Service-Learning Subject
APSS2S09/S Service Leadership through Serving Children and Families with Special Needs
Award
The subject received the Bronze Award for the category of social enterprise in the Wharton-QS Stars Reimagine Education Awards 2016 for creating a pedagogical approach to ethical leadership that acknowledges that the intrapersonal competencies are as pertinent as the hard skills that enable successful leadership.
In 2018, the Leadership and Intrapersonal Development (LIPD) Team of APSS has been honoured with the 2018 University Grants Committee (UGC) Teaching Award in recognition of the remarkable contributions to teaching and learning in offering the leadership subjects including the above.
Objectives
The objectives of the subject are to enable students to:
- understand the core attributes of service leaders in terms of competence, character, and caring disposition;
- apply the core components of service leadership and professional strengths through the engagement of community-based service activities;
- demonstrate self-leadership and develop self-awareness of sharing and empathy with others and the community;
- reflect on their service leadership qualities, particularly intrapersonal and interpersonal competencies.
Service Targets
Students will be required to provide care and service in one of the following service settings:
| Offering Semester | Service Settings | Service Location | Service Targets |
| S12 & S23 |
Heep Hong Society 協康會 http://www.heephong.org/ |
Hong Kong |
Preschool children with mental retardation, autism and learning difficulties |
| Society of Boys’ Centres 香港扶幼會 http://www.sbc.org.hk/ |
Children and adolescents with social and emotional problems | ||
| Wharf’s Project WeCan 學校起動計劃 http://www.wharfholdings.com/eng/about_overview_corporate_wecan_aboutproject.html |
Less-privileged secondary school students | ||
| S23 |
Xi’an Jiaotong University西安交通大學 http://www.xjtu.edu.cn/ |
Xi’an |
Children and adolescents with special needs (e.g., migrant children, left-behind children, live in poverty, children with emotional and behavioral problems etc.) |
| Sichuan University四川大學 http://www.scu.edu.cn/ |
Chengdu | ||
| S3 | Christian Zheng Sheng College 基督教正生書院 http://www.zhengsheng.org.hk/index.html |
Hong Kong | Children and adolescents with substance abuse and/or delinquent behavior |
Service-Learning Project
Students are divided into small groups according to their disciplines and interests to plan for and implement a service project. Students are required to utilize their knowledge and skills of this subject as well as their disciplines in service planning. The tentative schedule for direct service delivery and type of services are listed below for reference:
| Offering Semester | Location | Tentative Schedule for Direct Service | Type of Services |
| S12 & S23 | Hong Kong | *Throughout Semester One and Two (Serving on some weekends or weeknights may be expected) |
Develop and implement programmes to help children and adolescents to better manage their emotions, strengthen their self-esteem, nurture positive and healthy identities, improve their interpersonal skills, etc.
|
| S23 | Xi’an or Chengdu | #Around 10 days in summer term (tentatively between late June and early July) | |
| S3 | Hong Kong | *Throughout Summer Term (Serving on some weekends or weeknights may be expected) |
Tentative Schedule
The tentative schedule for this 2-semester subject is as below:
| 1st Term |
|
| 2nd Term |
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*Actual schedule depends on agency needs, instructor’s plan and discussion with students.
#Actual schedule for direct service delivery in Mainland China depends on the arrangement of the collaborated partners and will be announced by the instructors in due course.
Outbound Trips and Fees
Students taking the subject with direct services conducted in Mainland China in summer term are required to pay a non-refundable outbound fee of HK$1,500 (subject to revision) to cover part of the expenses such as airfare and accommodation expenses for the outbound trips despite the availability of financial support from the University.
Scholarship
There are totally 3 quota of scholarship at HK$5,000 each to be awarded by Wofoo Foundation for students taking the subject locally. One quota will be offered in S12, S23 and S3 respectively.
Student Feedback
Please click here for students’ sharing.
Eligibility
Full-time 4-year degree students are eligible to take the subject. Students enrolling the subject with direct services in Mainland China should possess intermediate level of Putonghua for effective delivery of services.
Pre-requisite Requirement
Nil
Enquiry
| Academic Enquiry | Offering Semester & Location of Direct Services | Telephone | Office | |
| Dr Yammy Chak | S12 (Hong Kong) | 2766 7832 | GH324 | yammy.chak@polyu.edu.hk |
| Dr Ann Li | S23 (Hong Kong & Chengdu) | 2766 7827 | GH321 | xann.li@polyu.edu.hk |
| Dr Jocelyn Lin | S23 (Xi’an) | 2766 7740 | GH416 | jocelyn.lin@polyu.edu.hk |
| Mr Wynants Ho | S3 (Hong Kong) | 3400 3009 | HJ421 | wynants.ho@polyu.edu.hk |
| Academic Enquiry | Telephone | Office | |
| General Office (APSS) | 2766 5773 | HJ402 | ssba@polyu.edu.hk |
URLs
[Click here for subject syllabus]
[Click here for video of Christian Zheng Sheng College strive for students’ future]
[Click here for ePoster]
