Creating a Future Free of Crime

ASEZ, the university student volunteer group of the Church of God, identifies global issues and puts creative solutions into practice. On this occasion, we visited elementary, middle, and high schools near our campuses and conducted “Reduce Crime Together (RCT) School,” a character education program for crime prevention through collaboration.

Today’s youth, the leaders of tomorrow, are increasingly exposed to various crimes. As university students who have recently passed through that stage of life, we wanted to help our younger peers develop sound thinking and grow up in a safe environment. With that goal in mind, members from Dong-A University and Busan Health University joined forces to deliver the RCT School program to nearby high school students.

It was our first off-campus activity since the end of the COVID-19 pandemic, so everyone was excited. At the same time, we were nervous; it was our first time giving a lecture to students. From selecting the schools to preparing the materials, we exchanged ideas and discussed the best ways to proceed. Although none of us were professional instructors and the task wasn’t easy, we divided into small groups of two or three to coordinate with the schools, write lecture scripts, and create worksheets.

Before we knew it, the day of the lecture arrived. While crime can stem from social and institutional causes, we emphasized that it ultimately begins with individuals. We explained how even one person’s small effort and change can make a significant difference in preventing crime. We then led an activity where students created their own “Heart Name Cards” to reflect on themselves and build a sense of identity and self-esteem. We were initially concerned that the students might lose interest, but contrary to our expectations, they remained focused, responded enthusiastically, and actively participated in discussions and activities.

After the lecture, we asked one student for their thoughts. Hearing them clearly summarize the key points we had conveyed made us feel incredibly proud. The teachers were also impressed by the students’ active engagement and praised our efforts. Before the lecture, we believed that even just making students aware that there are people working to prevent crime would be a success. The positive response far exceeded our expectations made all our hard work feel worthwhile.

As university students, we had a rare and meaningful opportunity to give a lecture to youth. Just as a vast ocean begins with a small stream, we hope that the small efforts we made will spread across the world and bring about positive change in society.