Offshore Service-Learning
Non-local Service-Learning programmes offer exciting opportunities for students to deliver services to communities overseas. The Service-Learning and Leadership Office is here to provide support and advice to departments in developing and delivering non-local Service-Learning subjects.
Briefing Sessions for Departments
1. Briefing Session for 23/24 - Jan 2024 (Latest)
An overview on non-local service-learning funding and operational support
- organised by SLLO
PowerPoint by SLLO 
2. Briefing Session for 23/24 - Aug 2023
An overview on funding and operational model for non-local Service-Learning subjects 2023-24
- organised by SLLO
PowerPoint by SLLO
3. Briefing Session for 22/23 - Feb 2023
An overview on logistics and arrangements of non-local Service-Learning subjects
- organised by SLLO
PowerPoint by SLLO
PowerPoint on Purchasing Procedures by FO
4. Briefing Session for 22/23 - Nov 2022
An overview on funding and operational model for non-local Service-Learning subjects 2022-23
- organised by SLLO
5. Briefing Session for 22/23 - Aug 2022
An overview on logistics and arrangements of non-local Service-Learning subjects
- organised by SLLO
PolyU has been conducting service-learning in Cambodia since 2011 (before service-learning even became an academic subject!) Since then, thousands of students have visited and participated in a wide range of service projects in the country, in the capital of Phnom Penh, in neighbouring provinces, and as far as Siem Reap. Subjects that will be working in the Cambodia base in AY23/24 are:
- RS3S04 Serving People with Special Healthcare Needs
- Project: Conduct health assessment and workshop for autism children in Phnom Penh
- ELC2S02 Serving the Community through Teaching English
- Project: Teach underprivileged children English in a local school in Phnom Penh
- ELC2S03 Persuasive Digital Storytelling: Small Charities Big Impacts
- Project: Co-create contents of “advocacy package” to enhance NGOs’ profile in Phnom Penh
- EIE2S02 Promoting Digital Literacy in Developing Societies
- Project: Conduct STEM workshops for underprivileged communities in Phnom Penh and Kampong Cham Province
- BSE3S03 Living Environment for Low-income Communities
- Project: Build water filtration system for rural communities in Kampong Speu Province
- BME2S04 Reducing the Scientific Divide in Primary and Secondary Students through STEM Projects
- Project: Conduct STEM workshops for elementary school children in Kampong Speu Province
- SO2S01 Learning through Providing Eye Care and Vision Health to the Community
- Project: Perform eye examinations and make prescription glasses for needy school kids in Phnom Penh
Some photos of previous service projects and enrichment activities for students can be found below. The pictures depict the situation of actual service, cultural activity and more. SLLO can assist in arranging service sessions and cultural enrichment sessions for different projects. While the service sessions vary from project to project, every team can share the same cultural learning experience: (1) Museums visit, to learn about the genocide history of Cambodia; (2) Community visit, to understand the livelihood and difficulties of local people; (3) Cultural workshops about local language and traditions, to learn some basic words and cultural norms; (4) Visit historical restaurant, to experience local dining culture. SLLO can negotiate and arrange the above sessions for teams to fit specific teaching and learning needs.
A standard itinerary of 10/9 days and related budget can be found here, to provide colleagues a better picture on the management of logistics and financial resources. The number of days and itinerary can be adjusted. Flexibility in scheduling and itinerary customization can be accommodated to ensure that the projects align with the ILOs, colleagues’ availability and preferences. SLLO can help to prepare budget and itinerary according to different projects’ needs. Please contact Mr. Sean Leung on (852) 3400-8097 / sean.leung@polyu.edu.hk for more details about the base in Cambodia.
Students learning Khmer in a local institute.
Students trying local Khmer snacks.
APSS students conduct activities for Cambodian kids.
SN students checking blood pressure for local people and providing healthy tips for them.
ELC students conducting interactive English learning class for elementary school kids.
SO students performing eye-check and eye exam for local kids.
Students enjoying local Cambodian cuisine in a traditional restaurant.
