Project – challenges and opportunities

For the past 7 weeks from 13 September to 1 November, my group volunteered at a Youth Centre in Marsiling Community Centre (CC). This programme is catered to a group of students ranging from Secondary 1 to 4 (Normal Academic and Normal Technical).

The purpose of the programme includes: 1. Giving them an opportunity to discover what they want to achieve in the future and develop healthy aspirations, 2. Increasing their ability and confidence in the area of speech, 3. Growing their values and character to give them a good footing for academic achievements and their future, 4. Increasing their motivation towards studies to achieve good results.

The sessions we conducted were divided into the following phases: 1. Engaging: building rapport with influence objectives, 2. Enriching: imparting values such as competence and character, 3. Empowering: allowing them to lead games, building confidence.

Before volunteering, I expected many of the students to be youths at-risk where we have to support the emotional and mental well-being of these students, build psychological resilience and intervene in crisis situations. However, because I did not have a background in counselling, I was really relieved and thankful that majority of the youths who came were mainstream youths who come from a less privileged background. Working with less privileged youths week in and week out was extremely rewarding but nothing could compare to the experience and life lessons I took away from this service experience. Observing the youths over the past 7 weeks has caused me to ponder over how youths mature and what affects their decisions or actions on a day-to-day basis.

One of the challenges we faced at the beginning was that the students were just in their own world or group of friends, playing their own games (Nintendo switch and handphone games). However, we actively engaged them by stepping into their boats and joined them in learning and asking them to teach us how to play games like Mobile Legend, TikTok and their all-time favourite basketball. These activities allowed us to socialise, integrate quickly and learn more about them. As time progressed, they started loosing up and they could express themselves without fear of being judged by any of us.

Another challenge was controlling some of the kids who were more rowdy or not very nice towards their peers. As we have not been equipped with the right skills so as to manage the behaviour of these youths, we did not know whether the way we discipline them was the best way. However, through observation of the regular volunteer there, we saw how he had clear communication of his expectations, mutual respect, rules and limits as well as empathy. The intent of this discipline provided a consistent and safe climate where students can learn about rules, consequences, as well as the reasons of these rules and the effects of disregarding these rules. With this, students can learn and grow into mature respectable teenagers and young adults in the future.

While working with the youths, one deep-rooted impression that struck me was the emphasis on understanding how external factors can affect a youth internally. If one student was surrounded by eight other students who had no interest in school or wanting to have a better life in the future, this youth would most probably lose interest in setting his or her personal goals as well. Peer pressure was one of the main source of influence. This is especially because these youths feel unprepared and insecure, constantly attempting to strive for their family members' or friends' approval. This was yet another challenge that we faced constantly. In order to motivate them to study, after having fun for the first few hours, we sat one of them down and asked him to focus on studying. As we constantly encouraged and affirmed him that he was doing a really good job, in the end he was so motivated to study that he was not even distracted by the other students who were having fun at the centre. After that one time, he developed a habit to set aside time to study after playing for the first few hours whenever he comes to the centre.

Also, as we have already developed rapport with the students, they started to open up their personal life and shared about the problems they were struggling. The most prevalent issue was on boy-girl relationships. When one of the students shared with me about the issue he was facing, I remembered that during the first few trainings with the regular volunteer, he told us how important it was for the students feel understood and that we should not agree with their wrong actions, nor be quick to judge. Instead, we should understand first, then influence, educate or create awareness, be ourselves and inspire them by living out our own beliefs. From there, I changed the way I approached the students. I learnt to be a good listener and tried to empathise with the student. I also shared from my point of view, and tried to help him with what he needed. Because of that, we gained in learning the various techniques we could use when handling personal issues of these students.

Even though some of the initial plans that we came up with had to be modified along the way as they were not feasible or does not appeal to the students, the new changes definitely brought about positive networks and trust between the students and the volunteers. The students actively took part in the activities we planned for (for example: Sports Day) because it was fun, friendly and safe, and they loved being part of a network of positive relationships (care, support and respect). From the experience, I am glad to play a small part in helping to make positive changes in their lives.

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