Just World

Lion Dance Training for the Mentally Handicapped

It has been over 20 years since the founding of the Home of Love – Yung Shing Lion Dance Team by the Home of Love – Yung Shing Sheltered Workshop and Hostel in 2003. The team was established to facilitate people with mild to moderate intellectual disabilities in developing both physical and mental capabilities through lion dance training, practice, rehearsals, performances and competitions. This initiative aims to boost their self-image and selfconfidence. From December 2023 to March 2024, the Sheltered Workshop launched a lion dance performance work training programme to help the lion dance team members transform their acquired lion dance skills into vocational talents for job opportunities. Through public promotion, the sheltered workshop was able to secure lion dance jobs in elderly homes, special schools and private banquets, so that people in the community could have the opportunity to learn and appreciate the talents of the Lion Dance Team members, promoting an inclusive society for both the disabled and the able-bodied. Training allowances were given to team members upon completion of their performances, which not only boosted their motivation but also recognised their lion dance performances.

Fan Wai-kuen, a senior member of the Lion Dance Team, said“I love lion dance and would like to have more opportunities to perform to the public. When I performed at the elderly centre in the past, the elderly were very excited, and I would be very happy too if I could make them happy”. Fan Wai-kuen’s mother added, ‘’I just wanted Wai-kuen to do more exercise at first, so I arranged for him to join the Lion Dance Team, but I never expected the decision to bring about such changes in his life. In the past, I put in a lot of effort to care for him and worried about whether he can get along with others due to his personality. Fortunately, through the Lion Dance Team’s training over the years, Wai-kuen has learnt about discipline and teamwork, and has demonstrated his leadership skills, which makes me feel very pleased.