Martin Li

    martin.mouse@163.com

    FUTIAN District is inviting local expats to take part in a variety of volunteer activities this month.

    One activity will be a visit to Shenzhen’s Zifeiyu Exceptional Children Rehabilitation Center in the Tairan Industrial Zone in Futian each Saturday this month.

    Established in 2005, the nongovernmental institution provides professional rehabilitation services for children who are either autistic or suffer from cerebral palsy.

    Professionals in the center will guide volunteers as they draw and paint colorful wall paintings for the children. Colors and patterns are believed to help the children’s rehabilitation because they provide visual stimulation. The center has served more than 800 children between the ages of 2 and 8 years.

    Volunteers can choose to take part in any of the planned visits.

    Expats can also apply to take part in weekly English corner activities in Bijia Hill Park and Lianhua Hill Park in Futian.

    The English corner in Lianhua Hill Park is held every Saturday morning in September, and the one in Bijia Hill Park is held every Sunday morning.

    Volunteers are expected to teach English songs or tell English stories to children. The English corner was initiated to improve the spoken English of children who are enthusiastic about English-language study.

    Expats can also apply to join Chinese volunteers to visit senior citizens at the Futian Welfare Center on the afternoon of Sept. 28. Preferred applicants are those who are outgoing, patient, have basic Chinese-language skills and have some artistic talent.

    How to apply

    Expats can apply to volunteer by sending their full name, nationality, profession, mobile phone number and the activity they would like to join to futianenweb@126.com or via the Shenzhen Daily’s WeChat account at “iloveshenzhen.”