Outram CDC: Learning Journey at NTUC FairPrice Xtra

AGM 2019

A quarterly newsletter of the YWCA—Young Women’s Christian Association of Singapore www.ywca.org.sg

ContentsPresident’s Message 2 Credits 2Upcoming Events 2YWCA News 3Events 4Community Services 7Childcare 10Announcements & Compliments 15Spotlight: Volunteer - Wei Rong 16

But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.

James 4:6 ”

April - June 2019

”EM: English Club 2019

Bedok CDC: Centre Leader visits Guangxi, China

April - June 2019 • ywLink 2

Dear Members & Friends,

I am honoured to be the President of YWCA for the term 2019-2021 having been elected at the AGM held on 25 April 2019. As usual after the AGM, the new Board for 2019-2020 was formed by the Appointments Committee, with additional members being co-opted at the first Board meeting after the AGM. The YWCA is blessed with many women who are willing to serve the Association with their time, contribution and talents and use their gifts to advance the vision and mission of the YWCA. We welcome all the new Board members! It is timely as we need to look at Board and leadership renewal and I hope that we can achieve this in this term.

The YWLink is the newsletter of the YWCA of Singapore which is published and distributed four times a year. In each issue, we have articles on our ChildCare, Community Services and Events, both past and upcoming. I hope that you will read each article to learn what is

happening in the YWCA and if you wish to be involved, as a volunteer or donor, please contact us.

As always, this issue is full of photographs and you know the saying that a picture says a thousand words and just by looking at the photographs, you will know that lots have been happening in the first quarter of 2019. Our Spotlight this issue is on Wei Rong and you can read about his experience with the YWCA at page 16.

Collaboration with other organisations have been rewarding. The staff team of Workz-on-Wheels (WoW) conducted a Change Management workshop for over 80 children and youths for our community partner CATCHPlus. Further collaboration can be seen at the ChildCare division where our Centre Leaders of our Bedok CDC and McNair CDC had been recognized. The Centre Leader of Bedok CDC was invited to visit a preschool in Tengxian, Guangxi, China and the Senior Centre Leader, Ms Magdalene Heng, of McNair CDC and Centre Leader of Bedok CDC, Ms Wan Hill Kuan, were invited to a conference organized by the Ministry of Education of Xi’an, China and they made a presentation to the audience of over 350 educators. Collaboration with like-minded partners will allow our Association to achieve and advance our mission.

“As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another as good stewards of God’s varied grace” – 1 Peter 4:10.

Tan Kee Leng, PBMPresident,

YWCA of Singapore

C R E D I T SPublished by YWCA

EditorMs Tan Kee LengEditorial Coordinators Mrs Leung Yee Ping, Ms Gladys Foo, Ms Huixin Ngiam

254 Outram Road Singapore 169051 Tel: 6223 1227 Fax: 6227 3650 Email: admin@ywca.org.sgWebsite: www.ywca.org.sg

Articles may be reproduced but acknowledgement must be given to YWCA/Young Women’s Christian Association of Singapore, and a copy of the publication should be sent to the Editor.

Articles express the opinions of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinions or policies of the YWCA/Young Women’s Christian Association of Singapore.

All information correct at the time of printing.All rights reserved. © YWCA of Singapore 2019.MCI (P) 056/05/2019

P resident’s M essage

Jeremiah 33:6 “Behold, I will bring to it health and healing, and I will heal them and reveal to them abundance of prosperity and security.”

2

U P C O M I N G E V E N T SAQUA AEROBICS CLASS Venue : YWCA Fort Canning Lodge Swimming Pool (Level 3) Time : Wednesday 7pm - 8pm

YWCA OUTRAM254 Outram Road Singapore 169051

YWCA FORT CANNING LODGE6 Fort Canning Road Singapore 179494

For more information, please visit our website at www.ywca.org.sg or call us at 6223 1227

www.facebook.com/ywcasingapore

ywLink • April - June 2019 3Lamentations 3:25 “The Lord is good to those who wait for him, to the soul who seeks him.”

