(Scroll down to see the English translation)
文_李东哲
五年前，12个法国年轻的留学生，在上海成立“海上青焙坊”。海上青每年会招募20名年龄在17-23岁的贫困年轻人，向其免费提供一年的培训，同时教授一些生活工作能力以及英语。
林兰是海上青焙坊中为数不多的全职工作人员。这位法国姑娘在家乡时就参与过不少公益项目，但“在法国这是一件很正常的事，但是到了中国，似乎就不太正常了”：一方面是媒体的好奇， 另一方面则是中国公益事业的现状：“很多机构几乎全都是靠志愿者来维持，却能让几千个孩子获得重新上学的机会”，很神奇也很不容易。
每年海上青会先接受合作公益组织推荐的年轻人，再经过面试，选出“家里真正有困难且对烹饪和烘焙真正感兴趣的人”。毕业后大部分学员都被所在实习的四星五星酒店留下。
前项目主管高凤熙曾经说：“那些孩子其实并不喜欢有人直接给他们钱。让他们自己有工作的能力，这样才能不再依赖别人” 。和这些年轻人类似，林兰最近一直在思索海上青的“变身计划”：她希望海上青能够自筹资金，不再单纯依靠企业的赞助。若真能实现，海上青或许能给年轻人带来更多意想不到的机会。
Reported by LI Dongzhe
Five years ago, “Shanghai Young Bakers” was established by 12 French students in Shanghai. The organization recruits 20 underprivileged young people aged 17 to 23 each year, providing fully-sponsored French bakery training, with English language and other skill training.
Lin Lan is one of the few full-time staff of SYB. This French girl had already taken part in several non-profit projects at home. She says, “To work in an NGO is widely accepted in France, but it’s not in China”. On one hand, NGO is attracting the attention of media; on the other, its development in China is not perfectly smooth. “Nearly all such organizations are run by volunteers, but they still somehow manage to bring thousands of children back to school”. It seems amazing, but it’s not easy.
Each year SYB accepts young candidates recommended by partner charities. After interviews, SYB would select 20 students who “do have financial difficulties and are committed to cooking and baking”. When graduates finish internship in four-star or five-star hotels, mostly they remain working there.
The former project manager Gao Fengxi once said, “These young people do not like to accept donations. If they acquire working skills, they can be independent.” Just like these young people, Lin Lan is thinking about transforming SYB into a financially independent organization which no longer solely relies on sponsorship. If this can be achieved, SYB could bring unexpected opportunities for more young people.
Translated by CHEN Anqi