Service- Local Service- Reflection #5
#LO6 #LO7
As I am currently still the chair of my local service, I am still helping out with integrating the new G11’s into our service. Due to COVID and some unforeseen challenges, we have missed quite a few weeks, therefore as the chairs of the service, we still have to stay for a while longer. This extended period gives me an opportunity to reflect on my year in service as well as the skills I have learnt from it. In terms of content covered during the session, it is very similar to what we had initially done when we first began our service journey in grade 11, as we were getting used to the layout of local service, as well as our plan for the year to come. Given the opportunity to be able to lead it this year, rather than just observing or participating in it, allows me to expand on not only my leadership skills, but also learn about the importance of global issues such as the stigmatisation of mental health in our modern day society. LO6 addresses ‘engaging with issues of global importance’. As the problem we are tackling is very large, especially in Asian countries, it is possible to see the local as well as national impact it is having on people and communities. Although as a small community or group of students in an international school, we may not have such a large impact, it is still possible to see the direct consequences our actions have on small local communities within Singapore. for example, the group that we work with- Hougang Care Centre, has a small group of residents that are present in most of the sessions, therefore it is possible for us to build relationships with them, as opposed to if it were new people every week. Although it is still difficult as we are currently online, we have found ways to overcome and adapt the challenges we are presented with. For those suffering with mental health challenges, oftentimes, having a constant in their lives can be very helpful. This was one of the ideas we kept at the centre of our planning, in terms of ensuring that our activities were similar, and that we were able to connect with the same residents/members each time. This leads onto LO7, which discusses the ethics behind our actions and the topic we are tackling. As mental health is a very stigmatised topic in Singapore, and is very controversial in Asian culture, there are a lot of ethical implications we must consider when looking into it or even when interacting with the members. A simple example is just making sure we choose our words correctly and carefully, as even a small accidental mistake can cause them to feel trapped or uneasy. For example, the centre prefers it if we call the group we work with “members” or “residents” as opposed to”patients”. Having participated in this service for over a year has given me an opportunity to learn practical skills such as leadership and critical thinking, as well as being able to apply them to real-life situations. I have also learnt the importance of my actions and thinking about the positive and negative implications they may have on society and on other people/communities. I am very grateful for this experience to be able to expand my knowledge about a very stigmatised and slightly taboo topic that is not discussed about much in my community.