Tag: Service

Smiles of China #4

by lau94907@gapps.uwcsea.edu.sg

I’m continuing on with my GC this year since I found it pretty fun last year. Even though I’m stepping back from leadership position (last year I was financial officer), I think it is good to still be involved and enjoy seeing the lower grades flourish in a position of power. We are still trying to get our milk tea business started. I think it’s been tough really, it’s stretched out for forever and especially with my last year feeling incredibly short, I don’t think we have much time for anything anymore.

I think even though I didn’t get to go on project week to this GC, I still am holding hope that something is being done there. I don’t get to see any of the results directly which is sometimes frustrating but it is the reality of things.

PsychSoc #1

by lau94907@gapps.uwcsea.edu.sg

I decided to do Psychology Society this year because the opportunity came up and Psychology is something I want to do in university so it’s a bonus. We mostly talk about well being and think about how to promote it throughout the school.

I think mental well being has been a more prominent issue not just within the school. Depression is on the rise and so is other mental disease. Talking about it will hopefully remove stigma surrounding it and get people to accept these people who are struggling instead of pushing them out into mental wellbeing hospitals. Sometimes I feel like the more we talk about mental illnesses, I myself become more mentally unwell which is in itself is a confirmation bias in action.

The two teachers in charge are the two psychology teachers and we try to do a meditation each session to increase our own mental well being as well. They do this in psychology class as well.

Smiles of China #3

by lau94907@gapps.uwcsea.edu.sg

So within our GC, we are starting an initiative to sell milk tea. We haven’t really done much this year in terms of events and raising money. Perhaps we didn’t have as much opportunity of because of the financial restraints but we are in the midst of setting up a business for milk tea. We probably won’t have time to start selling this school year but we are trying to set up everything so that the business can begin right away in the beginning of next year.

Some challenges we are facing right now is the cost and the sustainability. Since our school is a strong supporter and enforcer of keeping our campus as sustainable as possible. The process of making milk tea is not exactly sustainable. All the ingredients of sugar, milk and tea come in packets but as long as all these have a disposal plan that is recyclable we will be okay. But we did have to spend some time finding ingredients that achieved these requirements. The cost however of finding better ingredients goes sky high. Therefore we had to find a compromise between better taste and high cost. Also when serving the milk tea, cups had to be reusable so no plastic anything. Luckily Zero Waste is a college service that provides reusable cups that they wash so that is pretty perfect.

We conducted a taste testing within our GC and the one I liked was the most expensive so that definitely was a “no” but we did find one that was pretty good. We’re going to conduct another taste testing on the plaza having the rest of the school try it and give us feedback. From this, we will improve our milk tea business and hopefully become pretty successful in the school.

Smiles of China GC #2

by lau94907@gapps.uwcsea.edu.sg

As finance officer, I’ve had to go to a few meetings which has been stressful especially since they don’t really tell I have to be somewhere until I get to the GC meeting and sometimes I’m a little late because I have to get lunch first. But when going to these meetings, I really feel like I’m contributing to the GC in a more beneficial way that sitting in the meeting and not really talking about anything.

So family festival has just been done and that is an important part of the GC this year because the school is taking a turn towards being more sustainable so all the stock from previous that have unsustainable materials should be sold in order to make room for more sustainable pieces of items. We had fans, t-shirts, pens, bookmarks etc. I thought it was pretty successful since we made quite a bit of money for our GC which is great but also because now more people have learned about our NGO and have supported it through buying good or just plainly donating. Maybe we didn’t make as much money as some of the other GC’s but we did sell a great deal of things. I think it was great experience especially since I’ve never done anything like that, being in the vendor position instead of the buyer.

Smiles of China GC #1

by lau94907@gapps.uwcsea.edu.sg

I joined Smiles of China because I am Chinese and I though it would be nice to give back to the mother country. The first meeting was a little nerve wrecking as I am new and I hadn’t met a lot of people but when I went in, there were some familiar faces which comforted me. We did some ice breaker games which led me to get to know some people but we started getting to know the GC, which NGO we supported and raised funds for. Also the responsibilities within the GC and what would be expected of us.

Our NGO is called New Hope Foundation and they take in abandoned infants especially those with special medical needs and care for them. They are located in and around China so the funds we raise all go to the nannies who take care of the baby’s salaries. We could sponsor a child and raise money for a specific child but that would be unfair as the other kids wouldn’t be getting any care. So sponsoring the nanny’s salaries seemed to be the fairest way to do things.

