’s 170-plus volunteer instructors former program beneficiaries, Liao said this explains their effectiveness and special ability to quickly break down interpersonal barriers.
Case in point is a female engineer working for local semiconductor heavyweight MediaTek Inc.
“When she was in the junior high, she thought factory work was the only occupation open to her,” Liao said. “But the center’s instructors helped her realize she had more than one arrow in her quiver.
“I am proud to say that today she has a master’s in electrical engineering and is now contributing to the success of the center and those who pass through its doors.” (SFC-JSM)
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