Goodman offers 'amazing things with limited funds'

A development-impaired child takes lessons at the QCQ rehabilitation center in Shanghai. Provided to China Daily

The Australia-based Goodman Foundation has made major strides in China's charity sector through its funding and association with the Shanghai Qingcongquan Training Center for Children with Special Needs.

QCQ is a not-for-profit Chinese organization that offers professional rehabilitation training and tutorial services for autistic and development-impaired children and their families. As part of the long-term partnership with QCQ, Goodman will contribute 100,000 yuan ($16,286) to the new QCQ school refurbishment project.

Established in 2005, QCQ has so far helped more than 300 families with children requiring special care. Currently, it has 23 tutors offering 10 25-minute sessions every day to some 50 children as well as helping their parents to understand and master the skills needed to educate the children on a daily basis.

Parents of the children attending the sessions said QCQ has played a big role in the development of their children.

For autistic and development-impaired children, it is important they are looked after with love and patience and it is equally important to inspire parents to understand and appreciate their kid's progress, because each child is precious and dear to the family, and each step forward is significant to the child, said Chen Jie, head and founder of QCQ.

"My daughter can now express her demands clearly and she can take good care of herself. She can even help clean the house, such as putting shoes in pairs and in order, and tidy her own bed. Such progress was beyond my imagination," said one of the parents surnamed Wang.

Tutors also helped a lot with understanding her child's development and knew how to appreciate her, she said.

"My daughter is well-organized, clean and tidy, and she manages her emotions well," said Wang.

A man surnamed Hu said that his son has improved a lot in physical development, especially his sensory integration. The five-year-old boy has been taking five 25-minute sessions every day at QCQ since the age of three.

"When he rides bicycles in the park, I cannot follow him even if I run fast. And he likes drawing. When he draws something, he is quite focused," said Hu.

Wayne Huang, general manager for China at the Goodman Group, which also includes the Goodman Foundation, said: "QCQ was initially recommended to us by a Goodman team member. It is a small organization doing amazing things with limited resources."

Huang said that there was strong alignment between QCQ's needs for funds and the Goodman Foundation's focus on capacity building through strategic partnerships.

"We finally found that we all want the same thing, which is the chance for more families to benefit from the training center so that their children have the best chances for a happy and healthy life," said Huang.

The partnership first took off with Goodman funding the QCQ renovation project.

Then it expanded to the foundation working closely with QCQ and culminated in the center.

Goodman employees have also taken time off to be more engaged in initiatives that offer something to society and community.

Last Christmas, the entire Goodman Shanghai office planned a year-end concert for the QCQ children to celebrate the festival season.

This year, Goodman will host a charity auction on Sunday to raise fund for QCQ.

"We are looking forward to it and hope it will raise more funds for the children and their families, so we can offer more opportunities for them to integrate into society," said Jennifer Chen, office manager.