Culture, Art &Nature uses love to rebuild Sanxia

Grass Book House (小草書屋), which appeared in Sanxia’s old street around two years ago, cares for high-risk teens who have been subject to domestic violence or involved in fights, gangs or drugs. Providing a safe space for these kids of elementary and junior high school age to study and eat an evening meal, the house acts as a second home.

However, like grass, kids grow fast and they must prepare themselves to compete in society; however, the current learning environment of Grass Book House is unable to meet the future needs of these kids. This year, in an attempt to address this problem, founder of Culture Art and Nature (CAN), Jeffery Lin (林峻丞), set up Grass Life Skills Academy, which is aimed at helping junior high and high school kids find a new direction in life.

In addition to looking after children from Sanxia who are in need of extra care, CAN is also devoted to promoting Sanxi’s unique culture, which includes indigo dyeing, DIY tofu making, and guided tours of historic sites, as well as providing spaces for various types of cultural and creative products and art exhibitions. Grass Book House provides disadvantaged kids in Sanxia with after-school care and has even put together a program to assist kids realize their dreams, while the recently established Grass Life Skills Academy, aims to equip kids with specialized skills that could help them get on in life.

以下為中文對照

在二年前三峽老街上出現了間「小草書屋」，這裡面守護著一群正在就讀國中小學，卻曾遭受打架、幫派、吸毒與家暴威脅的高關懷學童，這裡提供他們一個免費學習與吃晚餐的「家」。

但小草終將長大，書屋的學習環境已經無法滿足他們未來和社會競爭的需要。於是，甘樂文創創辦人林峻丞在今年成立了「青草職能學苑」，期望為國高中生找到人生新方向。

「甘樂文創」除了照顧三峽的高關懷孩童，同時致力推廣三峽文化，藍染、豆腐DIY、古蹟導覽，也有各式文創商品與藝術家展演空間。「小草書屋」提供三峽弱勢孩子課後照顧與圓夢計畫的實踐，近期籌設「青草職能學苑」，期望培養國高中生的一技之長。