Near the China-Vietnam border, Malipo County in the Wenshan Zhuang and Miao Autonomous Prefecture is rich in culture and agricultural products, but underserved in human services. Many of the young and old belong to the “left-behind” population, and a wide range of direct and indirect service projects targeting schools and communities are possible. SLLO has been partnering with Yunnan University and several NGOs to identify service targets and sites for SL subjects. Subjects that will conducting service in Yunnan in AY2023/24 are:
- CHC2S01P Appreciating and Applying Chinese Literary Masterpieces in Modern Daily Life
- Project: Providing a workshop on Chinese culture for primary schoolchildren in a local boarding school
- AF3S02 Service-Learning: Financial Literacy for Low-income Communities
- Project: Providing a workshop on financial planning for secondary schoolchildren in a local boarding school
- COMP2S01 Technology Beyond Borders: Service Learning across Cultural, Ethnic and Community Lines
- Project: Developing computer games to aid rehabilitation and exercise for an elderly home
SLLO can help arrange service sessions and cultural learning / enrichment activities for different SL projects. While the service sessions vary from project to project, every team can have similar cultural learning / enrichment experience: (1) Museums visit - to learn about the history, culture and traditions of Yunnan; (2) Community visit - to understand the livelihood and needs of the local community; (3) Cultural workshops about local language and traditions - to learn some basic local expressions and cultural norms; (4) Visiting historical restaurants - to experience local cuisines and dining culture. SLLO can negotiate and arrange the above sessions for the SL projects to achieve specific teaching and learning needs.
A standard itinerary of 9 days and related budget can be found here, to provide colleagues a better picture on the management of logistics and financial resources. The number of days and itinerary can be adjusted. Flexibility in scheduling and itinerary customization can be accommodated to ensure that the projects align with the ILOs, colleagues’ availability and preferences. SLLO can help to prepare budget and itinerary according to different projects’ needs. Please contact Ms. Eugene Cheung on (852) 3400-3410 or via eugene.lp.cheung@polyu.edu.hk for more details.
A primary school with boarding facilities for left-behind children.
Cultural artifacts from the ethnic minority groups
Cultural artifacts from the ethnic minority groups
The Philippines is a country with a long culture of service of its own. SLLO has been partnering with the University of The Philippines (Diliman) and Ateneo de Manila University to develop SL projects which involve both Philippine university students as well as PolyU students. The following subjects will conduct service proejcts in the Philippines in AY2023/24. Below are the subjects:
- COMP2S01 Technology Beyond Borders: Service Learning Across Cultural, Ethnic and Community Lines
- Project: Conduct AI workshop for children staying in illegal settlements area in Manila
- APSS3S13 Enhancing Resilience of Left-Behind Children, Youth and Elderly in Disaster-Prone Areas
- Project: Conduct resilience and personal growth activities for village children in the Province of Bulacan
- SN2S03 Healthy Lifestyle Challenges for Developing Communities
- Project: Conduct cognitive and health check for homeless elderly people in Manila
SLLO can help arrange service sessions and cultural learning / enrichment activities for different SL projects. While the service sessions vary from project to project, every team can have similar cultural learning / enrichment experience: (1) Museums visit - to learn about the history, culture and traditions of Yunnan; (2) Community visit - to understand the livelihood and needs of the local community; (3) Cultural workshops about local language and traditions - to learn some basic local expressions and cultural norms; (4) Visiting historical restaurants - to experience local cuisines and dining culture. SLLO can negotiate and arrange the above sessions for the SL projects to achieve specific teaching and learning needs.
A standard itinerary of 10 days and related budget can be found here, to provide colleagues a better picture on the management of logistics and financial resources. The number of days and itinerary can be adjusted. Flexibility in scheduling and itinerary customization can be accommodated to ensure that the projects align with the ILOs, colleagues’ availability and preferences. SLLO can help to prepare budget and itinerary according to different projects’ needs. Please contact Mr. Sean Leung on (852) 3400-8097 or sean.leung@opolyu.edu.hk for more details.
Students riding on a jeepney, the most popular means of public transportation in the Philippines, to experience “everyday life” of local people.
Students visiting local households to understand their livelihood, happiness and difficulties.
Students conducting workshop: teaching local kids Baduanjin, a Chinese traditional exercise.
Students conducting workshop: teaching kids Scratch and elementary level programming knowledge.
Students celebrating with their service recipients on winning a competition prize.
Students visits a historical restaurant to enjoy local food and culture after 5-day services.
Guidelines, documents and online platform to facilitate planning and administration
Information on the funding application for non-local Service-Learning projects is provided here. Departments are reminded to submit the relevant funding proposals and completion reports to the Service-Learning and Leadership Office on time, and blank forms/templates can be downloaded below.
