In order to cultivate a sense of social responsibility and enhance the service learning spirit for students, the Student Affairs Office of Macao Polytechnic Institute recently organised a visit to the Macau Association of Hearing Impaired Centro Chong Wing, to learn about services provided by the social welfare organisation, such as career development technical support, barrier-free communication service and family service support for the hearing impaired minority. MPI students learnt simple sign language to interact with and be guided by the hearing-impaired to complete hand-made knots together, which achieved a harmonious relationship between the hearing impaired and themselves in a pleasant atmosphere.

Student Chan, majoring in the Bachelor of Science in Speech-Language Therapy, stated that she respects the seriousness and positive optimism from the hearing impaired persons after communicating with them. She hopes that the public would give patience and support so that our friendliness and care could be conveyed. She also believes that hearing impaired people are the same as everybody else, and the general public should treat them with equality and fair opportunities. A student majoring in Bachelor of Social Work liked the novelty of the first experience in learning sign language, which cannot be translated as written language word by word. She realised the need to pay special attention to facial expression and the emotion of the other parties. Sign language is a direct, honest, frank and attentive silent language. Through the visit, she realised there is a high demand for sign language interpreters in assisting in such fields as daily medical encounters, employment applications and job training. In fact, the popularization of sign language is an inevitable trend, and the public should take the initiative to plunge into the world of the hearing impaired. Learning sign language will help to eliminate barriers, reduce misunderstandings and discrimination, and advocate for a society with inclusiveness for the hearing impaired and everybody else.

MPI has always attached importance to students holistic education and encourages them to actively contribute to society. The Student Affairs Office organises the MPI Charitable Fellowship Programme in the aim of encouraging students to make use of their knowledge in contributing to society, and being enlightened and inspired from the service learning process through visits and experience. Let love and empathy be rooted among the youth and establish a caring and inclusive society.