Another Week Beyond – 2027

Dear Friends,

Now that we are in the second phase of our reopening, many of us are settling into a ‘Covid-19-safe’ routine that feels normal.   It is easy to let our guard down against the virus threat or to forget the contributions of our essential workers these past months.  Hence, we were most heartened that 9 youth aged from 12 to 17 years old, decided to reach out to neighbours who are front line or essential workers with a gesture of appreciation.

With an interest in Origami, the Japanese art of paper folding, they decided to use their skills to create notes of encouragement.  They made a list of 50 addresses and as they began penning down   personal messages on a coloured square piece of paper, they felt that it would also be necessary to provide some items that are essential at this time.

Looking for some funds to do so, they approached some volunteers from Youth Corps Singapore (YCS) to join them.  These volunteers had access to some funds and what began as a note of appreciation became the finishing touch for a bundle of gifts comprising 10 disposable masks, 2 bottles of 100ml hand sanitizers, some candies and assorted origami creations.

When the items arrived, the youth realised that they were unable to gather at the void deck to pack the bundle.  So, two of them figured that if they were allowed to attend school, they should be allowed to pack the gifts at school.  After hearing them out, the school counsellor and discipline master allotted   a space and a time slot for the task to be done.

This will be a long weekend for students as the first Sunday of July is National Youth Day and Monday will be a holiday.    For us, Youth Day reminds us that the contributions of young people are necessary for building, if not transforming our communities.  Young people bring many benefits to our world, but we must give them the space, the opportunities, and the resources in every sense of the word, to do so. We are heartened by educators like the school counsellor and discipline master who facilitated a significant educational experience for our youth. 

Wishing you and your loved ones, health, and peace of mind,

Gerard


When we give cheerfully and accept gratefully, everyone is blessed – Maya Angelou 

PAST AWB POSTS

2506 – Collective Wisdom, Community Building

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2505 – Saving Together, Growing Together

One of the most pervasive problems encountered by lower-income communities is building financial reserves. The daily demands for every cent, when you have little, usually takes priority. However, there is still a value of building such reserves, even if in small amounts. This is why we created the Community Tabung Programme. Loosely translated, “Tabung” means “money box” in Malay – an apt name for an initiative to help our members grow their savings in support of their children’s health and educational needs. It is a means to help our members achieve their aspirations and save for those rainy days. And

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2503 – How Roblox Helped James Minimize Screen Time

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2452 – A Fire, A Friend, A Community

When a fire broke out in a Jalan Bukit Merah flat last year, the damage wasn’t confined to just the one unit. Smoke engulfed neighbouring homes, leaving behind physical damage and disruption. One of the worst affected residents was Madam Tan*, an elderly woman whose flat directly above the burning apartment. While her story didn’t make the headlines, her struggles were very real. She clearly needed help. This is where H comes in. The 28-year-old coach and former educator was no stranger to helping others, but this experience would touch him on a personal level. “I didn’t initially think about

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2451 – The Grace to Give

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PAST AWB POSTS

2506 – Collective Wisdom, Community Building

Written by Wilson, Community Worker As is our practice at Beyond, we start every new year by sharing the goals we hope to achieve as a community. We gather young and old, have discussions and plot the journey ahead together. We call these sessions Community Conversations. Typically, everyone present introduces themselves and shares their experience volunteering in the community, and what “community” means to them. We then wrap up with a Beyond staff talking about the value of community development. That, however, was not how a session held in the Bukit Ho Swee neighbourhood went. The Beyond team just sat

Read more >

2505 – Saving Together, Growing Together

One of the most pervasive problems encountered by lower-income communities is building financial reserves. The daily demands for every cent, when you have little, usually takes priority. However, there is still a value of building such reserves, even if in small amounts. This is why we created the Community Tabung Programme. Loosely translated, “Tabung” means “money box” in Malay – an apt name for an initiative to help our members grow their savings in support of their children’s health and educational needs. It is a means to help our members achieve their aspirations and save for those rainy days. And

Read more >

2504 – Growth On The Sidelines

Amir* wasn’t always the calm, composed young man people look up to today. Not so long ago, he his fiery temper put him in the midst of a heated argument. So to witness him play the peacemaker recently was pleasantly astonishing. That moment could have shaped how others saw him — and how he saw himself — but instead, it became a lesson that helped him grow. Amir was playing at a futsal tournament. Two boys – Danial* and Josh* – got into an altercation. Danial accused Josh of “showboating” and not being a team player…costing them the game. Josh,

Read more >