Dear friends, After receiving a pre-loved basketball, a 10-year boy began bouncing it enthusiastically. A volunteer who was nearby said hello and learnt that he was waiting for a friend. When he offered to hang out with him till his friend came by, the boy threw him the ball. As he caught it, he dribbled a little before passing it back. The boy was impressed and asked him if he could show him how to do a “wraparound.” He obliged and showed him a few other dribbling moves too. The boy was thrilled, and the volunteer would like to think that …
Another Week Beyond – 2113
Dear friends, When they were told that they were the 14 most active youth volunteers in their neighbourhood, those present were most surprised. Many said that whenever they helped with food distributions or community events, they were just doing what they have always seen their friends and neighbours do. They were just going about their lives normally and never thought that they were volunteering or that we were noticing their efforts. Nonetheless, they appreciated being recognized and were proud that they had been helpful to others. The idea that they had been contributing and could continue to do so seemed …
Another Week Beyond – 2108
Dear Friends After speaking to more than 150 youth aged between 16 to 20 and inviting them to be a part of a mutual aid initiative that connects them to job-based information and resources, training, and potential employers, a common theme emerged. These young people wanted to work so that they could help with their family income. Some were already the significant breadwinner, and nothing would please them more than to be able to see their family live more comfortably. One of these youth attended a briefing on a Debt Clearance and Savings Matching Scheme run by the Methodist Welfare Services and when asked …
Another Week Beyond – 2106
Dear Friends Morris was beaming. He had just completed 6 months of probation without a hitch. The electronic tag around his ankle has been removed but he still has 15 months to go. We are rooting for him to finish the probation order successfully, but he senses our apprehension. “I just got my little tattoo shop, and I am going to be busy making a living. You don’t have to worry about me,” he assures us. Last year, Morris participated in a family group conference [AWB – 2026 & 2029] to craft and commit to his care and supervision plan for the court’s consideration. Since then, he …
Another Week Beyond – 2045
“We are not interested. My mother won’t be able to use the internet and there’s no point applying for her.” Our young volunteer was told in a rather curt voice. Although a little stunned and unsure if she would be disrespectfully overstaying her welcome, she continued to explain the government’s digital access scheme to the older woman whom we shall call Rose. Our young volunteers have now knocked on 116 doors and spoken to 90 older persons encouraging them to utilize the free Wi-Fi connection we have installed near their homes. We have also assisted 22 of them to use their phone …
Another Week Beyond – 2043
Dear friends, It was not an English lesson but together with a group of girls, we looked up the dictionary definition of the word “slut.” Upon confirming that it is most often used to describe women who are sexually promiscuous, they were incensed when they recalled the numerous occasions they were called so. “Sometimes people don’t use the word on us but by criticising how we dress, I think they also believe that we are bad girls,” one of the participants expressed during a recent Girls’ Night. Girls’ Night provides a safe space to discuss sexuality, relationships, and other topics that youth find …
Another Week Beyond – 2041
Dear Friends A group of children ran up excitedly to a colleague as she was on the way to a home visit. Dressed in similar tee-shirts, they greeted her with a big grin expecting a reaction. “Wow! You guys look so sharp and colourful. What’s up?” she obliged. Immediately the children gushed that they were now a sepak takraw team. Intrigued, she asked them to say more. They told her that they had just begun and pointed out their coaches who were waiting for them some 50 metres away. The coaches waved and my colleague recognised them as youth who …
Another Week Beyond – 2039
Dear Friends, 2 brothers in their 60s, told us that they were finding it difficult to stay in touch with their families in Indonesia. Without SMART Phones, calls were expensive and being illiterate, texting was not an option either. They lamented that sometimes, by pressing a wrong key, $10 to $20 worth of pre-paid data is depleted without a connection. So, we lent then a used SMART phone each and showed them how they may reach their families on WhatsApp without cost. It did not take long for them to catch on. As boatmen who made a modest income, they decided …
Another Week Beyond – 2038
Dear Friends, Last week, 7 youth delivered 5 performances at the Substation. “Men with Pens” featured lived experiences they had penned down, and the show was part of Septfest 2020 Fringe which featured immersive experiences to generate conversations around issues faced by various marginalised and displaced groups. In January this year, volunteers Subhas Nair and Yanni Chia began meeting youth living in the Whampoa neighbourhood; listening to their stories and encouraging them to write them down in a notebook. The sessions started with dinner and initially through structured exercises, the youth were guided to identify strong feelings they frequently experienced and to map out the context …
Another Week Beyond – 2035
Dear Friends, Jobs and the ability to draw an income weigh heavily on the minds of many and it is no different for the young people we engage. After speaking to more than 50 youth between 16 to 25 years old, we discovered that most wanted to explore different career paths which they were interested in. However, they felt that they could not afford to do so as contributing to the household budget was priority. They were also rather clueless how they could explore their interests and would tend to gratefully take on whatever comes their way. Their sense of practicality is …