Objectives:

• To promote student learning through interactions with clients and their mentors working in a non-government organization (NGO) setting.
• To enhance students' understanding about their roles in community rehabilitation.
• To provide opportunities for students to explore various ways of accessing resources available in the community.

Through active participation in the project assigned by the mentor and teamwork, students can integrate their medical knowledge into real-life situations. They will also have a better understanding of the division of labour in various medical disciplines through collaboration with community networks of volunteers & local organizations.

Community classrooms can cultivate a good learning and teaching environment that is not bounded by walls or university contact hours, and changes with time; and this experience enhances the regular clinical placement in the BSc (Hons) studies.

Overall, in accordance with the motto of PolyU, the project aims to develop:

• mature learners who pursue lifelong learning; and
• partnerships with business, industry and the professions.

Remarks:

Nowadays, more new physiotherapy graduates are hired by NGOs. Our students, therefore, appreciate having more exposure to NGO work as this can improve their confidence in working in the community. This programme has been found to be successful, and it is hoped that more funding can be made available so that it can be re-run in the near future.

Note: PolyU also runs a mentorship programme, but it has not been targeted at NGOs; and also, due to limited resources, it seems to have a problem in recruiting enough mentors.

Outcomes & Deliverables:

• Mentorship programme on rehabilitation in a non-government organization (NGO) setting
• Activity report