ABSTRACT
This introduction presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book provides qualitative findings about volunteering associated with the Chinese Communist Youth League, with a focus on its work in Jinan. It discusses quantitative findings about the mental health of children of migrant workers in Beijing. This mental health appears to benefit mainly from social support from family. The book explores qualitative findings from school social workers in Hong Kong. Mental health, again being one of the concerns, tends to benefit from teachers' support. Teacher support also appears to be the strongest and most pervasive contributor to various development outcomes. The training is mainly employing the strategies of experiential learning, adventure-based training, service training, non-local exposure, and project-based competition. A common solution to the dilemmas at both youth and service levels would be the strengthening of empowerment and social inclusion to eliminate alienation, powerlessness, and underclass status.
