What kind of jurisdiction does "one square meter desk" bring to assisted children | space | children
A desk and a chair occupy approximately 1.5 square meters of space in a family, but they are precious and exclusive learning spaces that many children cherish.
For children from individual families in Shanghai, enjoying such a small community is also a luxury. In Jing'an District, a child's desk is made of a wooden board; In Pudong New Area, the corner of the dining table is also a children's desk, not to mention the bright desk lamp and spacious bookshelf. In recent years, various districts in Shanghai have explored expanding the connotation of poverty alleviation and assistance, expanding the ideas of youth support, and gradually exploring a new approach of "one square meter desk". That is, after determining the candidates, through government funding or integrating resources from various sectors of society, a small learning space is transformed for children.
Helpers generally hope that this small renovation can lead children to a brighter future. What is the effect really like?
One person, one book "menu"
In the hand of Lu Siwen, the person in charge of social assistance in Laogang Town, Pudong New Area, there is a "menu" with 12 options for tables and chairs, 4 options for desk lamps, 4 options for fans, as well as a checklist of more than ten items such as heaters, bed sheets and covers, backpacks, stationery, and books.
Starting three years ago, Laogang Town has been conducting door-to-door surveys through third-party assistance consultants hired by its jurisdiction every year, selecting 20 village residents from 11 villages who have real family difficulties and children with learning space renovation needs, and inviting them to fill out this menu. After filling it out, according to their respective checkboxes, the goods will be delivered to the door for installation, ensuring that the rich content of the "one square meter desk" is delivered to the children's hands.
Lu Siwen told reporters that the progress of this work was not very smooth at first. Although it is not difficult to find eligible families in rural areas, some children are squeezed together with their parents and grandparents. Placing a desk at home means throwing away another piece of furniture, which the family cannot discuss; Some families are concerned about other expenses and adopt a wait-and-see attitude. In fact, the government of Laogang Town strongly supports this innovative assistance work, allocating a certain amount of funds every year and dispatching professional third parties and social workers to promote the entire process, which can completely alleviate the concerns of the assisted families. Behind the concerns, the true intentions of parents and children are also very strong.
Xiao Jie is a primary school student living in Zhonggang Village. The rescue consultant told reporters that during the first visit to investigate her family situation, Xiaojie remained silent throughout the entire process. This little girl has become accustomed to a family of four squeezed into a 30 square meter room, accustomed to her parents leaving early and returning late to work, and doesn't have much time to focus on herself. However, when she heard the rescue consultant explain her purpose, she couldn't help but poke her head out from behind the wardrobe time and time again. "The child's hesitant expression confirms that she really wants to have such a desk," said the rescue consultant.
"Some families are particularly cautious when selecting the menu, filling it out with a pencil first, and then after discussion with the whole family, changing the pencil to a ballpoint pen to give the final answer." Lu Siwen said that after a round of trial, not only did more and more families want to participate, but many children also bravely and clearly expressed their willingness to the on-site assistance consultant. And that new desk even became a topic of conversation for them at school.
In order to benefit more children, this year, the government of Laogang Town will increase the support funds to 300000 yuan, which means that the number of assisted families can be expanded to 60. "We have also optimized the mechanism and 'menu' based on previous years' experience, expanding the scope of assistance from 16 years old to 18 years old, covering high school adolescents. At the same time, we have added options for the 'menu' to make its content more tailored to the needs of different age groups." Lu Siwen said.
Laogang Town is a learning space for children who have been transformed.
Plan "Private Customization"
Xiaowu, who is in third grade in Jing'an District, has been living with his grandparents. On weekdays, three people sleep in the same bedroom, eat and do homework at the same table. Not long ago, when the young cadres of the Jing'an Youth League Committee, street social workers, and the Pengyi Youth Volunteer Service Team of China Railway 24th Bureau first walked into Xiaowu's house, they really didn't know how to stuff a desk into this crowded room.
