L a s t S u m m e r;

Thursday, August 21, 2008

CYA- HELP FSC, Blog entry

CYA- HELP FSC, Blog entry
When Ms Joyce first broke the news about integrated project, the first thought that came through my mind was, “what the heck is integrated project?” However after further explanation by the lecturers, it came into my mind that we have chance to work with a community service agency. This idea was rather exciting however overwhelming as well. Together with the group we have decided to work with HELP FSC. With no idea what was HELP FSC, our journey of serving the community begin.

HELP FSC, is the acronym for Help Every Lone Parent Family Service centre. Our first contact person with the fsc was Ms Nellie. Ms Nellie was extreme helpful throughout the collaboration. She helps us understand facts about single parent family, as well as certain problems they faced. Through the collaboration and a statistic project done in hand with the FSC, the collaboration has really enhanced my learning by putting textbook knowledge to application. When the semester came to the end, we thought it was the end of the fun and exciting collaboration. However HELP never fail to disappoint us by forgetting us.

Sometime early this year, HELP have kindly invited us to their symposium. During the symposium, we are extreme glad as we are given a chance to showcase our talents to members of the social service sector as well as member of the public, by putting items such as magic, skit and sharing. From the symposium, we got to know big shot like Ms Claire Chiang, Chairman of NCSS who kindly grace the symposium, lecturers from NUS, and talents from all over the helping profession. The experience was unforgettable.

Thinking collaboration have ended, NO.. In the recent month, Mr Lim of HELP FSC, contacted us, hoping we could help with the HELP FSC book launch during the NCSS carnival. Being such a rare and not to be miss experience, we gladly agreed..
Through the collaboration with the agency, I realize that we maybe students but indeed we can do something for the society. Efforts maybe small, but every little bit counts. The project we done may only serve minority group, but the knowledge we gain from collaboration will benefit the greater population we serve in the future.

Lastly let me end of with a poem

We can create change;
A change that has never been seen.
We are the force;
A force that will push and grow with the changing helping profession.
Never look down upon our efforts and work;
As we style a vision and path for the Social Service Sector of tomorrow.

Love
shuxian

xx signed off at 11:13 PM

Reflections

During the second semester of our first year in Ngee Ann Polytechnic, we were tasked with an Integrated Project called New Perceptions. Each project group was to pair up with an organisation and to relate what we learnt from our various modules to a real life community that the organisation aids. We thus paired up with HELP Family Service Centre [FSC] and set out to accomplish the huge project. Through pairing with HELP Family Service Centre, I have definitely gained much more insight into the community that the organisation helps, which are single-parent families, and how the organisation tries to help that community than could be gained from a classroom setting. Before this partnership however, I did not understand the concerns and needs of single-parent families. Thus this partnership has definitely been a fruitful learning experience as it widened my perspective of the community.

We also had the opportunity to aid HELP FSC in analysing their survey about the perception of single-parent families in Singapore of which more than 900 participants from all walks of life took part in. The results of the survey were then presented at the HELP FSC annual symposium which we were also invited to be a part of. For the NCSS 50th carnival, HELP FSC has also given us the opportunity to be part of the launch of their book.

With so much more that can be learnt, I really look forward to many more collaborations with HELP FSC

Bryan Chan
Great Minds
Human Resource Manager

xx signed off at 10:03 AM

Reflections

It was about 10 months ago, when Ms Joyce dropped us a bomb. Ok, I mean surprise. Integrated Project? What is that exactly? Well, we know it now! It’s a top secret, only to be experienced….

Back to Integrated Project, we went to HELP family service centre for briefing with Mr Tan and subsequently, many times to liase for projects and events~! Other than partnering with HELP FSC for Integrated Project, HELP FSC had also kindly invited us to be a part of their annual symposium back in March. In the upcoming NCSS carnival, HELP FSC has also engaged us in being part of the launch of their book during the carnival! It is definitely my honour to be a part of these events!

Working with HELP FSC has been a life- changing experience. Probably an exaggeration many would think. Well, I would probably think so too if I hadn’t experienced all these! It’s really the experience that counts, a life changing one, that no words can truly express all my thoughts and feelings. Just something simple to wrap this up, it has been a wonderful time, and definitely, many promising future collaborations to come!

With utmost love,

Teck Sing
Great Minds
Public Relations Officer

xx signed off at 8:51 AM