By Ariel Wu | International Social Media Manager
Inside Mustard Seed Youth Care
Every young person deserves a place to feel safe, supported, and hopeful about their future. Thanks to your ongoing support, the boys at Mustard Seed Youth Home in Hualien are not just cared for — they’re growing, learning, and discovering their potential through daily life, mentorship, and meaningful routines.
Why They Matter
But behind every story of growth lies a story of need.
Many of the boys who come to Mustard Seed Youth Home have lived through instability, neglect, or trauma. Most are referred through Taiwan’s social services system, seeking not only shelter but a chance to rebuild their confidence and sense of belonging. In 2025, over 84% of youth at the facility were diagnosed with ADHD, and more than half are navigating developmental or neurological conditions such as autism, epilepsy, or Tourette’s. Roughly 68% are Indigenous, and nearly half hold an official disability ID. Without the right intervention, these youth face high risks of academic failure, social isolation, and emotional distress.
At Mustard Seed Youth Home, their days are carefully structured to rebuild the foundations that were never firmly laid. The four key goals of our approach are: academic support, resilience-building, social belonging, and self-efficacy. These values come to life through weekly tutoring, mentorship, group reflection, and experiential learning. Whether they’re participating in sports, working in the on-site home farm, or exploring potential career internships, they are always supported to grow as whole people.
Learning Through Action, Healing Through Routine
For many of them with challenges like ADHD and emotional regulation, physical activities like basketball and baseball help them manage hyperactivity and learn discipline through movement and group accountability. Life skill activities like home farming, housekeeping, and career exploration internship provide youth a sense of agency and routine.
Take Yu Mi, once quiet and often a tagalong to his friend. After joining the baseball team, he found a passion, even after his friend had quit for schoolwork. And eventually earning a spot as vice-captain of his school team.
And Ah Hua, who came to the home with emotional volatility rooted in family trauma, learned to regulate himself through repetitive work like painting and house maintenance. He now approaches even small personal tasks with care and consistency.
The Work Continues
These are not isolated cases. They are the result of daily, long-term investment in youth who’ve been told by circumstance or neglect that they don’t belong. At Mustard Seed Youth Home, they’re empowered, supported, and taught how to rebuild.
Your support helps keep this process going. With your kindness, we can continue providing structured care, educational opportunities, and real-world experiences that help teens grow into capable, confident young adults.
For friends in Taiwan: https://bit.ly/4d7I9A4
Support us via GlobalGiving: https://goto.gg/41469
Corporate Giving via Benevity: https://bit.ly/4dVydK2
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