- SLLO FP1 (project proposal and budget plan)
-Part 1: General Information; Part 2: Itinerary & Part 3: Budget and Administrative Guidelines -should be submitted to SLLO in editable format
-Part 4: Confirmation and Endorsement- should be submitted with the endorsement from the Head of Host Centre/Department/School
- SLLO FP3 - should be submitted within 3 months after the project ends and students return to Hong Kong
After the funding proposal is approved, a project account will be set up and funding will be allocated. In case the subject needs to have a project account before the funding allocation, for example, collecting the outcome activity fee, please contact the Faculty Liaison Officer or email sllo.nlsf@polyu.edu.hk
Please submit the application or report to sllo.nlsf@polyu.edu.hk
Enquiries: Mr Kenneth Lo (Service-Learning and Leadership Office)
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kenneth.wk.lo@polyu.edu.hk |
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3400 3516 |
Protecting students' health is always one of the top priorities. While the Service-Learning and Leadership Office remains as the liaising party with UHS on travel medicine, an online platform is launched to capture students' medical and health-related information with ease.
Departments can also make use of this platform to collect and record students' information that is necessary for subject/project administration, health assessment and reporting. Such information includes but not limited to their passport information and information on emergency contacts. Students' failure to provide such data may affect their participation in the corresponding subject/project. All data is treated in strict confidence.
This online platform allows students to:
- submit their undertaking and declaration forms with passport and emergency contact information,
- complete the travel medicine briefing,
- submit their vaccination records,
- indicate the vaccination that they want,
- sign up the health consultation, and
- submit the vaccination and VISA receipts for reimbursement.
All the subject leaders will be granted access right to review the submission progress and download the passport copy for further processing. If you need to grant the access right to your colleagues, for example, TAs, project assistants, or admin staff, please contact us.
Enquiries: Mr Sean Leung (Service-Learning and Leadership Office)
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sean.leung@polyu.edu.hk |
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3400 8097 |
Departments need to look at different aspects and consider various local logistics issues when working with NGOs and partners in non-local Service-Learning projects. Two templates have been designed to assist departments in the process and collect necessary information in facilitating risk assessment and invoicing.
- Sample and template for reporting itinerary and local logistics arrangements with NGOs or organizations
- Sample and template of the local logistics specification for issuing invoice
Enquiries: Mr Kenneth Lo (Service-Learning and Leadership Office)
| |
kenneth.wk.lo@polyu.edu.hk |
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3400 3516 |
There are matters relating to travel insurance for staff and students travelling overseas that require departments' attention. A document on travel insurance and details on insurance coverage can be found below to offer useful information.
The University has also engaged a Worldwide Emergency Assistance Services Provider, International SOS ("ISOS") to provide professional advice on pre-trip preparation and worldwide emergency assistance services for staff and students travelling outside Hong Kong. More information and reference on communicating with ISOS can be found below.
- ISOS Membership information (from Finance Office)
- Email template to ISOS for requesting pre-departure advice
- A case for reference: communication with and assessment reports from ISOS on a trip to Vietnam
Enquiries: Ms Anna Kwok (Service-Learning and Leadership Office)
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hoi-yan-anna.kwok@polyu.edu.hk |
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3400 3424 |
Departments are recommended to collect the outbound activities fees from students by means of Debit Notes. SLLO can support your departments to liaise with the Finance Office (FO) to issue debit notes when creating the project account and/or allocating the project fund.
However, if the project account is created, please provide the necessary information to Mr Christopher Lai of FO. A blank template with an example to clearly illustrate the required information can be downloaded below. Alternatively, departments may also consider collecting the programme fees by cheque. For such a case, they may check with the FO Cashier Team for details.
For subjects with service-learning projects organised by the Service-Learning and Leadership Office (SLLO), SLLO will coordinate with FO for the issuance of Debit Notes.
Enquiries: Ms Sze Ying Chan (Service-Learning and Leadership Office)
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sze-ying.chan@polyu.edu.hk |
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3400 3298 |
Guidelines and documents from the Finance Office and Human Resources Office
- [FO] Expense Payment Procedures: Duty Function and Staff Development
- [FO] Rates of Subsistence Allowance outside Hong Kong
- [FO] Claim Form for Duty Function and Staff Development Activity Undertaken Outside Hong Kong (FO-SD1)
- [HRO] Application Form for Duty Function (including Conference Attendance for Duty Purpose) (HR Form 19)
