Date : 
20 - 24 September 2019
(5 days/4 nights)

Location:
CapitaLand Xiecun Hope School (about 4 hours drive from Hangzhou)
Xie village, Lishui City, Zhejiang Province, East China (4 hours drive away from Hangzhou City)

Meeting Point:
Hangzhou, China

(Transport will be provided from Hangzhou to CapitaLand Xiecun Hope School)

CapitaLand Xiecun Hope School is located in Xie Village in Songyang County of Lishui City in Zhejiang Province. It was founded in 1986 and is the only primary school in the township. It is responsible for the primary education of school-age children in 11 administrative villages.

Before CHF’s intervention, the school was lacking in teaching facilities and required additional classrooms to improve the quality of education for the students. In partnership with China Youth Development Foundation, CHF donated RMB400,000 to build a new school building in 2012. Further support was rendered through volunteer visits by local offices in China, educational bursary scheme and provision of school necessities for students.

During this expedition, volunteers will have the opportunity to interact with the students through activities such as sports, arts & craft and our signature CapitaLand Little Architect Programme. You can also contribute towards beautifying the students’ learning environment through wall mural painting and facilities upgrading activities.

How Volunteers Can Contribute 

Volunteers may be involved in one or more of the following activities:

• School Improvement Project: improve the learning environment for the students by adding vibrancy to the school through painting of wall murals, refurbishing the music and art rooms and designing reading corners in classrooms
• Enrichment Programme: planning and conducting interactive learning sessions such as CapitaLand Little Architect Programme, music, arts, sports and storytelling to enrich the children’s knowledge
• Event photography and videography

Volunteer Criteria 

The following volunteer traits are essential for a meaningful volunteering stint:

• Adaptability 
  
  • Places that we visit might be unfamiliar and out of one’s comfort zone, in terms of cleanliness and convenience. Thus, adaptability to different working environments and situations is vital.
• Cultural sensitivity 
  
  • Have an open mind and interest in learning about different cultures.
  • Be mindful of cultural differences and ability to articulate personal convictions respectfully.
• Humility and willingness to serve
  
  • Approach tasks and people with humility, driven by a genuine desire to learn and serve the local community.
• Teamwork
  
  • Build trust and good rapport with fellow volunteers, local partners and community leaders, in order to work efficiently together to achieve the objectives of the project.

CapitaLand Will Provide 

The following will be provided to support staff’s participation during the expedition:

• Up to S$200 transport subsidy for staff travelling from country/city of origin to Hangzhou
• Two-way return local transport between Hangzhou and Songyang County as well as daily transport to school
• 4-night basic local accommodation on sharing basis
• Local logistics, onsite support and arrangement
• Simple local meals from 21 September (breakfast) till 24 September 2019 (breakfast)

NOTE: Meals provided will be simple and main meat dishes include beef, pork and chicken. We may not be able to cater to special dietary requirements, as local conditions are very basic and subject to availability of local ingredients.

The organiser will also conduct a pre-departure briefing and relevant volunteer training to equip and better prepare volunteers for the volunteer expedition.

What Volunteers Will Cover 

• Two-way transport (plane/train/long-distance bus) between country/city of origin and Hangzhou
• Personal travel insurance
• Other incidental costs such as visa, vaccination, airport transfer, etc

Volunteer Service Leave (VSL) 

• Confirmed participants will be eligible for 3 days of VSL (if applicable and not already taken)
• Staff who have taken 3 days of VSL in a calendar year will be eligible to nominate:
  • [all except China staff] an approved Institution of Public Character (IPC) in Singapore or International Non-Profit Organisation (INPO) to receive S$500 donation from CHF;
    
  • [for China staff] RMB1,000 from CHF to an approved children’s charity