Empowering Tomorrow’s Leaders – Introducing Taiwan Youth Leadership

As a parent, I often find myself pondering the kind of world I want my child to grow up in. My thoughts often circle back to my 14-year-old son Max, who, like many children from privileged backgrounds, has been fortunate enough to grow up in comfort and security. However, amidst this privilege, I couldn’t help but feel that there was something missing – a deeper understanding of the world, a sense of gratitude, compassion, and responsibility towards others less fortunate. A few years ago, I start thinking about how I would design the camp, and who I’d partner with. Last year’s Fun Taiwan Camp parents really inspired me, many of them asked me about the camp options for their older kids. So, I embarked on a journey to create a different kind of camp: Taiwan Youth Leadership, a transformative youth program that blends Mandarin learning with volunteerism, aimed at shaping young minds into global citizens and catalysts for change.

First, the partner – Azure Alliance. I read about its founder Cheer Chen and all the amazing work that she’s doing. I followed them on social media and just PMed them to see how I can help. When you meet her, you can’t’ help but to be in awe of her passion, enthusiasm and her tenacity. My favorite part of her story is how she made the prototype for the Azure Fighter – this vacuum boat that sucks up marine litter with Legos. How many of us sit there, think about problems of the world, and what we do to solve it. Cheer is someone who actually rolled up her sleeves and got it done. After confirming partnership with Azure Alliance, it was time to design the camp.

This is what I had in mind when I first sat down and designed it with Cheer –

1. Starting with the Child in Mind: Our journey began with a simple yet profound realization: I wanted to instill in today’s youth a sense of empathy and responsibility towards the world around them. It was crucial for them to step out of their comfort zones （look up and away from their iPhone） and experience firsthand the challenges and struggles faced by many communities worldwide. By engaging in meaningful volunteer opportunities, we hope to foster a spirit of gratitude, compassion, and understanding within these young hearts.
2. Exposure to Inspiring Community Leaders: Beyond volunteerism, we want to introduce our campers to inspirational community leaders who are actively driving change in Taiwan. I firmly believe that witnessing real-life examples of individuals dedicated to causes such as environmental protection, equality, and social issues can ignite a spark within these young leaders. Through interactions with these passionate changemakers, we hope that our campers gain valuable insights but also realize their own potential to effect positive change in the world.
3. Mandarin Learning with a Purpose: Mandarin learning is still key part of the camp. By immersing participants in Mandarin lessons in the morning and encouraging them to apply their newfound language skills in real-life situations in the afternoon, we bridge the gap between theory and practice. Through this approach, participants not only learn Mandarin but also develop cross-cultural communication skills and a deeper appreciation for diverse perspectives.

We are launching our inaugural session this July. We invite you and your child to join us on this journey to discover Taiwan, reach their potential, and make a difference!

– Sign up for Taiwan Youth Leadership here!