Service-Learning Match Making

The covid-19 pandemic stopped all our in-person international service-learning projects. During the 3 years of inaction, some teachers retired or left the university.  On the other hand, some of our partners encountered difficulties and could not continue with the collaboration.  We now have to rebuild many of our projects and develop some new ones.  A week ago we went to Da Nang in Vietnam to explore opportunities in the middle part of Vietnam.  We told our potential partner we have a team who can do projects in fashion design/art expression the we can bring to Vietnam.  We even brought along the professor who teaches that subject.  

Our partner, Danang Architecture University found us an organisation who serves marginalised groups.  One of their projects trains people in up-cycling, sewing used linen into attractive bags and other accessories.  It turns out that is quite similar in spirit to what our fashion design professor has been doing in her projects. Her team can help to strengthen the training in design, or at least to provide alternate ideas to the participants.  It is an almost perfect match.  

There are, of course, a tremendous amount of communities in need, in Vietnam and elsewhere.  Their needs are also of a great variety.  On the other hand, there are also professors and students who are willing to help, with the right kind of skill and experience.  Nut matching the appropriate help to the specific need is very hard. These two groups of people live in different circles, in different cities and countries even.  Under normal circumstances they will not meet each other.  It takes parties such as the Service-Learning Office at Danang Architecture University and the Service-Learning and Leadership Office at PolyU, to reach out to each other, the communities in need, and to the professors who can offer the specific help, to connect them together.   It is challenging,
time-consuming, creative work that does not always work out.  

That is what match making in Service-Learning is about.  It is an important, but often under-appreciated contribution.  Due credit should be given to them.