1. What is the mission of Jiuqian Volunteer Center?
Jiuqian Volunteer Center is a not-for-profit organization founded in Shanghai in 2006 to improve the lives of underprivileged children through education. Since 2008, Jiuqian has been fully licensed and approved by Shanghai Civil Affairs Bureau to operate as a non profit charity.
Jiiuqian’s mission is simple: to help underprivileged children in Shanghai to reach their full potential through education. The center provides by high quality classes – both academic and extra-curricular – that boost both scholastic and extra-curricular learning. From Monday to Friday, classes are held after school to strengthen overall learning and to assist students in completing their homework. During weekends, additional classes are offered in subjects including: Math, Chinese, Science, English and more. Extra-curricular classes include: music (choir and instruments), art, computer and Internet skills, photography and more.
2. When and where was it started? How large is it today?
Jiuqian began in 2006, by operating a single school in Puxi. Today, the center operates four centers, in Shanghai Puxi, Shanghai Pudong, Shanghai Nanhui and Yunnan Menla. Together, the four facilities attract more than 200 students aged from Grade 3 to Grade 12. In addition, Jiuqian assists older students in continuing their education by advising on continuing education. The center also helps students to successfully find scholarships for vocational school, college or study abroad.
3. Where are the 3 locations in Shanghai? How many students at each location? How many activities (ie, classes held from what time to what time, and on which days)
Classes are offered 16:30pm to 10:00 pm Monday to Friday, and 8:30 am to 18:00 pm on Saturday and Sunday. Summer and winter camps are also offered during these official school holidays.
4. How is Jiuqian funded?
Jiuqian is funded mainly through corporate donations. Sponsors include high profile multinational companies including KPMG, Morgan Stanley, and HSBC. Well known Chinese and Hong Kong sponsors also include: The University of Hong Kong.
In order to instill a sense of pride and civic duty, Jiuqian students also organize and participate in their own events — such as delivering fund-raising concerts or performing for local hospitals or retirement homes.
5. What awards or honors has Jiuqian won?
Jiuqian’s Migrant Student Choir has been featured on Chinese TV many times, including Shanghai’s SMG TV and CCTV, as well as local regional TV stations including PDTV and JSTV. Many Chinese media including CBN and CCTV have interviewed the organization’s founder, Mr Zhang Yichao.
6. What events are coming up?
Click here for the upcoming list of concerts, fund-raisers and more.
7. What kind of assistance is needed to support Jiuqian?
Jiuqian relies on both financial donations and volunteer teaching services. Financial donations help to cover the basic costs of operating the three schools in a safe and positive environment. For many children, Jiuqian offers an excellent alternative to studying alone at home during afternoons, weekends and holidays, especially since the parents of many of these children work long or irregular hours. For information on current financial needs, please contact: zhangyichao@jiuqian.org(Zhang Yi Chao张轶超) .
Jiuqian also relies on volunteer teachers for all of its classes. Positions regularly are available for teaching English, Chinese, math and many other academic and extra curricular classes. For information on current teaching needs, please contact: yaoyuan@jiuqian.org(Yao Yuan姚渊).
Alternatively, companies or volunteer groups can also arrange to fund and organize an educational outing for the students, such as a trip to a park, zoo, museum or other destination.
8. What is the annual academic schedule for Jiuqian?
- Semester 1 runs from September to January each year
- Semester 2 runs from early March-mid July.
- Summer camp runs Mid July-August
- Winter camp runs during Chinese New Year.
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