Y W C A N E W S

YWCA Membership BenefitsCAFÉ LODGE 1 FOR 1 PROMOTION (Valid till 30 December 2019)

Terms and Conditions1. Minimum of 2 adults to maximum of 10 people per table (including

member) with 4 complimentary carpark coupons.2. For dine in only.3. Advance reservation is required and reserved table will be released 15

minutes from booking time.4. Promotion is not valid in conjunction with other discounts, vouchers and

promotions.5. Not valid on eve and public holidays. 6. Fort Canning Lodge reserves the right to withdraw the promotion without

prior notice.

YWCA MEMBERSHIP DISCOUNTS (Valid till 30 December 2019)

Terms and Conditions1. 30% discount upon presentation of YWCA membership card at Café

Lodge. 2. Discount is not applicable for merchandise or promotions by 3rd party

vendors within the Fort Canning Lodge premise. 3. 35% discount for dine in from 4 guests to maximum of 10 guests

(including member) with 4 complimentary carpark coupons.4. 50% discount on 1 kg home-made cakes. 3 days advance booking and

prepayment is required. 5. Advance reservation is required and reserved table will be released 15

minutes from booking time.

www.facebook.com/ywcasingapore

MOWE: Partnership with Cerebral Palsy Alliance Singapore By Mandy Lim

This April, YWCA began a new collaboration with Cerebral Palsy Alliance Singapore (CPAS) to provide lunch for their Goodwill, Rehabilitation and Occupational Workshop (GROW) trainees.

CPAS is a social service organisation established in 1957 to provide support through intervention, education, rehabilitation and employment vocational training for persons with Cerebral Palsy and multiple disabilities, empowering them to realise their potential and lead fulfilled, dignified lives.

GROW is a sheltered workshop established in September 1984 that provides vocational training and sheltered employment for adults ages 18 and above with cerebral palsy and other associated disability conditions. Trainees participate in work activities at CPAS’s social enterprise initiatives and workshop, which provides meaning to the trainees; fulfil their desire for self-development, self-esteem and acts as an avenue for them to reach out socially to the public.

It is a privilege for YWCA to support CPAS’s meaningful programme with our free meal services to cover these trainees’ lunch cost, allowing them to enjoy a nice and nutritious meal every session.

April - June 2019 • ywLink 4

Economic Outlook Talk 2019 By Esther Chua

On 23rd February afternoon, about 200 guests attended the Economic Outlook Talk 2019 at the YWCA Fort Canning Lodge, Sophia Cooke Ballroom. We are honoured to have Dr Tan Kee Wee as the guest speaker once again. This year marked the 11th run of the insightful talk, with a focus on the effects of the trade war between US and China.

Dr Tan shared his insights and advised on the economic growth and trends for the year. Thereafter, the audience had an engaging Question and Answer (Q&A) session with Dr Tan on the recent stock market trends and investment, gold commodities and the outook of the China market.

We would like to thank Dr Tan for his time and yet another successful Economic Outlook. See you there next year!

YWCA Flag Day 2019 By Esther Chua

Our annual YWCA Flag Day was successfully held on 16 March 2019. This year, we had seven operational centres stationed across Singapore to solicit donations from the public. They include locations at NEX@ Serangoon, Kovan Hub, Velocity@Novena, Toa Payoh MRT station, Jurong East MRT station, Bedok MRT station, and our headquarter at the YWCA Fort Canning Lodge.

For this year’s fundraising event, we collected more than $36,000 from street collections, and over $46,000 of donations from individual and corporate donors. We are grateful for the generous donations received. All funds raised will go towards supporting the beneficiaries from our Meals-on-Wheels, Sustenance for Families, Kids’ Weekday Care, Workz-on-Wheels, Empowering Mums, YWCA House and other ad-hoc community services and programmes.

We would like to take this opportunity to thank all YWCA staff, volunteers, Board Members and the public who had made our annual Flag Day event possible! Your kindness and generosity will go a long way in making a difference in the lives of our beneficiaries.

1 John 4:7 “Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God.”

Y W C A E V E N T S

ywLink • April - June 2019 5Proverbs 14:21 “Whoever despises his neighbor is a sinner, but blessed is he who is generous to the poor.”

Y W C A E V E N T S

Annual General Meeting 2019 By Esther Chua

Our YWCA Annual General Meeting was held on 25 April 2019 (Thursday), at the YWCA Fort Canning Lodge, Sophia Cooke Ballroom. We were honoured to have Mr Felix Yeo, Director of Administration of Wesley Methodist Church, to grace this meeting.

