EDUCATION FOR ORPHANED KOREAN CHILDREN

한국 보육원 아동을 위한 교육

As Autumn arrives in Seoul, change is afoot at Open Arms too. Change is sometimes hard, but most of us agree it’s part of the growing process and I envisage great things ahead for our Open Arms children and community! Autumn seems to be an appropriate moment for reflection, gratitude and giving thanks... 

It’s almost five years since I had the honor of meeting a small group of amazing women on a cold winter morning in Seoul. We drove together to SMW welfare home and I experienced my first session with a group of adorable toddlers that captured my heart forever! I was so impressed with the Toddler Program and knew this was something that had the potential to grow into an organisation that would truly make a difference in the lives of these wonderful little people. In the months that followed the 50 minute drive to SMW was an opportunity to get to know a group of amazing women who told me things that I would never have known or understood - both about the children and about Korean culture - thank you Barbara, Dee Dee, Miyong, Sue and Booyong for sharing so much with me. It was during one of those car rides that I offered to lead the setup of Open Arms as an organisation and I was thrilled that Barbara said yes. It was the beginning of OA as you know it - by now most of you know our story so I won’t go into those details except to say that I am extremely proud of what we have achieved together. It has been an amazing journey working with the most dedicated, talented and amazing people without whom Open Arms would not exist. All of you, our dear volunteers, you are all truly amazing!! I don’t really have the words to convey my gratitude for the privilege of working with you all and the children.  READ MORE

We are excited to welcome Inger as our acting Executive Director as Sanjini steps back from active participation in this role. At our AGM 2024, Sanjini will formally resign and our membership will have the opportunity to vote on our leadership. In the meantime, we hope you will give Inger your warm support!

PAST EVENTS

UPCOMING EVENTS

OA is growing and we are continuing to develop our important work. The kids are getting older setting new demands, new groups might open and opportunities are plenty. Therefore, we will meet again to discuss and set the direction for OA. 

Kathrine, Maya, and Lauren have started an Open Arms Social Club for the volunteers of Open Arms. This is with the purpose of building stronger connections as a team so we can be our best for the children. It will give us opportunities to share our ideas and experiences with Open Arms, as well as to increase awareness of the people in our organization and the roles they have. Ultimately, this will solidify our identity as an organization. At the same time, we hope this will be a time to relax, have fun, and just get to know each other!

The summer months are always a bit quiet for us with our toddler and programs as we have many volunteers away for their summer break. This year we stopped our classes for the month of July so my thanks goes to those of you who kept the program running for June while some of us were away.

As we started back in August, the children were as happy as ever to see us back and asked 'Where have you been?!' This is always so refreshing for us to hear as it tells us how much they enjoy and value our programs. 

The children settled straight back into the routines and were keen to start the activities again. I am so impressed with the level of confidence that the students have when trying out their English speaking with us. We can really see the progress they are making and it is so reassuring to see how comfortable and confident they feel around us. This is a real reflection on our amazing volunteers and their commitment and enthusiasm to the programs. 

Again I would like to thank our volunteers. It’s so much fun spending time with the children designing creative ways to connect with them as well as offering opportunities to help the with their English skills.

Katy

Education Director (EXTRAORDINAIRE)

Big smiles and arms open for hugs greet the Open Arms volunteers on Monday mornings at CW. The timid toddlers we met back in the winter have blossomed into curious children who are eager to play and learn new things. The OA team brings energy, enthusiasm and care to these little ones. We are fortunate to have such a dedicated rotation of volunteers.  

Through the autumn, we will continue to work with the children on colors and numbers. Their verbal skills are improving and words in English pop out—to their delight and ours! The children anticipate the routine of our time together and understand what to expect—though we always enjoy surprising them with special activities. 

Thank you to all those who donated toys and resources for the toddler program. A camp style tent is the most recent addition and the children really love wriggling inside, closing the flaps and peeking out the window at us. It gives them their own little space, and their laughter can be heard down the hallway! Dee Dee - CW Toddler Co-ordinator

Our thanks to our lovely CW team: Ingrid, Judy, Junhwan, Lauren, Kathrine, Hannah, Sunny, Yuna, Kristina, Colleen, Louisa, Laneé and Mihwa

OA is thrilled to partner with Jeena, proud dog mum of a rescued and certified registered therapy dog and founder of Fur All Dogs. Her team of dogs offer comfort, affection and unconditional love. They also provide stress reduction by reducing anxiety. During the inaugural session at MJ EY’s program, many of the kids were initially afraid of the dogs but eventually found the courage to pet and hold their leash. The goal is for the dogs to rotate programs once a month, every 3 months for each program. We are so grateful for this exciting new opportunity and look forward to creating beautiful friendships with our furry friends. Please follow Fur All Dogs on Instagram and also support their mission of supporting local charities by purchasing items from their shop www.furalldogs.com.

The Changemakers are a dynamic group of young adults who have formed a strong community under the guidance and leadership of Sunghwa Han. This group has supported one another through their experiences in the Korean welfare system and now as they pursue their academic and professional goals. While each individual has unique interests and talents, they share a common energy and optimism for the opportunities presented. Open Arms is very excited to partner with the Changemakers, learn from this successful model of peer-to-peer stewardship, and nurture the growth of these bright individuals through monthly gatherings. During the last meeting, the group discussed techniques for developing productive habits and for breaking bad ones. Several members were preparing for upcoming exams, and we are looking forward to celebrating their accomplishments at our next meeting in October. Justin - Chanagemakers Liaison

MANAGEMENT TEAM