Three rules
But those who want to find their dreams at Dream Home have to abide strictly by three rules.
"Attitude and character are key," Liao says. Students who take the tutoring classes have to "sign a contract." First, they have to agree to be on time. If they are 15 minutes late, it counts as an unexcused absence. Three unexcused absences and it's "goodbye." And to insure that students are able to make it on time, they have to put up a NT$3,000 security deposit. If they are absent less than three times, the deposit is returned in full. With these requirements, nearly 100% of the students get their deposit back.
Another of the requirements of the agreement is, at Dream Home there is no romance allowed.
"This is our unchallengeable rule," Liao says. He explains that kids who don't know how to love themselves or others will have a hard time in relationships, and that before they become romantically involved with others they have to learn the "higher love" of service. He encourages them to volunteer. This is the special lesson that Dream Home teaches.
"Kids only learn through giving and sharing that actually they don't want for that much, and that they can become a truly 'rich' and happy person," Liao says.
Last year, Dream Home began its Hope in Taipei Home Interview Program, through which volunteers take on kids from low-income families. Every month they visit the kids at home at least once and bring them food and basic life necessities. They also encourage Dream Home kids to accompany volunteers on the visits, so they can meet their peers. Some of the embittered, angry kids see others who are worse off and realize how lucky they actually are. They also begin to see such problems from an objective viewpoint and think about their causes rationally. During this year's winter break, some kids even went to visit low-income families and elderly shut-ins in Guangfu, Ruisui, and Yuli in Hualien County to understand the meaning of giving.
More dreams
From the start, when Liao invested a whole year's salary of nearly NT$500,000 from his own pocket and provided dancing classes for just a dozen or so kids, the scale of his efforts to help disadvantaged teens has gotten bigger and bigger. He's also received more and more assistance and approval from others.
In 2007, Dream Home took second prize in Flow, Inc.'s Social Entrepreneur Program. The competition's judges, H.T. Cho, president of HTC Foundation and David Lin, CEO of the Lite-On Group, also provided around NT$3 million in supplies and rents. Dream Home has also won awards from British company Diageo's Keep Walking Fund two years running, worth a total of NT$2 million.
With this support, within a few months Dream Home expects to be able to rent a facility in Wanhua for NT$100,000 a month. There will then be more space for activities for teens.
In addition to Dream Home, Liao is also actively planning to create another charity for elementary-school students.
"Rather than searching all over for junior-high students who've already dropped out, it'd be better to prevent problems as early as possible," he says. "It would use less funding and be more effective." Nowadays, kids as young as fourth or fifth grade have smoking and drinking problems. If not dealt with in time, these problems will worsen in the teen years to drug use and gang activity.
In order to keep kids from dropping out of school, Liao plans to focus on those between fifth grade and the second year of junior high. Starting in February of this year, he began working with local elementary schools Fuxing, Laosong, Dali, Xiyuan, Xinhe, and Huajiang on the Hope in Taipei project. In addition to providing tutoring for students from disadvantaged homes, he plans to pay special attention to kids with behavioral and social problems.
Change a child, change the future
In working with disadvantaged teens, what counts as a success? At what point can you let them go with ease of mind?
The answer is: when a foul-mouthed kid no longer curses. When a kid who always failed math makes it to the top of the class. When a suicidal kid is encouraged and comforted by volunteers and decides to keep holding on. When a kid who received help volunteers to help others. One by one and a little at a time, these kinds of results are seen daily at Dream Home. This year, a tutorial class student who placed into Taipei's prestigious Jianguo High was an inspiration to everyone else at Dream Home. His success seemed like a ray of hope and a way to escape poverty.
"I hope to see this district make a change. Maybe in 10 or 15 years this area's dropout and crime rates will be lower," Liao says. "Then we'll have been a success!"