Ms Mavis Tsoi, President (2018/2019 term) of the YWCA, commenced the meeting by sharing highlights on the past achievements and progress of YWCA. The elections followed thereafter and Mr Felix Yeo installed the new Board Management and Committee by leading the pledge and the prayer of dedication.

This year also marks the 144th year for YWCA. Ms Tan Kee Leng (newly elected President for 2019/2020 term), Ms Janet Tan (1st Vice President), Mrs Margaret Chew and Ms Mavis Tsoi (ex-presidents), were invited to lead us in a joyous birthday celebration for the YWCA. Happy 144th Birthday, YWCA!

Mr Felix Yeo sharing the thanksgiving message after our Praise & Worship session

From left to right: Ms Janet Tan, Ms Tan Kee Leng, Mrs Margaret Chew, Ms Mavis Tsoi

April - June 2019 • ywLink 6

We are pleased to announce the new Board of Management for 2019/2020:President Tan Kee Leng1st Vice President Janet Tan2nd Vice President Sim Hwee Hoon (co-opted)Honorary Secretary Maureen Nguee Honorary Treasurer Carol Liew (co-opted) Members Evelyn Chia Cheryl Lim Loh-Chiam Shock Yuen Janet Tang Dancy Thong

The chairpersons for the various National Committees are: Finance & Investment Carol LiewHuman Resource & Administration Janet Tang Buildings Loh-Chiam Shock YuenCommunity Services and Programmes Maureen Nguee Corporate Communications Tan Kee LengFort Canning Lodge Sim Hwee HoonChild Development Programme Janet TanAudit & Risk Management Cheryl LimAppointments Committee Tan Kee LengNominations Committee Maureen NgueeExecutive Committee Tan Kee Leng

With this newly elected team, we would like to extend our gratitude to Ms Mavis Tsoi and the Board members of 2018/2019 term for leading us in the past year. We would also like to express our heartfelt appreciation to Mr Felix Yeo for taking time out from his busy schedule to be with us on this important day.

Congratulations to the newly elected members of the Board of Management for 2019/2020! Here’s to another awesome year of achievement ahead!

Isaiah 40:29 “He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak.”

Y W C A E V E N T S

ywLink • April - June 2019 7Romans 12:9 “Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good.”

C O M M U N I T Y S E R V I C E S

English Club 2019 Term 1 By Ling Goh

On Friday mornings from 10am to 12pm, up to 16 women of different nationalities would gather at the YWCA National Office at Outram for their weekly English Club. These English lessons, compiled by curriculum specialist Ms Betty Tan, are aimed at helping the mums gain basic to intermediate English skills for daily conversations. The theme centres around the neighbourhood in a housing estate and learning activities range from using games, songs, and tongue twisters to roleplay for greater engagement.

Ms Tan has been instrumental in revamping the YWCA English Club as an independent endeavour since late 2018. This first 2019 term running from 22 February to 3 May is the second 10-week course she is running for our beneficiary mums from low-income backgrounds. This term’s curriculum has been expanded to booklets that cover 10 pages of content each week with various life topics that seek not only to educate but also socialise. For example, Ms Tan has put in modules about giving and receiving advice and compliments, how to present oneself to others, and using polite forms of speech.

The 16 mums from countries like China, India, Indonesia, Vietnam and Thailand have shown faithful attendance where they come to learn better English in a friendly and safe environment and even come to make friends across nationalities as they practise their English to converse with one another. Most of them are married to Singaporeans and came over to raise their families here albeit in financially difficult circumstances. They were referred by help agencies island-wide and their stories, enthusiasm and resilience have been a source of inspiration to the volunteers who teach them.

Currently, the English Club has a pool of 19 volunteers who help with teaching the mums and taking care of their children. Lessons are conducted either one-or-one or in a small group to encourage more focused learning and practice of English for two different levels of learners. In July, the second and final term for 2019 will commence and feature a third and more advanced level for the current batch of mums. Thereafter, we hope to see them progress to taking formal English certification such as the International English Language Testing System (IELTS).

