CityU Volunteer Team Advances Social Responsibility through Visiting Community Inclusion Centre and a Coastal Trail Clean-up activity
Recently, the Volunteer Team of City University of Macau (CityU) conducted two activities, fulfilling their social responsibility through practical actions. These included a visit to the Po Lei Centre of Fuhong Society of Macau and a clean-up activity along the Dragon Claw Rock trails and Hac Sa Beach in Coloane. These two activities showcased the proactive commitment of the students in regard to community inclusion and environmental protection.
The Volunteer Team visited the Po Lei Centre, located in Areia Preta, Macao, to gain an understanding of the vocational rehabilitation services provided for persons with disabilities.
Since its establishment in 2003, the Po Lei Centre has been dedicated to developing vocational skills and life abilities for adults with mild to moderate intellectual disabilities. Their education service network starts from initial vocational training and extends to a comprehensive system covering skills development, rehabilitation support and social integration. During the visit, the Volunteer Team toured functional spaces such as the dance room, a simulated hotel housekeeping stimulation room, and a physical therapy room, witnessing the growth of the trainees.
In the exhibition area, the most impressive displays were the diamond paintings, hand-sewn socks, dyed silk scarves and other handicrafts created by the trainees themselves. These tasks stemmed from the concept of “job redesigning” which allows each trainee to participate in segmented steps and gain a sense of accomplishment.
In the area known as the “production workshop”, trainees divided their responsibilities for assembly, packaging, and material transfer, realizing their self-worth through collaborative training. At the end of the visit, the Volunteer Team and trainees made lemon tea together, breaking down barriers in a joyful atmosphere and experiencing the warmth of inclusion through genuine interaction.
This visit highlighted that persons with disabilities possess the same capacity to create value and share the desire for recognition and acceptance. The Po Lei Centre has succeeded in building a bridge that allows every individual’s potential to be seen. Here, there is no giving up—only growth. Every piece of work, every act of collaboration, and every smile convey that the value of life transcends all forms.
To keep the coastal environment clean, the Volunteer Team organized the “Coloane Cultural Hike and Coastal Trail Clean-up” activity, turning their focuses from the community to the nature.
During the event, students worked in pairs along the trails around the Dragon Claw Rock in Coloane, enjoying the scenery while picking up litter scattered along the path. Afterwards, the group arrived at Hac Sa Beach, where they patiently cleaned up waste left by visitors and large amounts of marine debris washed ashore. A great amount of trash was collected, with the most hardworking group gathering about 5 kilograms. During the sharing session at the end of the activity, participants displayed and discussed some “special trash” they had found. Besides common items such as plastic bottles, plastic bags, styrofoam and paper scraps, some students also picked up discarded items like fishing nets, leftover food, and coconuts.
This clean-up activity not only provided a hands-on environmental education experience but also a dialogue with nature. The students traversed hills and beaches, clearing away debris with their hands. Through teamwork and sharing along the way, their sense of responsibility for protecting the environment became more concrete and profound through firsthand experiences.
