From Hands to Hearts: A Journey of Inclusive Service

Throughout this academic year, SWWYID has partnered with Shanghai Huiling Community Service Center for Persons with Disabilities and Petiversal, a public animal adoption organization, to carry out a series of social service initiatives. Through activities such as ceramic workshops, caring companionship, public awareness campaigns, and charity markets, the program aims to create a warm platform where individuals with autism can express themselves and feel included in society.

On October 10, seventeen teachers and students visited Shanghai Huiling and formed small cooperative groups with autistic participants for a hands-on ceramic workshop. Guided by a professional instructor, students used picture cards, simple language, and gestures to support communication, building trust through patient collaboration. Educators observed that the slow, tactile nature of ceramics helped reduce anxiety while encouraging social interaction.

This initiative builds on SWWYID’s broader service-learning experiences, including a three-day educational outreach program in Guiyang earlier this year, reinforcing the belief that public service is a process of mutual growth. In collaboration with Petiversal, students will also sell handmade ceramic bowls at charity adoption events, with proceeds supporting art therapy programs. Through these sustained efforts, students are learning to practice empathy, respect, and responsibility—key qualities of globally minded citizens.