I’ve never done anything like this so I’m excited to see where this goes.

RDA #2

by lau94907@gapps.uwcsea.edu.sg

In RDA, new skills are developed. We learn how to collaborate with others to create a safe learning and developing environment for the riders. We have to understand how to help a rider who faces either physical or mental disabilities. RDA is an organisation that helps disabled people by offering therapeutic sessions which are conducted on horseback. Our job is to walk alongside the horse in order to help the rider better.

Also, challenges have been undertaken. I think the more sessions I go to, the more I am able to fit in to and understand the routine that goes around the organisation. How everything is conducted and how we were able to contribute to the organisation in order to improve our skills of communication. There are many types of communications that have been involved throughout this experience. First, we have to learn how to communicate better with our horse leader and side walker that we have to work with in order to create a safe environment for our riders. Some challenges we faced was because the people working around the horse may be a little inexperienced whether it’s their first time leading a horse or the first time walking alongside a horse but everyone there is very supportive and encouraging to the volunteers. Someone will always be there to guide you but of course we always have to do our best and be the best possible selves.

Next, we’ve got to figure out how the best way to communicate with the rider is either. Sometimes the best way to communicate is to be firm in your language. We can’t always be soft with them. Also, sometimes only one person should speak to the rider so they can figure out who they should listen to. Having multiple voices speaking to you at the same may confuse them which will mess up the goal we’re ultimately trying to reach which is to help them.

Lastly, communication to the organisers at RDA in order to inform them about how the rider is doing in that particular session which will help them figure out what kind of way is the best way to help the rider.

Riding with the Disabled #1

by lau94907@gapps.uwcsea.edu.sg

Friday 14th of September was the first time we went to the RDA. I really didn’t know what to expect as I haven’t done a service before where I had to be hands on and helping someone physically. I knew that the people riding the horses where disabled in some way, whether learning-wise or physically, and we had to walk along side the horse (aka side walking) and help them. They were going to be on the younger side and dealing with children/teens hasn’t always been by forte. So I was totally nervous going in as I had no idea what I was doing (I’ve never side walked before) and my mind was whispering somewhere in the back of my mind that I was going to botch something up and everything would fall apart. Apart from all that, I was excited because it’s something new.

As we first arrived, we were given an introduction and a lesson as to what to do and what really to expect. Then we got on with it, meeting the riders, introducing ourselves, putting on the helmets for them and giving them a general prep up before getting onto the horse and starting the actual riding. As some riders had a learning disability, they were non-verbal as well so trying to communicate while barely getting a response was very frustrating. This was also the first time meeting the riders so I didn’t know what to look for to see if something were wrong thus I had to be really tentative in my approach as to not alarm the rider in any way. Also, ensuring the safety of the rider was at the utmost importance and any harm would be our fault. With that thought in mind, I definitely had an amount of pressure to make sure the rider stayed on the horse as some of them physical disability. With a physical disability, they could not hold onto the saddle or maintain their balance which is what the organisation RDA is trying to provide a therapy lesson of.

All the worries aside, there was definitely a very rewarding side to the experience and many things I learned. As the horse started walking, there was a very obvious happiness that spread throughout the riding hall. It seemed like the riders were having the best time of their lives and some even broke into ecstatic laughter. Even though the goal of RDA is to provide lessons to improve the riders in some way and these lessons to improve themselves obviously takes concentration and laughing may take away from that concentration it still gave me a sense of fulfilment. These riders have probably gone through so much more than we could ever imagine and yet they are still able to find a place in themselves to just feel happiness. They are so strong in a way that doesn’t require wit or physical strength but one that of bravery. For that, I hold a piece of admiration for them.

I definitely learned or am still in the process of learning a new skill of side walking. It definitely isn’t easy and requires a certain amount of arm strength if we were to hold up a physically disabled. After learning how to do it, I think it is more important to be able to see and adapt towards the needs or other riders because we’re not going to get the same rider every time. That skill is definitely one worthwhile to have. The whole first experience was a challenge and that’s one of the learning outcomes: An experience that will be a challenge to you and where you will learn a new skill.

100% I’m looking forward to the next session and to see what’s more in store for the organisation. I have to say, I’m honoured to be part of an international organisation and can proudly say that I’m directly helping people, and making their life a little more blessed.