The service learning course practiced since 2008 academic year is reorganized by integrating campus services with community services. Through series of social services, the students will experience the significance of being a citizen and community member as well as learn to care for others’ feeling, so that the core value of the course, “rooting in the local, integrating with communities,” will be realized. Dr. Ko Chih-en, Dean of Office of Student Affairs, indicates that through the experience of community services and the application of specialized knowledge in service practices, the students not only learn to feedback to the society but also to integrate into it so that they will locate their social position, creating a win-win result for both the students and the community.

The scope of the services include Tamsui campus, fisherman wharf, Tamsui town hall, offices of social organizations, and local elementary schools in Tamsui. With a concern for self-reflection, the course categorizes four aspects of the local community services: “Green Tamsui Environmental Protection,” “Golden Tamsui Community Culture,” “Multiple Learning Education Assistance,” “Love-without-Obstacle Care for the Disadvantaged.”

“Green Tamsui Environmental Protection” is targeted at doing services for “The Society of Wilderness,” “Fishing Department, Agriculture Bureau, Taipei County,” “Tsu Chi Foundation.” Working in area indicated on a “Green Life Map,” the students do services in cleaning and recycle garbage at fisherman wharf.

In the project of “Golden Tamsui Community Culture,” each class adopts a park of the town as a service area to do cleaning under the lead of military training officer. In addition, students will also serve in accordance with the need of the contracted public organizations, such as Tamsui Township Library. The contract was signed on September 16.

In the program of “Multiple Learning Education Assistance,” leading by military training officer, students will be divided into groups to prepare course materials and resources for Tian Sheng Primary School.

In the program of “Love-without-Obstacle Care for the Disadvantaged,” students will be led to inspect the non-obstacle infrastructure for disadvantaged people, and make a movement-friendly map. The plan will not only help to create a non-obstacle environment in the campus but also assist the town to develop a non-obstacle tourist industry. In addition, they will assist “Technology Development Association for the Disabled in Taiwan” to digitalize library materials. ( ~Chen Chi-szu )