GESL

1. What tasks did I do during GESL?

As co-group-leader, my role has been to direct efforts in achieving an effective and meaningful service-learning project. My responsibilities complemented those of my co-leader; for instance, during meetings, whenever he was speaking, I would be illustrating the points discussed and writing on the whiteboard. Often I made it a point to raise questions, and prompt less vocal members of the group to share their opinions. Also, given that my CS is EL, I took on most tasks that required writing, such as contributing to proposals submitted.

My specific tasks have included the following:

(1) Helped to coordinate the preparations for the group’s participation during the National Day celebrations

(2) Delivered presentations to the rest of the GESL group about the National Volunteer & Philanthropy Centre (NVPC), Young ChangeMakers (under the National Youth Council), and the Jane Goodall Institute

(3) Facilitated brainstorming sessions and meetings to determine the choice of partner organization

(4) Contributed to the proposal for funding submitted to Young ChangeMakers

(5) Led the roadshow team, while heading the committee for roadshow fund-management & registration

(6) Liaised with the GESL office and the staff mentor during the process of roadshow planning and implementation

(7) Promoted the roadshow to fellow NIE students via announcements in the LT

(8) Served as event manager for the roadshow, emceeing the event using specialized audio equipment

(9) Collected donations for the BMDP by visiting faculty members’ offices

(10) Contributed to the closure report submitted to Young ChangeMakers

2. What did I do well?

Based on feedback received from both participants and the partner organization, the roadshow was generally successful. As the emcee anchoring the event, I was heartened to hear of comments that some participants were under the impression that we had employed a professional emcee for the occasion to rally more participants! The BMDP was so impressed that they video-recorded the announcement segments in order to demonstrate to future groups what effective promotion of the BMDP would be like. In terms of liaising and event planning, I was also pleased to foster positive working relationships with GESL office staff, besides cooperating effectively with my co-leader, facilitators and other group members.

3. What were some difficulties I faced? How did I overcome these?

On the morning of the roadshow, I was told—to my horror—that another group organizing a different event had also booked part of the same space outside LT 1 that I had booked for our GESL group. In the days prior to the event, I had taken extra measures to ascertain that there would be no double booking of venues, and I had received assurance of this. The news about the other group thus came as a rude shock to me. However, by negotiating with the head of the other group, and proposing a win-win solution, I managed to resolve any potential conflict amicably. Both events were able to proceed smoothly without a hitch, thanks to quick thinking and the use of conflict resolution skills.

4. How well did my group work?

Our group worked effectively together, with each member pitching in and contributing in their own way based on their individual strengths and interests. This delineation of roles meant that everyone was able to harness their own potential and deliver the best that they could. Our group featured a medley of talents, with, for instance, a ‘resident’ artist and a photographer, each offering quality contributions to the group. It was also encouraging to see members going the extra mile to contribute to the overall project beyond their assigned roles when the need arose. Many of our members were especially enthusiastic in helping out for the roadshow, so that participants would feel welcome.

5. What have I gained from working on this GESL project?

From working on this project, I have gained an enhanced awareness of the BMDP, especially in terms of its objectives and contributions to the community. In view of the tremendous good work that they have achieved, I am glad to have gleaned a deeper understanding of the need for their continued efforts. This in turn has ignited my passion for further participation in future community projects.

Besides developing deeper friendship and camaraderie, I have also had the opportunity to improve my networking skills when liaising with others. In the process, I have been able to hone competencies in organization, communication and conflict management as well.

6. In working on this project, what prior knowledge had I made use of?

Prior to the project, I was aware of the existence of the BMDP: when I was in junior college, I had participated in a BMDP roadshow, and I was glad to join the register of bone marrow donors. Although I was then unfamiliar with the process of bone marrow donation, I was at least cognizant of the various misconceptions that many have about it (for instance, the mistaken assumption that it involves an intensely painful operation). Furthermore, I had also organized a few other charitable projects and campus events during my university days, which meant that I could build on my existing knowledge about event management, besides leveraging on my communication skills.

1. How could ES, CS, and my academics help with GESL?

Amongst the various academic courses at NIE, it is especially the modules under Education Studies (ES) such as ‘ICT for Meaningful Learning’, as well as Educational Psychology, that have most clearly offered me the experience in incorporating such ideas into everyday work and practice. In particular, the idea of using social media (especially Facebook) as one of the key channels to promote the project was influenced by what was learnt in ICT. The soft skills imparted via the Curriculum Studies modules were also critical as I put such skills to practice during the planning of the GESL project. In addition, based on my understanding about the significance of enhancing communication skills as a teacher, my training in English communication was another boon when I had to practise public speaking and communicate via email with the respective stakeholders in this project.

