Another Week Beyond – 2242

October 21, 2022

Dear friends,

8 youth from different neighbourhoods responded enthusiastically to an invitation to explore how they could lead or be a part of a social action project that they cared about. They told us that they were inspired by mothers in their respective neighbourhoods who organized community activities, spoke to their neighbours about improving their health and cared for older people. They also fondly recalled activities like “really free markets” where they could pick up preloved clothes, bags, and household items as well as potluck dinners and community events where they were welcomed to have their fill.

There was always something happening in their neighbourhoods and now that they are older, they realise that this is not always the norm elsewhere. They have also come to value the willingness in which resources and problems are shared among neighbours and how people come together to understand common issues of concern. Community has been a valuable way of life and they want to learn how they may keep it alive wherever they live.

When asked what issues they wanted to work on, climate change was one response. They knew it posed an existential threat and they wanted to learn more. They were also concerned about dating violence, domestic violence, youth mental health, safe neighbourhoods for children, care for ageing neighbours and youth empowerment. The group believed that if given the opportunity, resources and some guidance, young people like them could activate their neighbours to care.

So, they began by choosing a topic and asking questions about it. They figured that they did not know where to start and needed to gather as much information as possible about the subject before they could identify something meaningful, they could do. After about 15 minutes into the discussion, one of them laughed out loud and the rest followed. Bemused we asked “Why?” The person who laughed first, said that it did not seem like their questioning would end. One question led to another, and the information was beginning to feel rather overwhelming. He wondered if they were in any position to do anything.

The self-doubt was understandable, but the group decided to continue the discussion and we were much comforted by how one participant reflected on the experience at the end. She said that while the answers to all the questions were not always satisfying, she thought it was a worthwhile exercise because she found herself questioning her own assumptions and beliefs. “I think I am beginning to learn how to understand a situation from different perspectives, and questions help us think!” she concluded.

For peace, community, and good questions,

Gerard

Good questions outrank easy answers. – Paul Samuelson

PAST AWB POSTS

2610 – Oranges, Dates, and Party Plates

March 6, 2026 No Comments

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2609 – How We Spend Our Time

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2608 – Holding The Middle

February 20, 2026 No Comments

Written by The Beyond Editorial Team She has always cared for others. Long before we knew her, Mdm Sng* was already checking in on elderly neighbours, helping them navigate services, passing along information, gathering what they needed. When we began working in the area, she reached out quickly. Not for herself. For others. Over time, though, something shifted. There was no single incident. Just the quiet accumulation of strain. Our team had become leaner. Priorities evolved. Expectations were not always spoken clearly. Along the way, misunderstandings surfaced. Community tensions are rarely linear. They sit in the middle of relationships –

2607 – Refreshing Our Purpose

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2606 – Still Here

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As shared by Daybet, Former Beyond Youth Twenty years had passed since Daybet last walked through the doors of Beyond’s office. The space felt smaller than he remembered, but not unfamiliar. Before he could fully take it in, he saw a face that pulled him straight back into memory. “Uncle George!” George paused. It took a second. Then recognition landed – fittingly, on the very day he marked 23 years of working at Beyond. What followed was the easy rhythm of reunion: updates exchanged, laughter over half-forgotten details, stories filling in the years that had slipped by. “You remember Daybet?”

2605 – It Takes Time

January 29, 2026 No Comments

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2604 – When Learning is Small Enough to Notice

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2603 – When Youths Take the Field

January 20, 2026 No Comments

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