Space Share, Taipei

【城市共享 反造城市】系列講座之四：社會公益與城市共享
 

公益城市：用勇氣與情感連結彼此，讓「失敗」不足為懼

 

轉眼時已入夏，第四場講座在萬華區巷弄中的大可居青年旅社舉行。寬敞的地下室內，幾張桌椅恣意的擺放，便成為了午後的交流講堂。這一次我們聽到的是一系列有關公益的故事，關懷青少年群體的「貳拾號公民會所」，關注東南亞移工的One Forty， 面向街友的「人生百味」都為我們帶來了精彩的分享。

 

在資本流動主導世界運作的當下，社會邊緣的議題與族群權益，難以單一仰賴政府社會扶助式的福利政策。社會的不平等，特定群體的邊緣化在追逐利益的資本浪潮中被忽略。在《生命政治的誕生》一書中，傅柯指出當下的經濟本質上是一種遊戲，為了保障該遊戲的運作，政府也改變了其治理方式。在社會福利方面，政府以基本的消費能力為衡量標準提供資助，讓處於標準以下的人可以重新回到經濟遊戲當中，卻對貧窮的真正原因缺乏興趣。

 

在資本當道，政府治理轉變的條件下，社會的力量變得尤為重要。公益作為一種關懷特定社會群體的方式，早已被人們熟知。然而在當下，這些在社會第一線的行動者們如何看待甚至重新定義公益？他們如何面對這些被主流忽略的他者？這一種面對又意味著什麼？

 

1.貳拾號公民會所：陪伴是最好的公益

      

貳拾號公民會所的創辦人吳思儒從環境教育相關系所畢業之後，便投入到環境第一線的工作崗位上。累積了超過十年的工作經驗與社會觀察，敏感於許多對立與社會衝突的前因後果，思儒也因此體認了理想社會需要積極的實踐。因此，吳思儒回到自身的成長環境大同區，將他對於社會的新想像付諸現實。

 

貳拾號公民會所的前身是一間里長辦公室，很多周邊的居民也提到：「小時候在這邊上過課呢！」從接手這個空間開始，吳思儒就有感於空間本身的公眾性，想要打造一間聯繫社會與公民的場域，便以「貳拾」為名，意指「過了二十歲就是公民了！」。通過跨界的分享與行動，貳拾號公民會所逐漸蛻變，不僅是個人工作者追求理想的空間，也為大學生社會實踐，大同共好資源串連提供場域。

同時，吳思儒注意到，在貳拾號公民會所在的大同區，有許多的青少年面臨著種種成長過程中的挑戰，非常需要來自社區的陪伴。曾經，有個單親家庭的孩子找到了會所的社工。這個小朋友才十二、三歲，卻要面對母親的離開。在孩子向社工傾訴的過程中，吳思儒看到社會知識真正的發揮了作用，也深切地感受到社區空間存在的重要性。即使這些彈性的私人空間不能一時半刻消解這些難題，卻能為有需求的人提供社會支持。

 

為了支持大同地區的青少年、提供友善而溫暖的社會網絡，貳拾號公民會所也與在地匠師推動「大同製造所」的活動，讓青少年瞭解在地職人，在學習手藝的同時找到愛好，得到陪伴。這許多的思考與嘗試也得到許多前輩與在地夥伴團體的支持，長期以來，與輔仁大學社會工作系的串聯合作，更進一步擾動學界資源，讓建立青少年連結的據點、展開青年產業的新想像等嘗試，都在逐步累積當中。

 

吳思儒說，這些為青少年組織的活動並非為了外在的結果，或者可計算的成績、成就。因為做這一切，更重要的是給青少年提供情感上的支持，讓他們在真實的社區中得到來自社會關係的陪伴。這種不可計量，也無法評斷成功與否的情感與陪伴，才是對於青少年——這些對成長開始有困惑，感到困難的年輕生命們，最為需要的。

 

2.One Forty: 創造東南亞人與台灣人友善連結的場域

      

非營利組織One Forty 的命名，來自於台灣每四十人中就有一東南亞移民這樣的事實。創辦人Sophia畢業於台大商學院，那時候她的同學們大都走向唸國外名校MBA，然後回到大企業工作，一步一步向上爬這樣的道路。在大學的時候，Sophia便與很多抱有這樣「夢想」的朋友談過，發現很多人其實並非想要這樣的道路，只是覺得這是當下社會最容易接受的成功。但是成功的道路只有這一條嗎？Sophia是存有疑惑的。大學畢業，Sophia開始接觸到東南亞群體，她逐漸發現主流社會對於移工、新移民群體的忽略，更發掘到這些來自東南亞的移工們，許多動人的生命故事，其勇氣、堅持、與樂觀更需要被大眾看見。

