Promoting positive development of migrant children in Hangzhou : pioneering experience and preliminary evaluation findings

The present paper described the first-year implementation (2014/15 academic year) of a service-learning program that aims to nurture university students’ generic competencies, positive values and social responsibilities and to promote positive development of migrant children in Hangzhou, China. Evaluative findings on PolyU students’ performance in the service trip and the effectiveness of the program on university students’ holistic development were also reported. Based on 140 observation assessment forms completed by trained observers, it was found that PolyU students performed very well throughout the service. The percentages of positive responses (rated as “good” or “very good”) ranged from 88.97% to 100% across the 13 items, indicating high quality of service provided by our students and good social outcomes. Qualitative findings showed that students had meaningful gains after the programme in multiple aspects including 1) an increased level of empathy towards others and passion in helping people in need, 2) deeper selfunderstanding and understanding of the population they served, 3) Improved problemsolving and decision-making skills, 4) enhanced interpersonal skills, and 5) a stronger sense of responsibility and citizenship. Implications of the findings and future research directions are discussed.