Sports Volunteer Program enables more kids to love sports

The MOE promoted the Sports Volunteer Program in colleges last October, attracting 987 sports related department students from 17 colleges to join. This program, smashing the stereotype of volunteer work, allowed student volunteers majoring in physical education to teach elementary school kids sports classes in interesting ways. The student volunteers said the program made their volunteer work more enjoyable.

TPECvolunteers use music and dance

Huang Cheng-chuan, an advisor of the Taipei Physical Education College (TPEC) Volunteer Group, said they used music and dance to teach elementary school children kendo, karate, and aerobic exercise. They also organized basketball shooting and hula hoop contests to incite the kids to practice these skills outside the class.

"For all their school subjects, first and second grade students have only one teacher who is usually not trained in physical education," said Huang. "This program brings together student volunteers for that task."

Schools in remote areas lack sports equipment

Lee Chao-ying, a third year Sports and Recreation Management major at the TPEC, has done volunteer work in 15 rural elementary schools, including one in Dong Guan, China attended by children of Taiwan businessmen.

"Some schools in the remote areas don't even have a basketball," said Lee. "I hope the more fortunate members of our society donate some sports items and other resources to them."

Some remote schools couldn't offer accommodations for the volunteers who had to use the schools' wash basins to take showers.

An enjoyable task

Lin Ya-li, who finished her masters thesis on volunteer work at TPEC this year , has served as a sports volunteer for eight years and is now the director of TPEC's volunteer team.

" It's enjoyable to teach school kids to do exercise," she said. "I also learned the meaning of giving and cherishing the experience of doing volunteer work. Taiwan's volunteer system is in its initial phase and the government should establish a reliable system to attract more people to join."