When the 2008 earthquake hit Sichuan province in China, Richmond city councillor Chak Au was one of many who provided assistance.
He immediately recognized the need for emotional and psychological relief for the affected. That kind of help was lacking in comparison to the physical aid provided such as medical, shelter and food.
The need became all the more apparent when he encountered only one person who had experience in responding to the emotional trauma experience by victims following a major natural disaster.
Social work and psychology are regarded as secondary subjects in China, said Au. In the 70s and 80s, these departments at universities were shut down because they were considered politically incorrect. Chinas still quite behind in social services.
His experiences in Sichuan prompted him, and a few colleagues, to form the non-profit Canadian International Education Assistance Foundation (CIEAF) in 2009.
The foundation helps train professionals in social work and sponsors students at the Southwest University for the Nationalities in China.
Two sponsored students visited Richmond from earlier this month to see the citys social services and experience its community approach to social work.
The visit really opened their eyes, said Au. In Richmond, the whole community is responding, which includes the city, NGOs, and so on. Its very different to China where the government still controls social work and the NGOs are quite weak.
The program has sponsored five students per year since 2010. The students are from low-income households and part of Chinas 56 ethnic minorities.
Many of these minorities live in remote villages and CIEAF hopes to encourage graduating students to take their knowledge back to their communities, said Au.
Jisi Yisha, from the Yi tribe and Chen Yongfen from the Tujia tribe were chosen for the trip because of their overall performance in class and volunteer service.
Jisi Yisha is from a mountainous village in China, so even for him to come to the university, he experienced some culture shock, said Au.
Students from the program continue to find placements in social work or counseling.
Au, a professor who was part of the restoration of university social services departments in the mid-80s, said the emphasis continues to be on the material in China, which includes science and economics.
Both Yisha and Yongfen spoke about their experiences in Richmond at a fundraising dinner last Thursday and took part in the CIEAFs annual fundraising and educational events for the past 10 days.
For more information about CIEAF, visit www.cieaf.com.