 

Sophia有一位來自印尼的朋友，叫做Yani，她是支持Sophia創辦One Forty的動力。Yani出生在一個充滿關愛的家庭，她的爸爸在她很小的時候就將錢存在一個大水缸裡，水缸上寫著；「Yani上大學的錢」。時間流逝，Yani在長大，水缸的錢也在變滿，家人在水缸旁起居作息，滿懷希望。有天，Yani在高中接到一通電話，告知她家有變動，馬上回去。Yani騎著摩托車衝回家時，父親已經離世，水缸裡的錢便全部拿出用於父親的喪事。但是Yani沒有忘記上大學這個約定。在雅加達打工一段時間後，經過朋友介紹Yani到了台灣。她在台灣也不忘進修，抽空到空中大學學習，努力存錢為以後回到印尼開台灣飲料店做準備。

 

Sophia說，其實很多印尼移工都有著相似的故事。他們因為各種原因來到台灣，努力地生活攢錢，希望回到印尼之後做一些小生意。One Forty 開辦「移工商學院」的活動，透過商業相關的課程，幫助這些移工們進修積累相關知識。同時，為了讓台灣人也了解到這些生命故事，One Forty 也通過安排小旅行、真人圖書館、「東南亞星期天」等活動將台灣人帶進那些不注意的角落，與這些空間產生互動，創造東南亞人與台灣人友善連結的場域。「我們希望能夠讓台灣人有機會認識這些東南亞移工們，」Sophia說，「彼此的認識是一切的開始。」

 

3.人生百味：失敗不足為懼的社會是一個真正自由的社會

 

人生百味的組織者阿德對於街友的關注開始於對街道的反思。對於我們來說，街道是什麼？對於街友來說，街道又是什麼呢？我們在城市的街道中穿梭，忙於工作，趕去聚會，奔赴街道以外的空間。但是對於街友來說，街道就是生活本身。那麼又是什麼區分了我們？在這個不能失敗的城市，一旦失去基本的工作與消費能力，就意味著失去選擇的自由。街友，就是這樣一群失去選擇，生存以上，生活未滿的人。

 

對於街友，我們有著太多的刻板印象，這些刻板印象也影響著街友與我們互動的方式，使得雙方更難接近彼此。有天凌晨兩點，阿德在街道上遇到走在垃圾車前收回收的阿嬤。阿嬤跟阿德說，她以前是做會計，做這個是為了身體健康做運動而已。阿德一開始還覺得；「啊，原來網路上說這些阿嬤們其實經濟皆無虞、做環保都是做運動是真的。」可是轉念一想，做運動會需要在凌晨嗎？還是她們只是因為大家都這樣覺得，難以承認自己真實的處境才準備了這樣的答案呢？

 

除了真正的對話難以實現的問題，更嚴重的是社會問題背後的權力壟斷。人生百味曾經發起「把回收拿給阿公阿嬤」的活動，最後發掘問題背後複雜的結構而階段停止。回收阿嬤們不僅是從事回收這麼簡單的社會脈絡，背後牽涉到回收者與回收站、大盤商、以及再生場之間的張力關係。在這樣複雜的權力網絡中，阿德和他的夥伴們，更積極思考如何為街友的生活、以及固化社會意識帶來真正的轉變？

阿德意識到街友問題的本質是社會連結的失去，以及因為連結失去後，與其他人產生的距離致使的污名化。當下，人生百味正透過正名，激化矛盾與擾動社會的方式積極展開針對街友的行動。其中，針對激化矛盾這一點，阿德與我們分享了一個他自省的歷程。曾經，他向一位街友阿嬤買了東西，後來發現這位街友阿嬤不久後出現在麥當勞吃東西，當下心裡有些不舒服。這種感受讓阿德驚覺到，為什麼會覺得不舒服呢？自己支持這個阿嬤，不就是為了讓她可以過自己想過的生活，做自己想做的選擇嗎？所謂激化矛盾，就是指透過相似的經驗，讓大家認識到自己內心某些不合理的情緒和想法從而重新認識自己與街友的關係，重新建立信任、尊重與包容並存的社會。

 

4.與談分享：我們不要迪士尼式的安全感

 