8. What new skills and knowledge have I learnt from working on this project? How can I apply these in my work or personal life?

Aside from honing my skills in communication and organization, I have learnt to strengthen my awareness of social needs, based on the recognition of the importance of community engagement. Significantly, I have learnt to develop my leadership skills, based on my experience in managing teams in the course of the project. Such skills will prove to be instrumental when applied to future work or personal endeavours: for example, when serving in schools as a beginning teacher, one may have to lead small groups or manage similar service learning projects. At the workplace, the ability to engage in creative problem-solving will be even more urgently needed. With my skills and knowledge gleaned from GESL, I seek to broaden this problem-solving ability by refining my sensitivity to the complex process by which hard decisions are made, as well as practising the art of offering alternative solutions.

9. What do I see as my 2 most important contributions to the project?

My first most significant contribution is in communication, especially in terms of writing and speaking. The ability to express meaning concisely and accurately can be one of the most crucial skills that one can develop, and I was glad to be able to contribute my writing whenever the opportunity arose. Speaking to others during the roadshow was also a useful exercise in persuasion, given that we were encouraging others to support our cause. The second contribution concerns management and leadership. From the first day that our GESL group met, I was pleased to help coordinate various tasks that we pursued, and to promote the group’s common ethic of social response despite individuals’ differences in background and personality.

10. What would I do differently the next time I embark on such a project?

For such an event to be more successful, the schedule could have been checked in advance, such that the event could have been planned and conducted earlier in the semester. Hence if I were to embark on such a project again, I would have consulted the academic calendar and liaised with the relevant organizations / offices in order for the event to be held in the middle of the term when more participants would have been in school—and thus available to join in our activities. For our project, we had spent a significant amount of time determining our choice of partner organization, which had delayed the preparation process. In future, we can connect directly with such organizations with which we have established a positive working relationship.

11. The NE initiative was introduced by the MOE to schools to develop national cohesion, cultivate instincts for survival and instil confidence in Singapore’s future. The objectives of NE were crystallised into six NE messages

i. Singapore is our homeland; this is where we belong.

ii. We must preserve racial and religious harmony.

iii. We must uphold meritocracy and incorruptibility.

iv. No one owes Singapore a living.

v. We must ourselves defend Singapore.

vi. We have confidence in our future.

Bearing in mind the NE initiative in Singapore, please comment on how your GESL project experience was relevant to National Education.

Supporting the BMDP is directly relevant to NE, given that the programme contributes tangibly to the health and well-being of the community at large in Singapore. Given that globally, a majority (around more than 70%) of registered bone marrow donors are white, and a suitable match is usually found only within one’s own ethnic group, Singapore cannot rely on foreign sources of bone marrow donations. Instead, Singapore can and must ourselves maintain a bone marrow donor registry to save our fellow citizens’ lives. Furthermore, the odds of finding a match is 1 in 20,000 within the same ethnic group, furthering the BMDP’s work would encourage more minority donors to step forward, hence promoting the welfare of ethnic minorities in Singapore and demonstrating a collective affirmation of racial harmony. By supporting the BMDP, we demonstrate that when it comes to the health of patients with terminal blood illnesses, we can still have ‘confidence in our future’.

12. GESL was intended to develop social & emotional competencies & skills necessary for you to recognize and manage your emotions, develop care and concern for others, make responsible decisions, establish positive relationships, as well as to handle challenging situations effectively. To what extent did you develop the skills of self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship management, and responsible decision-making?

GESL provided an authentic platform for all of us to develop greater self-awareness through the reflective component of activities like Meranti, as well as project deadlines that encouraged team members to adhere to common goals that demanded effective self-management. Every team member was under significant pressure to balance both academic requirements and GESL demands, which necessitated members to enhance their competencies in such self-management and responsible decision-making. Team members also had to be conscious of one another’s strengths and constraints, so as to better accommodate each other’s needs and improve their understanding of social awareness.

13. Any other comments?

I would like to thank my co-leader Ben, facilitators Nadz and Jia Sheng, secretary Imma, treasurer Khamisah, and all other group members for their unwavering support and friendship during the duration of this project. Also I am grateful to our staff mentor Dr Peter Lee, the staff of the BMDP, as well as the GESL office, for their generous help and guidance. Overall, I hope that our project serves as a prime instance of how youth groups can cooperative effectively with civil society organizations, promoting synergy by leveraging on one another’s strengths.