Well if you want to really help, everyday in the back of the Apple daily, there is always the “need help” story of the day. One could clip out the information and donate via the post office.
Just saying that if people take the time to organize to help stray dogs, it might be nice to do the same thing for the odd person in need. While individual efforts are good, usually groups can accomplish a bit more.
At first I grumbled about the stray dog stituation, because I’m really more concerned about the labor and human rights of forgieners. But i’ve seen the Animal rights org grow. Perhaps,in Taiwan we have to make smaller and more comfortable changes in order to easy the populace into making bigger differences. Once we get their attention on something that is neutral,safe and fun we can begin to expose them to larger pressing issues.
We can’t really knock people for what issues they choose to make a difference in the world. The most important thing to focus on is that they are making an effort to make a difference, as oppose to sitting around yapping about how fawked up it all is.
I’m not knocking the stray dog people for making a difference. That’s great. I’m merely suggesting that perhaps some of them – or others – or a combination of both – might want to take up a human cause as well, particularly as it seems that the only way to help in this case is by donating money, which is something a number of people said they could do more readily or conveniently than donating time or volunteering (which evidently is illegal if the gov’t chooses to push the issue).
Wouldn’t one way to make a difference just to donate money monthly to a reputable charity? Do most of the international charities operate in Taiwan, such as sponsoring an international kid, World Vision etc? I’d love to help out those international doctors that fly around the world curing 3rd world people’s blindness.
Cool coincidence story – I’m lying half whacked out after major surgery last week and one of my surgeons says, “Oh, I just got back from China”. Turns out her husband, who is an eye surgeon, goes someplace every year to do eye surgeries and teach at hospitals. (I can’t help but wonder if everyone I ever met would have some friend, relation or child studying, say, Bulgarian, if I had spent half my adult life in Bulgaria instead of Taiwan, though. 
)
I’ve looked for information about volunteering in orphanages here and helping to care for young children, both normal and handicapped, so they aren’t deprived of human contact. I don’t have the money to spare, trust me, but I do have time. It’s just sad that I can remember all the volunteering I’ve done in the US ever since I was 12 years old (for an old opera house and the local library) and know that for every year I remain in Taiwan, I am not doing anything for humanity. A five-year lapse in the 14 years since I started doing volunteerism.
Okay, so the ‘law’ states that volunteer work (as a foreigner) is illegal. Granted.
But does anyone know of a single case of deportation?
I mean I’ve been doing volunteer work for a number of years - different organizations, different orphanages, even organized a couple island-wide events with countless spots on the evening news.
And never once was it an issue.
Was I lucky?
Maybe.
But honestly I don’t think anyone cares. Yes, there’s that .ooooo1% chance that you’ll get caught (whatever that means) and kicked out.
Then again, maybe 101 will fall over on your house.
My point is … let’s not use this ‘law’ nonsense as an excuse for drinking beer instead of getting involved.
Just do it! (sorry Nike)
[quote=“MAW”]
My point is … let’s not use this ‘law’ nonsense as an excuse for drinking beer instead of getting involved.
Just do it! (sorry Nike)[/quote]
Sorry F.com can’t condone breaking the law. So, we can’t just do it.
Volunteering is used as an excuse for deportation when they feel like using it, which means you cannot calculate the odds. It depends on your interpersonal relationships, your connections, and who you might have made angry. And it IS illegal on the books, so that’s that.
As has been said elsewhere, the consequences of deportation (or the possibility thereof) vary depending on who you are and what stage of life you’re in. If you’re just in Taiwan for a few years teaching English as a lark to make some beer money, no big worries. If you’ve moved to the island, set up housekeeping, and have a wife and kids, for example, it might be much more of an issue.
That being said, there are ways to help without actually volunteering. Why risk even the possibility if there are legitimate means of making a difference that do not require you to break the law? But if you want to argue instead of do something legal, that’s up to you.
Uh, my point is how do you splice hairs on what constitutes “volunteer work”?
Anyone want to take a bite at that?
Not likely.
If I play with some children at an orphanage, is that volunteer work?
If I feed a physically handicapped child, is that volunteer work?
If I choose to take in and care for a stray dog, is that volunteer work?
If I pick up garbage along the shoreline with my 4-year-old daughter, is that volunteer work?
If I paddle my kayak around the island and raise NT$2.1 million for coastal protection, is that volunteer work?
If I organize a car wash, raise a few thousand, and deliver some Christmas presents to an orphanage, is that volunteer work?
If I deliver an inspiring speech to a group of orphans in a mountain village, is that volunteer work?
I don’t know.
You tell me.
[quote=“MAW”]Uh, my point is how do you splice hairs on what constitutes “volunteer work”?
[/quote]
If you are doing anything that isn’t on your visa, then you are in violation of your visa. So, if you are caught playing with children at an orphanage, and you are not in the process of adopting or teaching them English with an ARC, then you are in violation of your visa status.
[quote=“Namahottie”][quote=“MAW”]Uh, my point is how do you splice hairs on what constitutes “volunteer work”?