As their English speaking and even reading and writing skills improve, we hope to see our mums develop in confidence and realise more of their potential to achieve in other areas of their lives!

April - June 2019 • ywLink 8 Psalm 18:32 “It is God who arms me with strength and keeps my way secure.”

KWC: Little MARCHallersOn 23 March, Saturday, students from the National University of Singapore’s (NUS) – Science Volunteer Corps (SVC) organised a learning journey for our Kid’s Weekday Care (KWC) children at the Singapore Botanic Gardens.

The annual March holiday outing entitled “Little MARCHallers” has reached its fourth year since our collaboration with NUS in 2016.

Upon arrival at the Botanic Gardens, we were warmly greeted by the NUS student volunteers. Thereafter, the volunteers and children broke up into groups for some ice breaker games.

At 9.30am, the day of planned activities officially began. The children together with their volunteers, went around the Botanic Gardens to complete the assigned tasks as a group. The NUS SVC had prepared a total of 5 different stations, where the children were educated on Science-related topics such as Biodiversity and Natural Science. The first group to collect the stickers from all stations will be crowned as the “guardians of Mother Nature”.

During the ‘amazing race’ around the Garden, our children participated in the games at each station with much enthusiasm. Exhausted and hungry, it was time for a short break. NUS provided the children with a slice of butter cake and a can of hundred plus each for refreshments. At the end of the event, the children were presented with a certificate to acknowledge their efforts. Goodie bags were handed out to each one of them as well to bring home. We thank NUS SVC for organising yet another round of NUS MARCHallers for our children, which had given them a fruitful leaning experience.

C O M M U N I T Y S E R V I C E S

ywLink • April - June 2019 9Malachai 1:2 “I have loved you, says the Lord.”

C O M M U N I T Y S E R V I C E S

Workz-on-Wheels 2019 By Alice Chua

The YWCA Workz-on-Wheels (WoW) community service programme has been blessed with volunteers of different backgrounds taking on roles as a befriender or facilitator to support our children and youths since 2012. Children and youths whom we serve under WoW come from families with a history of abusive background, parents incarcerated, single-parents or require special needs etc.

We started the year 2019 with our community partner, CATCHPlus on 23rd February by conducting a Change Management workshop, which encouraged the youths to be more open to share their thoughts and dreams, and to set achievable goals for the year.

18 sessions were conducted with over 80 children and youths during the period of February to May 2019, and we were blessed to have 50 volunteers supporting us in the programme. Our curriculum for these workshops covers a broad range of topics with a focus on self-development skills such as stress management, adopting a growth mind set, confidence building; relationship management skills such as dealing with friendship, bullying and internet safety issues, and culinary sessions.

Every WoW session will begin with a mutual agreement on our WELCOME statement; ie. When you enter this little room, consider yourself one of the member of the group who enjoy working and learning together. Thereafter, the children and youths will discuss and set out the rules and regulations for all sessions conducted throughout the year.

To help the children, youths and volunteers warm up and be more open toward each other before discussing the topics for the day, ice breakers are introduced at the start of each session. Volunteer befrienders play a crucial role in these workshops as our beneficiaries require guidance and support to complete the given tasks. The children or youths often look up to their buddies (the befriender) as a role model. Thus, interaction plays a big role in encouraging them to have a growth mind set instead of a fixed mind set.

We believe that the children and youths learn better through play. Therefore, social skills needed for daily living are taught through games, role play and visual aids. We also noticed that our beneficiaries gained more confidence through our cooking and baking sessions.

We are constantly looking for like-minded volunteers to join the team as we believe that journeying with the children and youths would make a deep and lasting impact on their lives. For more information on the WoW programme, please contact Alice Chua at alicechua@ywca.org.sg.

April - June 2019 • ywLink 10 Proverbs 31:25 “She is clothed in strength, and dignity, and she laughs without fear of the future.”

ESU: Sensory Workshop By ESU

On 23 March 2019, YWCA Educational Support Unit (ESU) organised a half-day workshop entitled “The Traffic Jam: Understanding your Child’s Sensory System.” The workshop held at YWCA Outram is part of ESU’s plans to further promote its services and programmes, and to educate parents and caregivers in better understanding and assisting with their child’s needs and difficulties.

