Work experience for students at Taichung School for the visually impaired

Work experience for students at Taichung School for the visually impaired

2023-07-13

An old dorm at Taichung School for the Visually Impaired has become a workplace for the students. Disabled students often struggle to get work experience in contact with the public. But now the school’s own cafe gives students with visual impairments real-life customer service experience. The warm and friendly cafe attracts many locals with drinks, snacks and conscientious service.

Drinks are brought to the table, each step taken with care.

Inside the cafe, ice cubes are scooped up and a drink is completed under the guidance of the manager. This student at Taichung School for the Visually Impaired is an intern in the cafe.

Member of public
It’s a little slow, but I think it’s lovely to give the children a chance to learn.

From pouring a simple drink to frying meals, and cleaning the courtyard, simple steps can be challenging for disabled people. Students gain work experience and learn to manage customers here every Thursday and Friday.

Cafe manager
Before, at school, their customers might be their own classmates or teachers. But now they’re coming in contact with us and in that interaction they can gradually learn.

This small cafe in Taichung’s Houli District was once the school dormitory. After lying unused for more than a decade, it has now been reborn as a local meetup spot for the general public, serving tea and snacks, and a place where disabled students can gain invaluable workplace skills.

Student
Taichung School for the Visually Impaired
I can work here and then in the future I want to get a job here.

These students are working hard and applying their talents to cafe tasks, in the hope that they can one day use these skills to carve out their own place in the community.

接軌社會! 身心障礙生食堂實習"內場外場都通"

2023-07-13

台中啟明學校，將閒置十年的校長宿舍活化，委外經營，成立食堂，每周四、五，安排校內身心障礙學生前往實習，從環境清潔、飲料製作、再到外場上菜，讓學生實際面對消費者，接軌未來社會職場。

將飲料慢慢送上桌，每個步驟都很謹慎。

來到內場，舀起冰塊，在店長的指導下，完成一杯飲料，她是啟明學校的學生，也是食堂裡的實習生。

[[民眾]]
“雖然(動作)慢一點，可是覺得很溫暖，給小朋友一個機會，讓他們學習”

從簡單的倒飲料，再到美味炸物，還有外場清潔，每個步驟，看似簡單，其實對於這群身心障礙學生來說，卻是一場挑戰，因為每周四、五，到餐廳實習，不只是在累積工作經驗，還要實際面對消費者。

[[店長]]
“他們以前在學校，可能客人是自己的同學或老師，但他們現在接觸到的是我們，大家的相處上，可以讓他們慢慢學習”

座落在台中后里的這處小食堂，前身其實是校長宿舍，閒置10多年，如今重新活化，不僅成了附近民眾喝茶談心的地點，也成為學生接軌職場的中繼站。

[[啟明學校學生]]
“可以在這裡工作，以後未來(想)在這邊上班”

啟明學校學生靠著自己的雙手，努力工作，期望未來在職場上，也能繼續發光發熱。

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I think what happened is, the Tsai administration had initially said it would not approve our application. But now that the application is approved, the party we’re working with in China is feeling cautious, and it hopes to add three staff members. This request should be handled separately from our initial application. Taiwan’s government should not deny the request by pointing to precedent.

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Roller skating is making a comeback. Here at this new indoor roller skating rink, you can choose your favorite skates and glide under the neon lights.

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