Issue 14 : Instilling Community Work Amongst Tamil Community
Issue 14 : Instilling Community Work Amongst Tamil Community
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Pre-Panel Discussion
1 . Are there sufficient platforms for youths to volunteer ?
• Most youths felt that there are many platforms available ( e . g . Trybe , Children ’ s Cancer Foundation , National Youth Council , SINDA ) while a minority felt that there should not be a ‘ management ’ to coordinate community work ; but instead , it should be an individual ’ s will and self-motivation to engage in community work .
• A couple of youths spoke about SINDA as an example . They felt that SINDA has some good initiatives such as SINDA Young Leaders Seminar ( SYLS ) and SINDA Young Leaders Programme ( SYLP ). However , there seems to a be a lack of follow-up in these programmes , making them less sustainable .
• The National Youth Council has many volunteer programmes , catering to a wide spectrum of beneficiaries e . g . dysfunctional families , elderly , children with special needs .
• Academic institutions and schools have many opportunities for youths to engage in community work , however , some felt that the engagement is due to compulsory Community Involvement Programme ( CIP ) points attainment .
• There are some youths who are unaware of the available platforms , and they felt that more publicity should be done .
2 . What are the youth ’ s reasons for volunteering ?
• To obtain more points in the CIP
• Due to interests in learning more about the beneficiary or the process of volunteerism e . g . dance contingents
• Some youths come from underprivileged backgrounds or know someone who comes from such backgrounds , thus they engage in community work to give back to the community .
• Some youths feel that to truly ascertain their interest in community work , they should experience it for themselves , thus engaging in community work momentarily .
3 . What inhibits youths from engaging in community work ?
• Some youths prefer to spend more time in their academics and school-related activities instead of community work .
• Some youths felt that the values / experiences gained from community work is not transferable to other aspects of their lives e . g . academics , career .
• There seems to be an apparent lack of motivation and laziness .
• Corrective work order was brought up as an example in some groups , where they felt that people perceive those who engage in environmental cleaning ( i . e . anti-littering ) as criminals .
• Not all schools actively promote community work . There tends to be an emphasis on cocurricular activities e . g . rugby that brings in medals and good reputation for the school .
• Community work initiatives in school tend to be proposed by teachers . Some youths voiced out that they preferred self-initiated proposals e . g . a youth shared how his Secondary four class washed cars to raise moneys for stray dogs . This was a self-initiated idea that allowed maximal participation and motivation from the students .