Youth Advisory Committee member

Biography

After coming to Hualien to pursue my studies, the training and immersion I received through history courses and social engagement made me realize how intimate the relationship between people and the land can be. Almost without noticing, I grew deeply attached to this place and decided to stay and build my life here. Anything related to this land naturally draws my attention and makes me want to understand it more deeply, explore it further, and take action.

Over the long term, I have focused on guiding local youth and students to actively identify local needs and solve problems. Through this learning process, young people come to feel “needed by the community,” which in turn strengthens their identification with regional development. Youth empowerment, youth returning to their hometowns, public participation, local development, and youth affairs are all areas in which I hope to draw on my experience to work alongside local communities, continue investing in this place, and co-create a better life in Hualien.

Experience

• 2025 – Executive Director, Hualien County Government Youth Development Center

• 2022–2023 – Member, Hualien County Youth Advisory Committee

• 2019–present – Design Thinking Coach

• 2017–2024 – Executive Secretary, Center for Social Engagement, National Dong Hwa University

• 2014–present – Adjunct Lecturer, General Education Center, National Dong Hwa University

• 2022–present – Community Building Mentor

• 2022–present – Community Development Seed Planner

• 2022–present – ESG Foundation-Level Manager

Experience in Youth Empowerment and Regional Revitalization

Since 2022, I have collaborated with the Hualien County Government Youth Development Center on multiple youth empowerment projects, including “Hualien Youth Linking Local Communities and Industries” and “Hualien Youth Dreamers.” These initiatives promote youth participation in local social practice and innovation. I mentor and support young people in implementing projects across Hualien, covering areas such as digital technology, cultural education, and green tourism. Through local-issue proposal competitions, university students gain an in-depth understanding of local characteristics and needs, and learn to apply academic knowledge to real-world problem-solving.

Since 2022, I have also been working with the Taiwan Public Welfare Alliance (台灣公益聯盟), Small Town Cultural & Creative Co., Ltd. (小鎮文創有限公司), and Small Town Digital Co., Ltd. (小鎮數位有限公司) to carry out long-term regional revitalization support work in eastern Taiwan. In 2023, we mentored nine local organizations in Yilan, Hualien, and Taitung through a “Digital Revitalization Corridor Co-Learning Project,” integrating more experience and resources. By introducing blockchain technology into three digital communities in eastern Taiwan, we built pilot projects that, through online–offline integrated support programs, helped establish data-governed decision-making systems for sustainable development.

Since 2017, I have led National Dong Hwa University’s “Neighbors for the Common Good” (比鄰共好) University Social Responsibility (USR) project, bringing university resources and students into local communities and villages. Through courses and activities, participants develop a deep understanding of local social issues in Hualien. By engaging with the particularities of local geography and culture, they come to appreciate the value of sustaining local life and revitalizing communities. Solid training in fieldwork methods and professional skills enables young people to truly enter local contexts, systematically connect their expertise with on-the-ground realities, and gradually grow into locally rooted talent.

Areas of Expertise

Youth empowerment ・ Local history and culture
Youth entrepreneurship ・ Social innovation
Public participation ・ Social design
Education and culture ・ Community development

Contact Informations

email｜elliehuang0121@gmail.com