The workshop attended by parents from various YWCA Child Development centres included a brief introduction to the history of sensory integration, descriptions of common signs and symptoms, an overview of different types of interventions, and more. This one-off session provided parents and caregivers whose child is suspected to have sensory-related difficulties, with a guide to gain better knowledge on sensory integration, as well as the strategies to take in handling their children’s challenging behaviours.

In addition to a ‘refresher’ on the different common senses, the participants were introduced to two additional senses that are lesser known to most people. They include the proprioceptive and vestibular sense. They also gained understanding on the importance of having a basic foundation in order to progress in their academic learning.

During the session, participants were given strategies to use at home based on the different activities of daily living. An example would be the “Sensory Diet”. This refers to a group of activities that are specifically scheduled into a child’s day to assist with his or her attention, arousal and adaptive responses. Sensory materials such as therapeutic brushes, vestibular ball and the Theraputty (a stretchy, silicon-based exercise material used by physical and occupational therapists for hand therapy) were also introduced.

We are thankful to the parents who joined us for this session and hope that they have gained more insights and knowledge to better manage their children’s behaviours at home. We look forward to organising more of such workshops with parents in the near future.

C H I L D C A R E

ywLink • April - June 2019 11Exodus 33:14 “And he said, “My presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.”

CDC: Team Building Cookery Workshop

Support staff from YWCA’s nine Child

Development Centres had a great time

bonding and cooking together during a cookery

workshop organised on 18 March 2019. As

part of the team building session, participants

also had the opportunity to refine their palate

as food and creativity comes to play!

Participants gathered at Allspice Institute on

the day of the workshop, where they engaged

in an exciting team building activity that

challenged and spurred them to work together.

Thereafter, they were broken up into smaller

groups to prepare various snacks and had a

taste of each other’s creations at the end of

the session.

More than just a time of cooking together, the

workshop created a meaningful opportunity for

support staff to interact and engage with one

another in a light-hearted manner. The session

had been effective in fostering interactions,

forging bonds and allowing participants to

relate with each other on a more personal

level. It was a fun experience indeed for all!

C H I L D C A R E

April - June 2019 • ywLink 12 Job 11:18 “You will be secure, because there is hope; you will look about you and take your rest in safety.”

C H I L D C A R E

Forging Friendship and Collaboration in Guangxi, China By Bedok CDC

The Centre Leader of YWCA’s Bedok Child Development Centre (CDC) was invited to visit a preschool in Tengxian, Guangxi on 4 April 2019. Run by local organisation, Xiao Tai Yang since 1998, the corporation has 9 branches of preschools serving a total of 1909 children, aged 3 to 6 years old. It has a teaching strength of 153 educators.

The purpose of the visit is to build network, forge friendships and collaboration. There was an exchange of cultural knowledge and teaching pedagogies. As the day of our visit coincided with a local festival celebrated by a minority group, Zhuang Zu (壮族三月三), we had the privilege to witness a celebration organised by the school for parents and guests. There were folk-songs competition（山歌）, bamboo dance and a ball-throwing competition (抛秀球).

We are grateful for the cultural experience and knowledge gained during the trip.

International Women’s Day 2019In commemoration of International Women’s Day, teachers of YWCA Bedok CDC brought the children around the neighbourhood on 8 March, to present their handmade flowers to women in the community.This simple gesture not only taught our children how to show appreciation to women of different races, occupations and ages but also help build their self-confidence.

Our children are happy to have brought smiles to the women’s faces.

ywLink • April - June 2019 13Matthew 5:14 “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden.”

C H I L D C A R E

Collaboration with Lian Hua Primary School By Bukit Gombak CDC

On 27 February 2019, the K2 children from YWCA’s Bukit Gombak Child Development Centre went to Lian Hua Primary School to meet their buddies. As they made their way to the classroom of 2Honesty (2H) class, our children were introduced to some of the rooms and facilities of the school.

Upon arriving at the classroom, our K2 children were warmly welcomed by the teacher and students of class 2H with a Hello-song. Thereafter, our children mingled around to greet the Primary School students before they were being introduced to their buddies.

With the pairing and self-introduction done, the day for our K2 children at Lian Hua Primary started off with an exploratory walk in the school’s garden together with their buddies.

