Project – final thoughts

Based on this service learning experience, it has undeniably changed the way I view youth work. I feel that what makes up a good quality youth work includes: (1) building relationship between the youth and youth worker, (2) adapting and catering to the needs of the youths, (3) fostering a safe and supportive environment where youths can make mistakes and interact with their peers in an enjoyable setting and (4) allowing youths to drive their own development.

Before embarking on this journey of being a youth volunteer, I was won over by how the diligent efforts this organisation puts into to equip us with the skills and knowledge for what is to come. The training session we had was informative as the staff and regular volunteer shared certain tips that we could use when interacting with the kids. Even though there were still some doubts and questions along the way, but throughout the whole experience, the regular volunteer there has been having debriefs, affirming what we have done well or what could be improved on.

Although I may be new to regular volunteerism, but I must say that this volunteering journey has been an extremely insightful and eye-opening thus far. Besides empathy and interpersonal skills, I also learnt to be responsible (for the students' actions or problems) and willing to learn (from the debriefs we had). These qualities might sound cliché but I definitely picked up these qualities from the weekly interactions with the regular volunteers there.

Before we started volunteering, as the target groups were neighbouring secondary schools such as Woodlands and Marsiling Secondary, we thought that the students who came to the centre would be struggling with severe problems such as mental health issues, being rebellious that they become out of control, or struggling with many problems in their lives that we had to undo. However, the students who came were students who were less-privileged, some may not have come from a good family background, some struggle with friendship, relationship or character issues. A minority of them struggled with severe issues such as suicidal thoughts – in fact, there was only one of them, and it was a someone else's friend. Because of that, we might not have achieved our initial goals or plans, and we might not have expected the kind of students we would be interacting with. However, I was glad that we could make changes so as to better accommodate to the students there.

Lo and behold, it was neither easy to be with these group of kids as well. Even though they were not as notorious as we thought, but there were many steps we took just to open them up so that they could share more about their lives and deep struggles (which are mostly friendship or relationship issues). Even so, we had to be cautious of what we speak, how we speak and what kind of advices we give to them. Because ultimately, they will look up to us and probably even heed our advices.

Being able to encourage and support them was also one of the greatest takeaways. One of the kid was confident in football but not in basketball. However, after encouraging him that he could do it and that he did a great job, there was a boost in his confidence level and he really tried his best.

Another time, one of them was singing but not very confident of his voice, however after countless of persuasion and affirming him that his voice is not as bad as he thinks, he continued to sing a second song.

It was definitely a privilege to be volunteering alongside the regular volunteers especially because having to work with ratios of 10 children to one volunteer is a huge challenge. Without us at the centre, the regular volunteer probably would not have been able to go deep into every individual's life. We may be here for just a few weeks, but I believe through the conversations we had and the small differences we made in their lives are what constitute a major change.

At our last few sessions at the centre, the regular volunteer there told one of the girls that it is our last few times here. In shock, the girl shouted "Why? You all must come back". It was heartbreaking to hear but I know that we could not be there with her forever, but I was glad to play a small part in her life. If I had the chance, I would go back to the centre to visit them again.

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