親愛的朋友：
全球因為受COVID-19肆虐，無論在經濟、教育、醫療、政治都面臨極大的挑戰。ACFI的主要的支持對象包括在台灣以花東永續為願景的公益平台文化基金會及透過實驗教育讓偏鄉經濟弱勢得以翻身的均一實驗高中。
台灣很幸運，疫情的影響相對較其他國家輕微一些，公益平台在年初所制定的工作計畫除了Taiwan Connection（TC）音樂節及廚藝營因為音樂家及指導老師需由國外來台，為了避免不可預期的旅行風險而暫停，其他專案皆順利進行。
疫情帶來國旅熱，也讓大家看到台灣旅遊還有更多可能性。越是國際化的時代，越是要呈現在地的精神與能量，公益平台過去兩年多進行「長濱/豐濱地區觀光產業推廣」計畫，整合這兩地的資源並重新包裝，透過培力及促進業者對話，希望讓當地產業走向永續。雖在疫情期間，這兩個交通不方的秘境，現在已成了許多國人嚮往的旅地。
三年後，台東金樽將有一個世界級的美術館-「江賢二藝術園區」，這個園區未來將扮演串連花東潛在藝術能量的重要支點。公益平台除了將在未來兩年協助其軟體的規劃與執行，也於今年三月協助這位旅居紐約巴黎30年、12年前定居台東金樽，78歲的抽象藝術家江賢二推廣於臺北市立美術館的回顧展，此展覽得到跨年齡層群眾的熱烈迴響，為期三個月的展覽吸引超過12萬觀展人次，最後一周甚至湧進三萬人次，盛況空前，堪稱疫情間全台觀展人數最多的一個展覽。
台東人口逐年漸漸回流，花東若能走向永續一定需要在地人擔負起世代交替的責任。因此這二年公益平台提出Total Solution，希望政府或民間能夠一併思考教育、就業、長者照護三個問題，才能扶植脆弱瀕危的部落文化，及真正解決偏鄉廢村的問題。公益平台持續走在花東永續的路上，未曾稍息。
公益平台也參與了全台教育翻轉。今年已連續第四年投入教育部「初任教師研習」計畫，為每年二、三千位新任教師研習規劃課程及導入教育共學群機制；教育共學群是我從過去參加YPO（Young Presidents’ Organization 世界青年總裁協會）的Forum轉化到教育領域的一種做法，希望讓初任教師進入職場第一年，能透過彼此支持形成正向成長團體。目前共學群機制已成為初任教師研習計畫中不可或缺的特色，為了擴大影響力，公益平台也錄製師培影片，希望後續培訓時能夠有標準教材，
有人形容公益平台像是公益機構的孵化器，協助有理想的人發揮更大的社會影響力。我們以行政專業支持了四年多的張輝誠老師及其創辦的「學思達」教學法，今年八月「學思達教育基金會」正式成立，年輕的執行長即為公益平台專案負責人。學思達一路穩健發展，其教師社群遍及兩岸三地與馬來西亞、新加坡等華語地區。張輝誠老師也在ACFI支持下，二度到美西與華語老師分享學思達教學法。未來公益平台將轉為顧問角色，在學思達需要時，持續予以協助。
另一位走在台灣翻轉教育前端的藍偉瑩老師，五年前受公益平台邀請，時任職於公立學校的她，每年寒暑假帶著一群西部有經驗的老師到均一為花東老師開設共備工作坊，提升教學專業，偉瑩老師後來成為均一師培中心執行長，並以教育顧問進入學校輔導一年，希望陪伴學校落實108課綱的精神。去年五月她創辦了「瑩光教育協會」，目前培養90位教育顧問，陪伴160所學校找到自己的優勢並據此規劃相應的學習課程。
為了培養花東國際化的人才，台東均一中小學 2011年邀請嚴長壽董事長擔任董事長，進行實驗課程，更提供全額或部分獎學金支持來自低收、中低收、單親、隔代教養或是積極投入原住民文化工作，但無法全額支應學費的花東家庭進入均一就讀，這幾年已經有164位獎助生就讀於軍，其中約八成學生來自花東、離島蘭嶼及屏東偏鄉。均一期待他們所接受的優質教育，能夠翻轉他們的命運，假以時日他們能改變家鄉的未來。
2015年經過多方努力，學校延伸至12年級的高中教育，並更名為「均一國際教育實驗學校」。均一鼓勵高三畢業學生選擇換道超車出國就學，一方面提升英文能力，培養國際觀，另一方面也精進自己某項專業技能期待他們走出一條不同的成功路徑。過去三年非常感謝ACFI各位天使的捐款，支持均一高中畢業及在校共11位學生赴海外求學：其中五位就讀美國兩年制Community College，目前他們都已完成兩年學業，多數申請到美國四年制大學獎學金，接軌大學繼續就學；另外六位則進入UWC（United World Colleges），分別就讀於加拿大、德國、波西尼亞、哥斯大黎加、荷蘭以及大陸常熟的學區。
近年來在教育現場，公益平台發現一個日益嚴重的問題是青年的憂鬱症。從相關報導可以看到，過去一年台大諮商中心諮商人次破萬，東吳大學、師大諮商中心每週分別釋出150、200小時諮商時段，都預約秒殺。再看全台自殺通報數量，青年比例提高，其中15~24歲上升幅度最大。青少年在最燦爛的年華殞落，是最心痛的損失。目前台灣學校系統以三級防治模式，由輔導室來解決青少年心理輔導問題，然而輔導老師資源普遍不足，專業諮商師的時間不夠並無法解決問題。事實上，在轉介至專業機構之前，第一道防線就是教學現場的一般老師和家長。因此，公益平台希望走在前面，設法解決問題，明年度推出傾聽者計畫，先從學校場域開始，培訓老師具備基本的傾聽、陪伴知能及心理問題偵測能力，並發展一套化繁為簡，能廣為推廣的模式，在校園形成第一線安全網。
世界景氣如此，ACFI尚能有您以及許多大天使有形無形的支持，再次致上我們深深的感謝。為台灣偏鄉教育做起，希望我們今日所做的，能對台灣社會起到一點示範作用。
衷心祝福闔家平安
ACFI 敬上
Dear ACFI Friends,
As the end of the year approaches, we would like to take this opportunity to express our sincere appreciation.