此次與談邀請到了台灣夢想城鄉營造協會的執行長、師大社會教育系副教授徐敏雄老師。徐老師說，聽到好的分享就像是看了一場世界級的電影，並從中獲得新的力量。面對這些我們所不熟悉的社會群體，徐老師認為最重要的問題是：「為什麼他們被社會排除？」徐老師也指出情感與非理性因素的重大影響，因為很多時候讓我們排斥特定社會群體的，往往是因為失去安全感的恐懼。與任何一個「他者」相處的時候，成長的經驗，家庭背景，社會條件等都會讓兩個人的價值與行為產生差異和碰撞。這個時候，很多人會透過遁逃或控制來消除這種恐懼感。但是在徐老師看來，用這兩種方式獲得的安全感只是迪士尼式的安全感，完美，卻不完整，甚至只會讓我們越來越恐懼，而不是越來越有包容和承受的能力。所以，要與「他者」建立關係，需要的是直面不同的勇氣，透過重建社會關係的觀念，更深入地包容，並且培養成新的社會價值與習性。如何重新建立關係，或如何捲動彼此的信任感，並且從關係中建立意義，不是道德勸說，而是讓對方分享，讓不同的群體都得到想要的東西，並能夠在不同中共存。最後創造出這樣的平台，在這些過程讓大家看見彼此的角色，讓不同群體自發性的分享，此種共享才能變成新的習性，才有機會翻轉既有文化，進而持續下去。

 

隨後的與談分享中，觀眾們也積極地表達了對於這些公益團體的興趣。除了公益的理念之外，許多人也非常關注盈利與延續性的問題。與談單位雖然都仍在為組織的財政狀況努力奮鬥著，但是已經在實戰中積累真正的經驗，是非常重要的收穫。連振佑老師也在回應到：「這幾場演講的討論讓我看到，城市的共享並非是小眾的議題，來自實戰的第一線團體的經驗交流對談，精彩可期，值得整理作為國際對話的基礎。這些積極的力量在不斷匯聚，也是這些對話與衍進，讓台灣社會有更細緻更珍貴的特質。」

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Space Share Series Lecture 4

Redefining Public Service:

Connecting each other with courage and making a society without fear

 

In a world controlled by the circulation of capitals, the traditional way of governing are increasingly inadequate to deal with the marginalized. The social inequality and the marginalization of certain social groups are accepted as the result of pursuing prosperity. In Birth of Biopolitics, Foucault defined economy as a game which must be respected by the government. The government only concerns about keeping people above the threshold of consumption power, but pay no attention to the causes of poverty.

 

With this transition of govermentality, the social becomes more and more important. Public service, as a way for caring different social groups in need, has already been accepted as an effective way for solving social problems. This lecture invited three NGOs for sharing. Taipei 20 focused on the teenage groups in the Da Tong area. One Forty aims at creating opportunities for connecting Taiwanese and the South-east immigrants. Do You A Flavor concerns most about the welfare of the homeless. How these practioners redefine public service? How do they confront the Other ignored by the mainstream?

 

1.Taipei 20: accompanying is the best way of doing good

After graduating from the social service department in college, Szu-Ju Wu, the founder of Taipei 20, had been worked for the environment protection for decades. During this period, Wu accumulated many observations of Taiwan society and realized that many social conflicts had their own roots. Consequently, Wu decided to transform his imagination about a better society into real practice, and he went back to where he grew up.

 

Taipei 20 had been the office for the head of district for over twenty years. The local residents recalled that they had have classes in the office during their childhood. The publicness of this space inspired Wu to create a space for connecting the local residents and the community. Wu named the space as Taipei 20, referring to that “after twenty years old one becomes a citizen.” Through cross-boundary activities, the space was gradually transformed. It is not only a space for independent-workers, but also offers opportunities for college students to conduct social practices, and resources sharing within the community.

 

Meanwhile, Wu realized that the teenage constitutes a special social group in the Da Tong area, and they need to be accompanied the most. Wu recalled that a child of 12 or 13 years old from a single parent family had come to their social workers for help. The child was confronting the coming death of his mother, and he really needed someone to talk with. Wu felt the effect of the community knowledge at that situation, and he realized although the child still had to face the problem by himself, the flexibility of the private spaces in the community offered this teenager somewhere to go for help and support.

 

To support the teenagers in the Da Tong area, Taipei 20 organizes craftsmanship workshops with local craftsmen through the Da Tong Factory activities.  They also founds gathering spots for the teenagers to create their own businesses. These activities have received active support from the local community members and related social organizations, such as the social work department of Fu Jen Catholic University.

 

Wu said that the real aim of these activities is to create social networks for the teenagers rather than pursuing countable achievements. To Wu, the emotional support from the community is the most important thing.

 

2.One Forty: Creating a space for connecting Taiwanese and the South-east immigrants

One Forty got its name from the fact that in Taiwan, there will be one South-east immigrant in every forty persons. The founder of One Forty, Sophia, graduated from the business school in National Taiwan University. During her college years, Sophia had many classmates who dream of getting an M.B.A and then work for big companies in Taiwan. However, is there only one way to success? Sophia thought it was not. After graduation, Sophia began to know more about the South-east immigrants and was deeply moved by their courage and persistence.