In order to improve the living environment of a group of disadvantaged minors in Jing'an District, especially to create high-quality learning spaces for them, in recent years, the Jing'an Youth League Committee has recruited a group of caring enterprises in the jurisdiction to establish the "Dream Assistance Team". Through public welfare donations, items such as desks, seats, desk lamps, and bookcases have been allocated to renovate the children's original living space. As of now, more than 10 families have completed the renovation.
Renovation is not an easy task. There are many old houses in Jing'an District, and due to objective conditions, some families cannot allocate 1 square meter to set up desks for their children; Some families share public spaces with their neighbors, and once renovation is involved, it inevitably causes trouble for those around them; Some families have very special areas for renovation, and it is difficult to match the finished desks they usually purchase. Considering the particularity of the current situation, the Jing'an Youth League District Committee has finally formulated a "one person, one policy" plan to provide private customized services for every household undergoing renovation.
Xiaowu's desk was customized by young volunteers from China Railway 24th Bureau, a caring enterprise, for on-site measurement. Due to the lack of room for renovation, after discussing with Grandpa and Grandma Xiaowu, everyone agreed to tidy up the courtyard where miscellaneous items were piled up. Unexpectedly, there were unexpected gains from this cleanup. Volunteers have found that this space can not only be embedded with a bookshelf or desk, but also accommodate a separate small bed. Xiao Wu, who was once hesitant to be known by his classmates as a "low-income family," now often talks about his feelings: "Finally, there is a world of his own."
The reporter learned that a group of enterprises including China Railway 24th Bureau and China Construction 5th Bureau East China Construction Co., Ltd., which participated in the renovation, fully utilized their professional and resource advantages throughout the entire process, providing professional design, planning, and renovation services for various families without disturbing surrounding residents. The Jing'an Workstation of the Shanghai Sunshine Community Youth Affairs Center, as the main force in the early investigation, conducted in-depth visits to families of disadvantaged youth in various streets and towns, solicited opinions from teenagers and parents multiple times, and further deepened the connection with the youth in the jurisdiction. "Nowadays, these children are very willing to speak their hearts to our social worker brothers and sisters, and they are no longer as reserved as they were when they first met," social worker Shen Jue told reporters.
Jing'an District has allocated items such as desks, chairs, desk lamps, and bookcases through public welfare donations to renovate the children's original living space.
Link more social resources
The renovation of a one square meter desk may seem like a one-time transaction, solving the spatial resource difficulties of individual families. However, in practical operation, many regions and towns use it as a gateway and link point, gradually connecting the youth group with a wide range of social resources.
In Shanggang Xincun Street, Pudong New Area, the implementation of several years of desk renovation projects has also extended a new function to help these children master employment skills, provide employment channels, and enable them to successfully find employment, thus achieving poverty alleviation for their families.
In Laogang Town, Pudong New Area, as an extension of the "one square meter desk" project, the caring team of Class 3 of the 20th EMBA program at Fudan University has jointly built with the local community to provide a caring and growth service to local children - the Green Sprout Reading Society. The caring team generously donated books for the children to purchase study corners, and regularly invited local teenagers to participate in various reading activities.
At the first event of this year's "Green Sprout Reading Society", senior English teachers from Laogang Middle School and Laogang "Top scorer in the College Entrance Examination" from the Chinese Department of Fudan University jointly conducted book guidance for children, cultivating their reading ability and interest. Xiaojie, who had received assistance before, was also present at the event. The rescue consultant told reporters that after contacting Xiaojie again, she found that she was much more outgoing and confident, and was willing to actively participate in other youth activities organized by the village.
Jing'an District has proposed a new approach of community shared self-study rooms for disadvantaged youth families who do not have the conditions for renovation. Wu Jiani, Secretary of the Jing'an Youth League Committee, introduced that the Youth League Committee has integrated the resources of the district's Youth Volunteer Association's director units, providing a centralized learning space for families in need, and extending the caregiving time by social workers. At the same time, Jing'an District also collaborates with the volunteer team of Shanghai Normal University to carry out the "Love Cloud Learning Assistance" activity for the special disadvantaged youth group in the district. Targeting disadvantaged youth with learning needs in the region, online teaching and interest classes are used to tailor teaching to each youth's characteristics and needs.
