Rotary Club of LKF

一石二鳥的義工旅程

2011-12-28T23:54:00.000-08:00

一個多什麼令人期待的義工旅程, 試想想,由中華錫安傳道會社會服務部的社工陪同下,帶領幾位隱閉青年義工,拿著由各界善心人士捐出的物資去探訪獨居長者, 再一起到附近酒樓享用下午茶...好不威風凜凜.

出發!! 但情況有點超過預期, 走進如迷宮似的新式的公屋大廈, 手執地圖也一籌莫展, 幸好幾位隱閉青年義工給予協助, 帶領我在迷宮內穿梭,才能順利逐家探訪獨居長者. 縱然青年義工多不擅於詞令, 但都能配合其他義工, 帶著無論是長者健步如飛, 或是行動不太方便的長者,一一參扶他們到酒樓品嘗美食. 到達酒樓後, 只需輕輕提醒青年義工去幫忙長者倒茶端食物, 他們都會欣然照做如儀, 以表對長者的愛心.

至於獨居長者, 他們非常健談和友善, 跟我們分享日常生活瑣事, 青年義工們或許未能即時應對, 仍會默默聽著,偶爾點頭一下以作交流.

這次一石二鳥的義工旅程, 真的獲益良多, 透過一起探訪獨居長者活動,跟隱閉青年作初步認識,了解他們的性格和背後的故事. 也能跟獨居長者共渡一個溫馨愉快的下午. 願你能感受當中的意義!

隱閉青年, 洗耳傾聽心不閉;
獨居長者, 笑口常開心不獨;
無冕義工, 攜手共融心不宣.

Service for Socially Withdrawn Youth - Dr. Dog Activity

2011-12-13T19:11:00.001-08:00

不知自己應否介定為「沒有愛心」那類，一直以來，對小動物或寵物的興趣都不大，總覺得人與人同類相處已不太簡單，不明白很多朋友為何能夠和動物作有效溝通。參與「動物治療– 狗醫生」義工活動，令我對動物有重新的認識。

今年有幸與新的服務機構合作有關隱蔽青年的社區服務項目，為了有效準備，事前特意看過一些有關隱蔽青年的資料，情況要那麼糟有那麼糟，段後故事也可歌可泣。我向來最怕受忽視，活動開始前心裡也有點惴惴不安。

活動正式開始，先由「亞洲動物基金」的義工們作簡單介紹，然後一眾主角「狗醫生」粉墨登場。不需鎂光燈、不用華麗演出，簡簡單單的一坐一臥，動與靜間都吸引了參與者所有目光，大家都充滿好奇，圍繞「狗醫生」的日常生活不斷發問。

漸漸地，我分不清誰是我們的義工，誰是應被服務的隱蔽青年，大家都在人與動物的有趣互動中融合在一起。就算面對的是抗拒與人接觸的隱蔽青年，透過動物作媒介，溝通原來可以很簡單。

整個活動在輕鬆愉快的氣氛下進行，給我的感覺是：不難與隱蔽青年溝通﹗活動後我向社工提出我的疑問，她給我的忠告是：隱蔽青年的服務工作絕不易為，若果活動裡沒有「狗醫生」在場，你才能領教他們有多「隱蔽」。

原來真相是對著他們「有口」難言，「有狗」卻一切變得輕易。這一刻，我對動物肅然起敬。

Kenneth Shin

單純分享最輕鬆的一場演講

2011-12-08T20:21:00.000-08:00

22/11，星期二，下午三時，辦了一次應該是今年最後一次的講坐，很特別、很有意思的一場演講。

看日期及時間，便知道很特別。不是星期六、日或公眾假期，再加上是辦公時間，便知道聽眾與以往有所不同；講題同樣關於財務策略，對象卻是現階段不太可能會投資理財的一群。

很有意思的是，在我過去數年間大大小小二、三十場關於財務策劃的演講，首次完全不帶任何銷售成份，大異於一般人所認知唯利是圖的0金融界別。更有意思的是，同行的還有三位社友，在平日黃金搏殺時段，特意放下繁重的工作一同參與演講。

簡單點來說，那只是單純地與一班中學生分享一下大家對不同行業的經驗與心得。但正正是單純地分享，不帶任何動機、沒有銷售壓力、不需多餘的演繹與修飾，才可享受單純演講的快樂。

