On a weekend night at Taipei Main Station, a group of young people quietly wove through the streets and alleys. They made no noise, carried no banners&mdashonly hot food, old clothes, and warm smiles. They are members of the International Volunteer Club from Kainan University in Taoyuan, led by two newly arrived Vietnamese students: Fan Yueli and Ruan Shiluan. They are not the focus of the news, nor do they seek applause, yet they are quietly practicing &ldquokindness&rdquo in the most overlooked corners of the city. 

Breaking Established Impressions: New Residents Are Not Just Recipients

Taiwanese society&rsquos view of new residents has long been confined to labels like &ldquoneeds acceptance&rdquo and &ldquolanguage disadvantaged.&rdquo However, this one-dimensional understanding overlooks that new residents themselves can be agents of social change. The experiences of Yueli and Shiluan are the best examples of this disruption. Through their actions, they prove that new residents are not merely a group to be shielded, but also social actors promoting public welfare and societal inclusion. 

From a Public Policy Perspective: This Role Reversal Boosts Social Cohesion

From a public policy standpoint, this role reversal not only enhances new residents&rsquo self-identity but also strengthens societal cohesion. Internationally, many multicultural societies no longer regard immigrants as &ldquoneeding assimilation&rdquo but emphasize cultural integration and complementarity&mdashTaiwan is heading in this direction. This extends beyond cultural considerations it influences Taiwan&rsquos stance on human rights and multicultural values in international assessments.

Given Taiwan&rsquos low birth rate and the growing need to attract foreign students&mdasha key labor and youth workforce group&mdashour view aligns with the cited public television article: foreign students are broadly new residents, and socially, they are a long-ignored group. Taiwan&rsquos definition of new residents should not be limited to foreign spouses or migrant workers. It should also include another highly knowledgeable group: foreign students, most of whom are undergraduates and graduates.

These students are often multilingual, bridging their native language communities and the mainstream society while observing social issues with sensitivity and an international perspective. From a policy-making standpoint, providing more public participation channels for this group of young new residents can help break rigid identity classifications and concretely facilitate their sense of &ldquoroles&rdquo in public affairs.

From the Streets: How Youth Volunteers Explore Social Blind Spots

The street initiatives of Kainan&rsquos International Volunteer Club began simply with a few students&rsquo passion. But as this passion persisted, returning to the same homeless communities week after week, deeper human connections formed. They say it wasn&rsquot a one-time act of giving, but a long-term companionship. This accompaniment allowed them to see the social cracks that institutions alone haven&rsquot filled. The reason homeless people stay on the streets isn&rsquot rejection of help, but the distance from institutional structures and gaps in social resources.

These observations and actions are precisely the most precious parts of civil society. Are we willing to acknowledge that such social sensitivity can come from new residents? 

This is particularly important for a society in transition like Taiwan&rsquos. In recent years, we often talk about youth participation in politics and social innovation, but if we focus only on local, middle-class youth, we may overlook the agency and social responsibility shown by &ldquonon-mainstream&rdquo youth like Yueli and Shiluan. Their involvement enriches the definition of &ldquoTaiwanese youth&rdquo and expands the inclusiveness of Taiwanese civil society. 

Cultural Integration Lab: The Multicultural Value of a Campus Volunteer Club

What started with only Vietnamese members has grown to include Taiwanese and students from other countries. Kainan&rsquos International Volunteer Club has become a living cultural laboratory. Through weekly missions, youths of diverse cultural backgrounds learn to understand, compromise, and collaborate in practice. The results&mdashreal cultural exchanges and social insights&mdashare deeper than any textbook, and subtly influence the younger generation&rsquos values.

This reminds us: cross-cultural education does not necessarily rely on formal systems experiential participation is the most effective way to foster global perspectives. And new resident youths are the best bridge in this educational revolution.

And this kind of &ldquofield&rdquo need not be confined to campuses. If government and NGOs cooperate to integrate these cross-cultural volunteer actions into local social service systems&mdashor tie them into service-learning programs and social design&mdashit may pave the way for more sustained social change. 

From Kind Acts to Civic Consciousness: New Residents as Agents in a Democracy

Taiwan is full of kind people, yet distinctions in language, appearance, or identity still segment society. Yueli and Shiluan&rsquos example reminds us that the spirit of democracy is not just elections or institutions, but equality and trust among citizens. New residents are not merely passive within societal frameworks they can also be external forces shaping public affairs through action and civic responsibility.

Such responsibility is not determined by nationality or birthplace&mdashit&rsquos a value that everyone who lives on Taiwan&rsquos soil should share. 

Especially in Taiwan&rsquos approaching context of an aging society and labor shortage, the participation and contributions of new residents are no longer an option, but a necessity. Therefore, public policy must be redesigned to allow these deep-rooted individuals to truly participate in policy-making, not just be recipients of assistance. 

From &ldquoOthers&rdquo to &ldquoUs&rdquo &mdash The Story of New Residents Must Not Be Merely an Exception

The stories of Yueli and Shiluan should not just be heartwarming episodes&mdashthey should provoke societal, institutional, and value-oriented reflections. Are we giving sufficient platforms so that people of diverse cultures can develop their potential and change society? Are we able, in education, media, and policy, to set aside our sense of superiority and truly see every new resident&mdashfrom Vietnam, Indonesia, Thailand, &hellip and foreign students&mdashas equals?

Although they are foreign students, they are also new residents, bringing higher education, critical thinking, and initiative&mdashinfusing Taiwan with fresh vitality! If Taiwan aspires to be Asia&rsquos beacon of freedom and democracy, it must manifest multicultural respect and inclusion in every detail of human rights. New residents should not be forced to play minor parts, but become leading co-creators of the future. Their strength is the value we often undervalue, yet should cherish most.