 

Sophia told us the story of Yani, an immigrant worker from Indonesia who motivated Sophia to found One Forty. Yani was born in a loving family, and her father saved money in a water jar for her college education since her birth. One day, Yani received a call in her high school. When she rushed back to home, her father had already passed away. The money saved for her education was used up for the funeral, and she decided to come to Taiwan. Working hardly, Yani now is a student in an Indonesia university in Taiwan, and she hopes to open a little beverage shop in Indonesia in the future.

 

Sophia said that actually many immigrant workers have similar stories and many of them have a dream of owning their own business when going back to their motherlands. Consequently, Sophia offers a series of business courses every Sunday, helping the immigrant workers to prepare for their future business. Meanwhile, in order to let more Taiwanese know the stories of these immigrant workers, Sophia also organizes little tours, Human Library and South-east Sundays etc. These activities aim at inviting Taiwanese to the places they ignores and creating friendly spaces for connecting Taiwanese and the immigrant workers. “Knowing each other is the first step to everything.” Sophia said.

 

3.Do You a Flavor: A society of freedom is a society without fear

A De’s reflections on the homeless began from his questioning of the streets. What do the streets mean to us? and for the homeless? We rush on the streets for work or entertainment, but for the homeless, the streets represent their lives. So what separate us and the homeless? The modern city is a space denied failure, because if we lost the basic ability to work or consume, we lost the freedom of making choices. The homeless are a group of people who has no choice and are only living above the basic line of living.

 

For the homeless, we have many stereotypes which makes real communication difficult to realize. A De recalled an experience. It was about 2:00 a.m., and A De encountered an old women who was walking before the rubbish collecting truck to collect the recycling waste before the truck. The old women told A De that she was an accountant before and now she was doing this for the sake of health. A De’s first impression was that “Oh! What on the internet was true! These people were really doing these things for health. ” After a while, A De realized that it was impossible to be healthy if you were working at midnight. Was the women prepared the answer to meet A De’s expectation?

 

In addition to the problem of communication, what is more serious is the centralization of power. Do You a Flavor has launched an activity named “take the recycling waste to the old on the street”. However, after a while, it became more and more difficult because it touched the tension between the homeless on the street and the recycling station, related enterprises and recycling factories. Within the complicated power networks, how to bring real influence to the homeless?

 

Similar to Taipei 20, A De realized that the real issue of the homeless is the loss of social networks and the stigma of the homeless. Now, Do You a Flavor is trying to revealing the conflicts in order to shake the stereotypes of the homeless. A De shared one of his reflection with us. One day, A De saw an old homeless female he had helped was having McDonald’s. He felt a little bit uncomfortable and this feeling alerted him. A De asked himself: “Why should I feel uncomfortable? I helped her because I wanted her to lead the life she wanted, wasn’t it? ” So, what A De said as revealing the conflicts is to make us realized our deepest feelings towards the homeless and adjusting these emotional responses to create a society of respect and tolerance.

 

4.Sharing session: We do not want a Disneyland for securing the sense of security

In this lecture, we also invited Professor Min-hsiung Hsu, the executive of iSeeYou. Professor Xu said that a good sharing was like a world-class movie, which would give you real power. In facing the social groups we are not familiar with, the most important question is that: “Why are they excluded? ” Professor Xu also pointed out the importance of the emotional and irrational factors. What makes us exclude certain groups is our fear of losing the sense of security. When dealing with the Other, the differences in social and cultural backgrounds also lead to conflicts. Many people deal with their fear by escaping or controlling the others, but this kind of security is like a Disneyland. A Disneyland is perfect but not complete, which will not give us real power to face the conflicts and become more tolerant. To make public service effective, what we need is reconstructing our relationship with the Other with courage, rather than making moral persuasions. We need to create a platform for sharing, letting different groups get what they want and achieve coexistence with tolerance. Only through opportunities to put ourselves into others’ shoes can we really understand the situation of the others, and cultivate new social values in order to transform the social culture in a sustainable way.

 

In the Q&A session, the audience expressed their interests in these NGOs and also delivered their concerns about the issues of sustainability. The speakers said that although they still face financial pressures, they had accumulated numerous experiences through their efforts in making real social differences, which were more valuable for them. Professor Lien Chenyu also responded that: “The active discussions in the series lectures all make me see the accumulation of positive powers in the city, which offer dynamics for the development of Taiwan society. The conversations of the practioners at the front line are also very valuable and can be taken as the foundation for cross-border conversations. ”

 

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