講座先由社友Kenneth播放了一段電動跑車的環島遊短片，即時惹起男同學們的嘩然，證明不論年紀，雄性動物總是追求對線條的美感及速度的快感。當一眾同學猜測講者是否職業賽車手時，Kenneth娓娓道出電動車在香港的發展狀況。

接著是社友Patrick分享主題「如何創業」，生動講解創業人士需具備的條件及開始昤之準備，令一眾「準老闆」為之入神，最鼓舞的是演講完整後，不少同學表示會以當「老闆」作為奮鬥目標。

由於演講流程由我安排，我故意將比較沉悶的財務策劃行業放在最後一段，以免同學們一開始便進入沉睡狀態。我首次嘗試將慣常在演講裡出現的大量數字移走，感覺怪怪的。晌惹笑的是，在無比輕鬆狀態下，我不自覺地講了很多次我的口頭禪「OK」，據社友們的非正式統計，我在短短十五分鐘內密集式地炮轟了超過六十次「OK」，結果嬴得了「OK Sir」的稱號。

生命密碼-活動後感

2009-04-06T03:30:00.000-07:00

生命, 長短不一, 可輕可重, 變化無常. 密碼, 無既定形式, 也無任何範本.

以義工身份走進'生命密碼' 計劃, 從中認識到一群充滿熱誠的外展社工, 也近距離接觸到很多參與此計劃之青少年. 一起找尋'生命密碼'.

義工的角色對青少年來說亦師亦友, 沒有固定框架, 從活動中相互交流, 分享人生經驗,透過一連串的活動, 義工們慢慢接近參與此計劃之青少年, 由當初遠距離觀察, 到活動分享, 至加深彼此認識. 當中有已完成的兩日一夜暴力島訓練營及合共八堂的狗隻訓練, 旨在讓青少年們認識到生命的意義和珍惜生命及暴力絕對不能解決問題. 以警醒的手法令他們反思.

能夠參與這計劃，走進活動小組跟幾位青少年進行亙動，經過多番的接觸,不僅建立起雙方的友誼, 藉此亦了解到他們並不如外界所認為般一無是處 . 除下有色眼鏡, 其實他們跟一般青少年無異, 既有各自的理想及潛能, 只是需要更適當的溝通和指導, 啟發他們對生命的正面思想, 引領他們走向更光明的前路. 縱然我們知道目標不是一朝一夕可達到,但青少年的寶貴青春轉眼消逝, 能盡快令他們走向大道至為重要.

作為義工的我從中得益也不少, 除了認識到他們不一樣的天空, 自已亦得益不淺.以往對生命的看法有些理所當然, 也忽略溝通的重要性. 原來肯付出一點點的轉變和調較舊有的眼光. 會有更多更新的體會和懂得捉緊幸福及珍惜擁有.

活在當下,抱緊明天. 願你也找到你的生命密碼.

Crossroads - Life X-perience

2009-03-21T05:16:00.001-07:00

"What word would you use to describe being poor?", the group leader asked of us ... "broke", one replies ... "homeless, hunger, unfair, survival ... ", as other answered.

That's the question we tried to answer by experience at the Crossroad's Life X-perience. The Crossroads Life X-perience is an event offered at Crossroad's global village - a themed, immersive environment where people can experience global need, such as poverty, first hand. The Crossroads Foundation is a Hong Kong based non-profit organisation which serves as an intersection between those in need and those who can help.

Our group participated in an activity called the "Paper Bag Game". In the 2.5 hour activity, we tried to earn enough to survive by making paper bags out of newspaper and home made glue. Our group must earn enough to pay for rent, food, sanitation, medical needs and, if we are fortunate, education. Those that cannot make it end up in the hands of a loan shark. This is the situation that families living in the Indian slums faced every day.

During the activity, we struggled to meet ends needs. As a "family" we worked hard to make enough money for food and shelter. Things we now take for granted, such as sanitation and health, were considered "luxury". If we could not obtain health care and sanitation, our family members became "sick" and became unproductive. In addition to the poor conditions, our family members had to make "sacrifices", such as selling items, selling services (e.g., massages), selling souls (as a wife to the loan shark). Our family's lives were at the mercy of the shop keeper because s/he was the one in power.

We learned that poverty was about survival, it's about working together, it's about sacrificing. It's a vicious cycle, and it's the dream of all those in poverty to get out of this vicious cycle.