During recess time, our children joined their buddies for a break. Their buddies brought them around to buy food and showed them the location of their school playground and rock-climbing wall.

After recess, they had their Physical Education lesson where the PE Teacher, Mr Loh introduced some activities for the Primary school students to bond with our K2 children. They played games like balancing on the line, scissors-paper-stone and ball games!

Then, it was time to say goodbye. The K2 children bid farewells to their buddies and thank them for the day.

Thank you Lian Hua Primary School students and we look forward to meeting you again in Term 2!

April - June 2019 • ywLink 14 Hebrews 10:39 “But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who have faith and preserve their souls.”

C H I L D C A R E

Learning Journey at NTUC FairPrice XtraBy Outram CDC

On 20 March 2019, children from YWCA Outram Child Development Centre went on a learning journey to NTUC FairPrice Xtra at Kallang Wave Mall.

The objective of the learning journey was to teach our children how to recognise and gather information about the Healthier Choice options by encouraging them to ask questions as they explore safely around the supermarket.

Having explored and recorded their observations, the children then shared their findings with peers and adults. For the younger ones, they were accompanied by parents in their search of items with the Healthier Choice symbol. During their search, children were also encouraged to purchase snacks that carry the Healthier Choice symbol.

Through this experience, our children learned the importance of developing healthy eating habits from a young age.

Presentation of “Family Collaboration” in Xi’an, China By Bedok & McNair CDC

Correction Note: It was mentioned in YW Link (Jan - March 2019) issue that this conference was “jointly organised by YWCA and the Ministry of Education of Xi’an, China.” The conference was organised by the Ministry of Education of Xi’an, China. We are sorry for the error.

It is with great honour that Ms Magdaline Heng, Senior Centre Leader of McNair CDC and Ms Wan Hill Kuan, Centre Leader of Bedok CDC were invited to present at a conference organised by the Ministry of Education of Xi’an, China.

A total of 350 educators and principals from pre-, primary and secondary schools were hosted at the 4-day conference, which included visitations to schools, preschools and the famous Terracotta Army.

On the second day of the conference, both Centre leaders presented on the topic of “Family Collaboration in Building Healthy Habits” to an audience of early childhood educators from Hong Kong, Singapore, Macau, Taiwan and China. The presentation was well received by representatives from the sector.

Together with another teacher from Hwa Chong Institution, Ms Heng and Ms Wan were presented with the “Honorary Credential - Outstanding Educators” award for sharing their knowledge and expertise. Being at the conference also provided them with the opportunity to network with other educators, share different teaching perspectives, pedagogies, and develop new ideas.

ywLink • April - June 2019 15

Welcome on BoardIt is always a joy to welcome new members to the YWCA family! We would like to extend a warm welcome to:

Fort Canning Lodge:

Lim Xuan Ni Shanice (Cook), Eric Law Main Sang (Director of Sales), Chan Guo Sen (Purchasing Officer), Suresh Rai Jiwean Rai (F&B Supervisor), Ma Rosario Bautista Eugenio (Chef De Partie), Biravina Vetivel (Room Attendant), Tan Kim Hua (Cook), Lui Yong Meng (Guest Service Officer), Zhang Yue Fang (Room Attendant), Natarajan Krishnan (Steward/Stewardess)

Child Development Centres:

Guo Zhan (Beginning Preschool Teacher), Beringuela Joanna Paula Aguila (Beginning Preschool Teacher), Jouie Lim Sze Sze (Learning Support Educator), Cui Jia Qi (Beginning Preschool Teacher), Hng Li Rong (Admin Officer), Yu Oi Chun (Cleaner), V Sujatha Devi (Part Time Learning Support Educator), Shirley Tan Suat Lay (Admin Officer)

National Office:

Doris Yeo Liew Cheng (Senior HR Executive), Angelina Chew Siew Ling (Finance Executive), Esther Chua Kah Fong (Programmes Executive)

C O M P L I M E N T S

A N N O U N C E M E N T S

Vicky & Nathan at the front desk are helpful, friendly and professional. Devi is polite, efficient and professional. She keeps the room very clean. In addition, her cheerfulness makes the start of the day very nice. Guest at YWCA Fort Canning Lodge

