Dear Friends, I would like to close the year with a very warm thank you for your interest in this weekly note I write. The work I do and represent has given me purpose and meaning which I am grateful for. I am also deeply grateful that this mailing list has been growing and I am always touched when people tell me what the story meant to them. Here are parts of one sharing that I received in January (AWB – 1903) that showed me a reason why our voices need to be heard and our lived experiences noticed. Thanks …
Another Week Beyond – 1951
Dear Friends, In August this year, youth from our Community Theatre programme presented “The Block Party” at the Esplanade as part of the M1 Peer Pleasure Festival. This play showcased vignettes of poverty as experienced by those residing in a public rental housing neighbourhood. This week, as a follow-up activity, we hosted a conversation about poverty involving 37 persons, comprising mainly youth from different strata in society. The aim was to hold a safe space where questions and perspectives about poverty deemed to be offensive or insensitive can be discussed authentically in the spirit of mutual understanding and respect. To …
Another Week Beyond – 1950
Dear Friends, One reason I write this weekly note is for me to reflect on what we are doing. There is always so much to do, and it is so easy to let our “busi-ness” justify our existence. Thinking about the value of what we do regularly, helps us to keep in sight the intentions and aspirations of our practice. For the last 4 years or so, Professor Ann Wee who is often described as the founding mother of social work education in Singapore has been on our mailing list. Almost every week, she would respond with her take on …
Another Week Beyond – 1949
Dear Friends, In my note last week, I reflected on how we could honour parents as the child’s first educators. I considered getting parents to teach music and other subjects that drew children’s attention to the strengths and beautiful things within their families, communities and culture. I also suggested using the stories of parents and families to convey values where appropriate. In response to my pondering I received an email suggesting that one valuable lesson parents should impart is to simply ask their children regularly, “How was the world a better place today, because you were there?” It was a …
Another Week Beyond – 1948
Dear Friends, When asked to say a few words at the beginning of the graduation ceremony of our Healthy Start Child Development Centre, I was caught off guard and spurted out what came to mind. After thanking everyone for their presence, I must have caused some awkwardness. I admitted that the one thing I did not quite enjoy about the occasion was parents effusively thanking us for educating their children. I explained that in the spirit of partnership, we needed to hear what was not working well too. Well, I guess graduations as we know them, are happy occasions where …
Another Week Beyond – 1947
Dear Friends, A study of 147,004 patients conducted by the Singhealth Regional Health System reviewing the period 2012 to 2017, found that those who lived in rental housing were 1.57 times more likely to die in the period, compared with those who were living elsewhere. Public rental housing was an independent risk factor for all-cause mortality. This statistic hit home when we joined several neighbours to clean up a home in preparation for the return of an 8-year-old child who is on life-support after passing out while having a high fever. This was an active boy who attended our reading …