After the activity, we were served the "buffet of the poor". We ate rice, an Indian dish made out of lentils, and an African dish that literally meant "food to push through the week (until payroll)". We ate with the tool for the poor - our hands, and drank out of the cups of the poor - a plastic bag.

After lunch, we had a chance to give back to Crossroads by volunteering at their facilities. A group of us helped renovate the living quarters for Crossroad volunteers.

For more about Crossroads Foundation, check out www.crossroads.org.hk

Joint Roatract High Table Dinner

2008-11-22T16:44:00.000-08:00

10月10日我參加了 Joint Rotaract High Table Dinner, 是 Table Guest 之一。當晚的題目為 Magical Moments, 台上第一節有梁家傑、劉慧卿及葛珮帆(EQ)議員分享，第二節有前補習天王 Jeffrey Hui, 作家深雪等分享。

第一節談到什麼是自己的Magical Moments, 梁家傑說選特首，卿姐說做立法會財委會主席, 尤其是卿姐, 她說每一個議員都去說服投她一票, 不理會他 /她是否泛民的陣營, 事實證明, 沒有偏見的拉票, 她得到眾人的支持。誰說一定要每一次都壁壘分明?

第二節 Jeffrey說到時間分配, 他說會將每天分做15分鐘一節, 這會時間好用一點, 如果要hea 也要meaningfully 地hea。我想, 15分鐘一節似乎太heavy 了。

我的同檯同學, 有些很清楚自己在做什麼, 這些同學散發自信的魅力, 完全感覺到她的「氣」, 有些仍未有自己的方向, 還是個小朋友一樣, 有點像小朋友扮大人。我對他們說讀書成績好與壞, 讀什麼科也只是一張社會入場劵, 做人最緊要有目標, 成敗得失決定在自己的心態。

如果敢think big, 肯下決心去做, 誰說你不會遇上magical moments?

2008 Rotary Flag Day

2008-10-14T23:45:00.000-07:00

On Saturday I joined CP Eva, PE William, Chairman Patrick, and fellow Rotarian Joyce to sell "flags" on Rotary Flag Day.

We met with other Rotarians in TST at 7am for the opening ceremony, and proceeded to Mei Foo MTR station to "sell flags".

There, we spotted other members sporting the Rotary t-shirts and bags, from 12 year olds (accompanied by their parents) to 70 year olds. The other members represented other Rotarians and Rotary sponsored organisations such as the Interact Club and senior citizens center.

For a while business was good. We occupied a "prime location" where there was a lot of "buyers" coming out of the MTR station. After spending some time at the first MTR station, our group decided to move to another MTR station to make way for another group of flag sellers that had arrived. We stayed above ground as we proceed to the next sell point. As we proceed, we were greeted by other flag sellers on the way. There must have been 20 to 30 flag sellers in Mei Foo alone!

We greeted everyone as we passed. There was a sense of joy among us, to see so many people united, all awaken at 7am in the morning, standing in the street corner, carrying the same yellow bag. We were all working for a good cause.

Rotary Spirit

2008-10-14T23:26:00.000-07:00

The Rotary Club of LKF blog is intended to be a venue whether club members can share their experiences as a par tof this great organisation. Through words and pictures, I wish members would use this blog to tell their stories. So lets begin with an introduction.

The Rotary Club of Lan Kwai Fong is a non-profit organization formed by volunteers who share a motto to perform "service above self". It is one of the 59 Rotary Clubs in District 3450 of the Rotary International, the world's first service organization.

Our Club consist of 25 young professionals and entrepreneurs who share an genuine interest in helping people. Our mission is to leverage the passion and experience of our members to complete local and international service projects that create lasting impacts. For the 2008-2009 year, our focus will be on community service projects on benefiting youth living in Hong Kong, with a focus on youth at risk.

Our members meet every Wednesday night at Le Manege, located at the 1/F Canton House, 54-56 Queen's Road, Central, Hong Kong. Dinner and fellowship starts at 7:30 PM, and meeting starts at 8:30PM. We elected to name our club the Rotary Club of “Lan Kwai Fong” because we believe that Lan Kwai Fong represents energy, entrepreneurship, and diversity.

Lan Kwai Fong is filled with energy, fellowship, and an entrepreneurial spirit. It is a Place where people “work hard” and “play hard”. It is a Club where “Rotary Shares” and “Make Dreams Real”.