Beijing Project: Resilience (RES) and Pathfinding (PAF) Programs

The Resilience and Pathfinding programs are also known as the "Blessing Bat of the City" . The bat has a dual-identity - it is the only flying mammal in nature! Misunderstanding and biases surround them, but in the traditional Chinese culture, it represents "longevity" and "blessing". The migrant children are precisely the "Blessing Bat" of the city!

Objectives

Resilience Program (RES):

  • Increase social and interpersonal skills, improve problem solving skills, and promote self-esteem and confidence.
  • Improve adjustment to city life, reduce migration stress, and promote healthy psychosocial development.

Pathfinding Program (PAF):

  • Increase vocational planning skills through the provision of information and adult mentors.
  • Improve opportunities for future employment through networking with industry partners, migrant schools and vocational schools.

Partners

6 migrant schools in Beijing.

Programs Description

Our Resilience Training Program (RES) includes 6 classroom lessons and 3 day camps. Through experiential learning activities, the program is devoted to helping migrant children develop interpersonal skills, promote their self-esteem to manage the migration stress, promote healthy psychosocial development and to bond with volunteers. Special emphases are placed on the development of identity, sense of competence, optimism, and belongingness.

Our Path Finding Program (PAF) includes 5 classroom lessons and 2 day camps. Migrant youths lack guidance in choosing vocations and have little information on available opportunities. Besides providing relevant information on schooling opportunities beyond middle school, the PAF activities aim at helping the migrant youth identify their strengths and multiple intelligences, and at empowering them to set goals and make actionable plans.

Our program design is based on years of need assessment research results, with combined efforts from experts in the diverse fields of psychology, education, social work, counseling, as well as past experience in Hong Kong. To find out what a typical day camp for students look like, please click here.

Progress

  • Phase I (Sep 2009 – May 2010): 71 student participants.
  • Phase II (Sept 2010 – May 2011): 209 student participants. Parents’ Workshops introduced.
  • Phase III (Sept 2011 – May 2012): In progress. Teachers’ Workshops introduced.

Sharings by Students

“Since I have participated in the Resilience and Path-finding program, and have some preparation learning on how to face good times and bad, I am better equipped than my peers in coming with reasonable solutions to deal with problems.”

“I have learned to be even more determined about my dreams when I face obstacles.”

“I was very confused then – I have already passed up on the path to return home to study, and I cannot take the college entrance examination in Beijing, what am I to do? This problem keeps bothering me! At this helpless moment, all of a sudden a group of people appeared: they were all volunteers, showing up every Sunday afternoon at the activity room of our school.”

Read more here