For one of the sessions in December, we did multiple activities and games with the members. We played Jenga and Uno in 2 small groups to allow us to have more intimate conversations with the members. By doing this we were able to ask the opinions of the members themselves. The opinions varied but the members told us they really enjoyed the arts & crafts but wanted to do more cooking. Because of this, we planned to alternate the activities for future sessions (L/O. 3)
For the following session, we decided to make gingerbread houses with the Simei members. Right away we were faced with complications as some parts of the gingerbread cookies were in pieces. Also due to the time and budget restrictions we were unable to buy/make enough icing which is a crucial part in the construction of the gingerbread houses. However, we were able to quickly melt some sugar and used that as a glue of the houses instead. Although the melted sugar worked, the sugar crystallised very quickly and because of the poor quality materials we used, many of the spoons or bowls broke. Another issue was that the melted sugar was really hot so it could have been very dangerous if any of the members had an accident while using it (L/O. 7).
Despite our difficulties, we were able to make a few gingerbread houses and decorate them to the liking of the members. Overall the members really enjoyed the session especially being able to eat their delicious creations (L/O. 4). I think this session showed the ability of the members of our service to improvise and overcome any challenges thrown at us at any given moment. I think this is an incredibly useful skill to have as not only is it crucial for the success of doing the task and not disappointing our service partners, it is an important skill that can be used in situations at the workplace (L/O. 2). Revising from this session, I think we should come up with alternatives for each session just in case something goes wrong so that we are prepared and do not waste the limited time we have at the Simei centre (L/O. 1). 