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By Yaping Li
It has been a year since we officially opened the China Center
for Dependable Strengths (CCDS). Things in general are moving
along as we predicated when the decision was first made to
promote DS training in China. There have been cheerful aspects,
and there have been impediments.
We are cheerful because the demand is really high for a program
like DSAP that can help people be self-actualized by uncovering
their core strengths. When people are facing the serious challenges
of transition, no matter from where to where, DSAP is an important
and effective tool for directing the process of change. All
the people to whom we introduce DSAP respond very positively.
Furthermore, all the students and teachers whom we train praise
DSAP highly. It is confirmed that DSAP has a good market in
China for many kinds of people.
We have also encountered impediments. The process we are
using at present does not always offer clients clear guidance
on how to make practical use of their newly uncovered Dependable
Strengths. This concern is particularly important from a marketing
point of view. It is also a concern for young people who do
not have a depth of professional experience or life experience.
1. Workshop & Lecture
CCDS has officially conducted five pilot or demonstration
workshops including three for university students, one for
unemployed teens, and one for secondary vocational students.
We have also tried DSAP on directors of NGOs and on high school
teachers. The total number of participants who have attended
DS workshops has reached to 74.
We have also delivered five lectures on DSAP, reaching more
than a thousand students at four top universities in Shanghai.
Recently we spoke on DS and Job-Finding Power to 300 students
at Zhejiang University,
which is ranked as the number three university in China, and
is located in Hangzhou about 300 miles southwest of Shanghai.
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2. Next Step
We are working on a special program for university students.
It will provide DSAP as a foundation for students to complete
their transition from the university to the workforce. This
will be the major focus of CCDS for the next two or three
years. It will also be our primary "bargaining chip"
for funding.
3. Financial Situation
Financially, CCDS is not yet self-sustained. We charge participants
only to cover the cost of workshop facilities and equipment.
When we improve our brand name recognition and tailor our
program to better fit the needs of our clients, we can expect
an increase in financial resources.
Yaping Li is Executive Director, China
Center for Dependable Strengths, Shanghai.
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Overview