[/quote]
If you are doing anything that isn’t on your visa, then you are in violation of your visa. So, if you are caught playing with children at an orphanage, and you are not in the process of adopting or teaching them English with an ARC, then you are in violation of your visa status.[/quote]
…if someone feels like making trouble for you about it. Taiwan is a counter-logical place for Westerners at times. You could just as well be written up as a crusading hero in the press on th same day you’re escorted to the airport to be thrown out of the country.
It’s just a fact: like having unprotected sex, doing volunteer work in Taiwan is risky…just how risky depends on a lot of things. The only way to be 100% sure is to abstain.
[quote=“MAW”]Uh, my point is how do you splice hairs on what constitutes “volunteer work”?
Anyone want to take a bite at that?
Not likely.
If I play with some children at an orphanage, is that volunteer work?
If I feed a physically handicapped child, is that volunteer work?
If I choose to take in and care for a stray dog, is that volunteer work?
If I pick up garbage along the shoreline with my 4-year-old daughter, is that volunteer work?
If I paddle my kayak around the island and raise NT$2.1 million for coastal protection, is that volunteer work?
If I organize a car wash, raise a few thousand, and deliver some Christmas presents to an orphanage, is that volunteer work?
If I deliver an inspiring speech to a group of orphans in a mountain village, is that volunteer work?
I don’t know.
You tell me.[/quote]
This is a pretty good question.
I think that if you are doing this stuff on your own free time, in a way not connected to any established organization, it would not be labeled “volunteering”… conversely, if you performed any of the same acts in connection with some established organization, these might be considered “volunteering”.
But, I don’t know, really. I doubt that the Taiwan authorities have though this through.
Ironlady is absolutely correct in saying that the law is vague for a reason, and that the risk involved varies depending upon the volunteer’s situation.
We can go on whining about the unjust law for another 4 pages and it’s still going to be the same.
People who want to do something are doing it already. Yes, it’s on a small scale, yes, you have to disguise it, but it’s not that hard and even if you don’t bring monumental change to the Taiwanese society, whatever you did will still count to the person you helped. Does it really matter whether you get to do an interview for the newspaper about it, or put it on your resume?
[quote=“TainanCowboy”]Does anyone have any specific information dealing with the legalities of ‘voulunteering’ here on the island for “foreigners” ?
I think this might be a good place to start.[/quote]
As someone who has volunteered LEGALLY with a completely unrelated work permit, the total illegality of volunteering in Taiwan is a self-perpetuated myth. I used to think it was disgusting until I found out it… err… wasn’t there. PLEASE guys, let’s stop this myth now. I know other Forumosans have volunteered through the proper routes - please speak up so nobody thinks I’ve gone mad!
You do, however, need permission from the relevant government authority (in this case the CLA). It’s easier to do this through a charitable organisation/public school/government entity but it’s literally just a case of writing a brief letter about what you will be doing and getting a brief letter in return saying, ‘ok’. Don’t take my word for it - go speak to the Council of Labor Affairs (9F, no. 83, Sec. 2 Yan Ping North Road, Taipei City).
You can even apply for permission to perform on stage - the application is quite trivial.
There is a good reason for this requirement when you think about it - foreigner can’t be arsed getting a work permit, goes to work in a buxiban. ‘Oh sorry officer, see I’m just volunteering’.
The only people I know of who were deported for illegal ‘volunteering’ were getting up on stage and profiting somehow (you probably know who I’m talking about) or blatantly lying about what they were doing.
So the correct thing is, “It is illegal to do volunteer work in Taiwan without appropriate authorization from the CLA.”
Yup, but I would like to emphasise the ‘legal with authorisation’ rather than ‘illegal unless authorised’. Authorisation is a trivial affair and should not put anyone off doing some genuine good on this weird ol’ island.
[quote=“llary”][quote=“TainanCowboy”]Does anyone have any specific information dealing with the legalities of ‘voulunteering’ here on the island for “foreigners” ?
I think this might be a good place to start.[/quote]
As someone who has volunteered LEGALLY with a completely unrelated work permit, the total illegality of volunteering in Taiwan is a self-perpetuated myth. I used to think it was disgusting until I found out it… err… wasn’t there. PLEASE guys, let’s stop this myth now. I know other Forumosans have volunteered through the proper routes - please speak up so nobody thinks I’ve gone mad!
You do, however, need permission from the relevant government authority (in this case the CLA). It’s easier to do this through a charitable organisation/public school/government entity but it’s literally just a case of writing a brief letter about what you will be doing and getting a brief letter in return saying, ‘ok’. Don’t take my word for it - go speak to the Council of Labor Affairs (9F, no. 83, Sec. 2 Yan Ping North Road, Taipei City).
You can even apply for permission to perform on stage - the application is quite trivial.
There is a good reason for this requirement when you think about it - foreigner can’t be arsed getting a work permit, goes to work in a buxiban. ‘Oh sorry officer, see I’m just volunteering’.
The only people I know of who were deported for illegal ‘volunteering’ were getting up on stage and profiting somehow (you probably know who I’m talking about) or blatantly lying about what they were doing.[/quote]
:bravo: 
:bravo: :bravo: :bravo:
I will be following up on this lead so I can start doing some good here.