2020 is the tenth anniversary of the founding of our Taiwan partner, The Alliance Cultural Foundation (ACF). With the successful control of the coronavirus in Taiwan, all ACF projects moved forward as planned except for the cancellation of the Taiwan Connection Music Festival and Huatung Culinary Workshop due to travel restrictions.
With increased globalization, ACF recognizes the importance of cultural and environmental preservation in Taiwan. One of its missions is to create sustainable economic growth through tourism. During the past two-years, ACF has helped repackage travel experiences in the Changbin and Fengbin townships of Huatung and promoted these experiences on social media. ACF brought together local bed and breakfast, restaurant, and watersports operators to discuss achieving true sustainability in Huatung. Today, the once vacant townships are now vibrant with tourists.
In March, ACF supported the Paul Chiang: A Retrospective exhibition at the Taipei Fine Arts Museum. Mr. Chiang is a 78-year-old Taiwan abstract artist who spent over 30-years painting in Paris and New York. He now resides in Jinzun, Taitung. The exhibition attracted a total of 120,000 visitors from diverse age groups; the final week drew 30,000 visitors. In the spring of 2023. The Paul Chiang Art Center will open in Jinzun, Taitung. The Art Center hopes to serve as a platform that will re-energize the rich artistic culture and tradition of Huatung. In the next two years, ACF will help plan its operations and programs.
ACF has become a leader in Taiwan’s education reform and acts as an incubator for many nonprofit education organizations. During the past four year, ACF has continued to support the founder of the Sharestart teaching method, Benson Chang. Sharestart is now recognized in the teaching communities in Taiwan, China, Hong Kong, Malaysia, and Singapore. Mr. Chang also conducted a series of workshops in the US introducing the Sharestart method to Chinese teachers in the U.S. In August 2020, Chang successfully launched the Sharestart Education Foundation
ACF has also collaborated with Weiying Lan, an accomplished teacher. Ms. Lan, together with educational consultants, conduct workshops for Huatung teachers in curriculum integration. Ms. Lan is the CEO of the Junyi Center for Teaching and Learning. She coaches Junyi teachers to successfully integrate MOE’s 2019 curriculum. Ms. Lan has trained over 90 professional education consultants who in turn are providing curriculum support at 160 schools throughout Taiwan.
Since 2017, at the invitation of Taiwan’s Ministry of Education, ACF began to co-lead MOE’s annual induction training for new teachers. Each year, ACF plans the training curriculum for 2,000-3,000 new teachers. It uses a forum, like the one used by the Young Presidents’ Organization (YPO), to train teachers. This Forum allows first year teachers to share and learn best practices. ACF also created an online training program for experienced moderators to train future moderators, thereby expanding the Forum’s outreach.
In 2021, ACF will launch “The Listener” initiative. Due to rising rate of suicide and youth depression in Taiwan, particularly among 15 to 24-year-olds, ACF plans to integrate professional expertise and resources to train teachers in the basic skills of listening and mentoring and learn to detect early mental illness. ACF will also introduce a simple model that can be widely and easily adapted across campuses to serve as a first line of defense against mental illness.
ACFI’s other partner, the Junyi School of Innovation, whose mission is to nurture young global citizens, continues to support the Junyi Scholarship Program which provides full or partial scholarships to financially underprivileged youths and indigenous youths from Taiwan’s remote regions. Since the program’s founding in 2011, 164-students have benefited; among them, 80% are from Huatung, Pingtung and Orchid Island. Junyi hopes better education will change the lives of these youths as well as the futures of their communities.
Junyi encourages its graduates to pursue an unconventional path through study abroad. It hopes students will improve English fluency, increase international awareness, and develop a love of learning. With the support from ACFI donors during the past three years, a total of 11 students had the opportunity to pursue education overseas; five has completed their two-year study at US community colleges and are continuing their education in four-year university programs. The remaining six are enrolled in different United World College campuses located in Bosnia, Canada, China, Costa Rica, Germany, and the Netherlands.
Recognizing the global economy has been significantly affected by the pandemic, we are extra grateful for your ongoing support to ACFI. Please note we now have the capability to accept online donations, (acfus.org/ways-to-give).
ACFI is committed to support better education for Huatung youth and projects that will preserve Huatung’s unique culture and pristine environment through sustainable economic growth. We look forward to working with you to change lives for many generations to come.
Thank you and best wishes for a happy and healthy new year!
Julia Hsiao on behalf of your friends at the
Alliance Cultural Foundation International