Thoroughly enjoyed our stay! The Lodge is so conveniently placed for moving around Singapore. The staff were most friendly and helpful, particularly Irene.John & Juliana LoganPerth, Australia

Dear YWCA team, Thank you very much for your warm hospitality these two weeks. Thank you for being a family we look forward to see every morning. Special thanks to Huang Yang for going the extra mile for us. May God bless all of you with Joy and Peace.SharonGuest of Maris Stella event

Dear staff of YWCA, thank you for your hospitality and for making us all feel at home! God bless you and your family abundantly! LeonardGuest of Maris Stella event

Dear staff,Thanks for being so supportive and cheerful in your work! We feel very welcomed and at home. God bless you in your work and life!TerenceGuest of Maris Stella event

Matthew 6:27 “And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life?”

April - June 2019 • ywLink 16

SPOTLIGHT SECTION: VOLUNTEER WEI RONG

2 Samuel 2:6 “May the Lord show lovingkindness and truth to you.”

YWCA is blessed to have a regular group of volunteers availing themselves to serve and grow with our beneficiaries through our various community service programmes and projects. In this newsletter issue, Wei Rong, a regular volunteer of YWCA’s Kids’ Weekday Care programme shares his journey with us.

Hi there!

I am Wei Rong and I have been volunteering regularly with YWCA since August 2018. I began volunteering with YWCA in the Kids’ Weekday Care (KWC) programme and more recently, participated in other programmes like the Sustenance for Families programme. Having graduated from the Singapore Management University, I am looking forward to pursuing my professional career in the Investment Management industry.

My volunteering journey at YWCA has been an enjoyable and enriching one and I would like to share a little about why I volunteer. When I first joined KWC as a volunteer, I was looking to fulfil a university graduation community service requirement. I chose to volunteer with KWC as I could volunteer on a weekly basis while meeting the requirements in the shortest amount of time. With little experience volunteering with children, I never imagined that my involvement could make much impact on the lives of the children, much less how committed I would become to the programme.

At KWC, besides the one-on-one tutoring sessions, I fetched the children from school and cared for them during lunchtime. During this time alone with them, I could learn about each person’s unique personality, hobbies, and interests, and let them feel comfortable around me. I also accompanied the children to their weekly Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) training, giving me an “insider view” of how programmes like KWC provide their beneficiaries with an enriching experience. Additionally, I get to meet a diverse group of volunteers that come to KWC. They include expats, retirees, mothers, and students like me! This shows me how there are passionate and caring individuals in my community and we need more of such people to feel empowered to help their communities grow!

I gradually grew committed to KWC and more invested in the children’s academic success. KWC has become my hobby and passion - I began attending more KWC sessions, even amidst busy examination periods. When I graduated in January 2019, I found myself with a seven-month lull period before I began my career and I decided that I wanted to commit this seven-month break to pursue my passion of volunteering and serving the beneficiaries of KWC. Now, I attend KWC every Tuesdays - Thursdays, helping to facilitate the many activities planned for the children and every month at Sustenance for Families, packing food rations for YWCA’s beneficiaries.

The reason for my growing passion for volunteering must be that it is rewarding! My most memorable occasion was when I tutored one child and noticed that he was struggling with English spelling. He had gotten zero marks for all the spelling tests thus far. I spent that session explaining each word to him, teaching him how to voice out the words, taking extra effort to ensure he understood what I taught him. Later in the week, when we met again, he approached me enthusiastically to tell me about how he didn’t score zero on his test again! While there remains much more work before he is proficient in English, I could tell that this small achievement gave him more confidence and interest in the subject. As for me, I felt a sense of accomplishment and appreciation. I was happy that the child could show quick improvement in his grades, but I was elated that he was willing to share this good news with me. This meant that the work in building rapport with him was successful!

The greatest learning point from my personal experience was how short-term volunteerism develops the volunteer, while long-term volunteerism aids the beneficiaries. In the past six to seven months since I’ve been at YWCA, I felt that I have benefitted more than I have given. I have developed more patience and understanding when working with unique individuals with different personalities and become more empathetic to the less privileged in my society. Social work is by no means a short term project, so moving forward, my hope is that by being committed to volunteering, I can support the staff at YWCA to help them in their efforts and begin to truly make a positive impact to the lives of these children.

By Wei Rong