As a volunteer with Make-A-Wish Taiwan, I supported wish fulfillment events for children with critical illnesses, helping create meaningful and memorable experiences. I assisted with event setup and on-site support, contributing to a positive and welcoming environment for children and their families. I translated Chinese content into English for wish fulfillment articles, helping make stories more accessible to a broader audience. I also supported social media engagement by encouraging peer interaction and researching strategies used by other global chapters. Additionally, I wrote reflections evaluating each experience and its impact. Through this role, I developed stronger communication skills and gained insight into nonprofit work and community service.

This experience helped me develop empathy and a deeper understanding of community service. Working with children facing serious illnesses showed me the importance of small moments of joy and support. I also learned how nonprofit organizations operate and the effort required be.

I volunteered at Ren Hsin Wellness Park, where I led animal interaction activities for senior residents. During the sessions, I introduced different animals and shared information about their behavior, care, and characteristics in Mandarin. I also guided feeding and observation activities while encouraging conversation and interaction among the residents.

Rather than focusing mainly on teaching facts, I learned how important it was to create meaningful conversations and shared experiences with the residents. Many of them connected the animals to their own memories, past pets, or childhood experiences, which made the sessions feel more personal and engaging. Seeing how the animals encouraged interaction, storytelling, and emotional connection helped me better understand the social and emotional impact animals can have on people. This experience allowed me to combine leadership, community service, education, and my interest in animal science in a meaningful way.

This experience taught me the importance of adapting communication to different age groups. When teaching young children, my focus is usually more informational and educational, but with elderly residents, I learned that storytelling and shared experiences create stronger connections than simply giving facts. Many residents were already familiar with animals, so conversations became more personal and experience-based rather than instructional. This helped me develop better communication, patience, and listening skills while understanding how different generations engage in learning differently. Seeing how animals encouraged conversation, memories, and emotional connection showed me how meaningful animal-assisted interaction can be for community well-being.

“When we take the time to listen, every generation becomes a teacher and a storyteller.”

I participated in a volunteer initiative supporting the Taichung Fire Department’s Search-and-Rescue Dog Unit in Taiwan. During this experience, I helped support donation and outreach efforts that provided essential equipment for the rescue dogs, including life vests, treadmills, bathing stations, and training vests. I also learned about the important role search-and-rescue dogs play in disaster response, especially in areas affected by earthquakes, typhoons, and other emergencies in Taiwan.

Through interacting with the handlers and observing the dogs’ training and working environment, I gained a better understanding of the discipline, trust, and teamwork required between the dogs and their handlers. This experience combined my interest in animal science and community service while helping support emergency-response teams that protect and assist communities during natural disasters.

This experience helped me better understand the important role animals can play in public safety and disaster response. I learned how much training, trust, and communication are required between search-and-rescue dogs and their handlers in order to work effectively in dangerous situations. Seeing how the dogs were prepared to help during earthquakes and typhoons made me appreciate the dedication behind emergency-response teams and the responsibility involved in caring for working animals.

My interest in animal behavior and human-animal relationships strengthened while showing me how animals can contribute to communities in meaningful and life-saving ways.