Zhong Jina

Zhong Jina: Vice President of Foundation of Intercultural Participation of Chinese Families. Chinese teacher, child development coach, and student of child education psychology at Amsterdam University of Technology.

"During my work at Chinese schools and youth aid organizations, I saw many Chinese (cross-)cultural families in the Netherlands facing family problems due to cultural differences, identity recognition, lack of parental companionship, etc. Because parents lack relevant parenting and child psychological development knowledge, do not understand Dutch culture and policies, and are also hindered by language, they are unable to communicate well with their children, do not know how to seek help when they encounter parenting problems, or are ashamed to tell others about their experiences. Over time, their children develop psychological or behavioral problems, which are not discovered by schools and other institutions until they are more serious, delaying the best prevention and intervention opportunities, causing a lot of pain to children and families, and some even posing a life-threatening threat to family members. Every time I see such a case, I feel heartbroken. Because if families can be aware of these situations at an early stage and obtain the necessary information, training and guidance, most problems can be effectively prevented.

In addition, some of my Chinese students came to the Netherlands because of their parents' job transfer. As children who were originally developing normally in China, they suddenly came to a country where their mother tongue was not spoken. They could not express themselves normally and fluently in school. In addition, their parents were also struggling for life, under pressure and did not have enough time to accompany them. It was easy for these children to develop inferiority complex and even depression, thus hindering their normal development.

I myself have received warm and powerful encouragement and help during my adolescence, so I know what such help means to a child. I hope to do my best to build a bridge for Chinese children and families in the Netherlands through our foundation, connect children with the same background, and help them find self-worth and a sense of belonging through organizing various reading, cultural, sports and other activities, as well as find real-life role models and the power to move forward. For parents, I hope to provide relevant parenting skills training and various assistance information from the Dutch government, so that parents can raise their children with confidence, ability and support. ”