International Association of Special Education

1. International Association of Special Education 13th BIENNIAL CONFERENCE July 7-11 2013 VANCOUVER, BC, CANADA The Bridge from Segregation to Inclusion…..A Long Journey

2. Serving as a Bridge for Young Adults with Special Needs in Hong Kong The Rock Foundation Limited Concurrent Session 11 9:45 – 10:45a.m. July 10th

3. The challenge • Young adults with special needs in Hong Kong • face difficulties in realizing their post-secondary dreams • successfully included • able to participate and achieve • as independent & contributing members

4. Profile • they may be physically and/or mentally challenged and/or have special educational needs • Hong Kong has 270,000 people with disabilities in addition to 87,000 people with mental handicap (Wan, 2004).

5. Education System The education system in Hong Kong requires a 9 year compulsory universal basic education. Starting 2008, senior secondary education is provided free through public sector schools. For students with special needs, most are included in ordinary schools. However, for those with severe special educational needs or multiple disabilities, they are referred to special schools (Education Bureau, 2012).

6. Social Welfare System • The Rehabilitation services of the Social Welfare Department in Hong Kong • provide persons with disabilities • aged 15 and above ; possess basic self-care ; have work ability ; but unable to enter into open employment • the appropriate vocational training to enhance their working capacity so that they can enter into a workplace in society (Social Welfare Department. 2012).

7. What is lacking • Despite this elaborate system of hardware support to transit students from school to tertiary education or towards society • the much needed software needs are not met. • These needs include • the preparedness of parents to begin to pass over autonomy to their children • the equipping of the young adults to face a new life stage • the readiness of society to include the young adults in everyday work environment and into the community as a whole.

8. Serving as the Bridge : A Special Parent’s Initiative to give hope • It started with realizing the pain and cry • of the young adults • of their parents • the helplessness and loneliness they have lived with as a minority group in society. • The need to belong and to be ‘normal’ is so great!

9. The 1st Bridge • “welcome and accept” • it was a home environment but they belonged somewhere that accepted them and listened to their hearts • they were given space and encouragement to express themselves • they grew in confidence • they came to realize that they were individuals who could take up responsibilities and make decisions.

10. The 2nd Bridge • “connect and support” • Connect the young person to an employer and support the employer so that they do not feel stranded. • With this strategy, Sunny, was given the opportunity to be a teaching assistant in a mainstream international primary school

11. Bridging continues lifelong • maintain constant communication with the employer on social harmony • periodic evaluation on Sunny’s job performance • Sunny was given support on continuous education and emotional counseling.

12. the empowering Bridge • The Rock Foundation was founded a few months later to fill this service gap in Hong Kong. • The mission of The Rock Foundation is to enable students by looking at their abilities and gifts. • With the realization that they are able, the young people begin to live meaningful and dignified lives by taking up ownership of themselves. (Video “You Raise Me Up”)

13. The Rock Foundation : The Coaching & The Practical Training tailored-made It is vital to be able to look at the Big Picture when giving support to the persons with special needs. The Milwaukee Village School, a school designed to educate the whole child, to implement true reform, to take children “from where they are”, to respect the intelligence and abilities of all children, is our role model of coaching (Lee & Budzisz, 2004).

14. Dance Drama Their Passion We All – integrated drama + research Community Dance in Aged Home

15. Most Important Factors For Inclusive Education Compared We All 2 June 2013

16. Drama & Inclusive Education We All 2 June 2013

17. sports Art and design Their Passion • Art and design

18. To embrace the Big Picture, we have defined the following three areas in our programme, namely “Owning Yourself”; “Common Sense” and “Career Development”. With these three areas of continuous education, the persons with special needs can cope well holistically when they transit from one life stage to another. As each person is unique, it is important that every individual is given full attention as to their learning needs and learning style, so that they progress step by step every day.

19. Experiential learning Learning through play Learning needs and styles

20. 1:1 1:6 small group Learning and reinforcement

21. Employment Advocacy Transit from in-centre to Integration into society (Video : Voice of Staff /volunteer )

22. The 3 Bridges and The Result • the bridge to help parents pass autonomy to their young adults • the bridge to help employers and society create space for the young adults • the bridge to help the young adults understand themselves and make sense of life. • In less than 4 years, we have served 60 young people and integrated 10 young adults into society via their passion and talents. (Video: Voice of Students)

23. Goodness overflows • Many regular students and young people have come to spend time and work with them. • In the end, they are the ones that have found new inspiration for their own lives.

24. The Transformation • The parents feel more hopeful towards their children who have special needs. • Teachers feel fulfilled for the positive change they see in their students. • Society’s needs are being met as every human being is being respected and allowed to give their best.

25. Recommendation The bridge from segregation to inclusion need not be a long journey if we take the next step that will make a positive change in the life of the other person. Continuous education for the young people, for society must go hand in hand.

26. Why do we do this? • As Ben Carson reminded us to see The Big Picture in life “Success is defined when one is privileged to be given an opportunity and a platform to positively affect the lives of others.” (Carson, 1999).

27. The value of Community • Henri Nouwen, in his search for the true self and Jean Vanier, the founder of L’Arche, has inspired me to follow in the footsteps of community. “Every community is a body, and in it all the members belong one to another.” (Vanier, 2003).

28. Further Research For the schools • How can we better prepare persons with special needs to be more socially integrated from young? For the educators • How can we learn from each student to teach better?

29. Further Research For the community • Instead of elitism of the individual, can we foster the atmosphere of co-operation and goodness of diversity? International Collaboration • How can we begin to introduce international exchange and put our human resources into areas most in need?

30. We are The Rock Foundation

31. Hazel Delfina Chang The Rock Foundation hazel@therf.org www.therf.org Hazel founded The Rock Foundation in 2009 to serve young adults with special needs in Hong Kong. She has spent time and worked with people of various abilities and disabilities in churches, schools and other organizations since 1997. She believes and witnesses the unique gift of every person and the goodness of diversity.