.:: Esprit De Volontaires ::.

Been ages since i last bother to login and post anything and i guess most of the new volunteers do not know me considering i only went for session once after they started session. Before the new sessions start again after exams, I would like to share parts of a message from an Ex SBHL boy which hopefully will help motivate you all to carry on your work. (Its not the full message so ignore any parts that do not flow well)

Despite how some of you might feel how little our impact might be or how unappreciative some of our boys can be, I believe that even if we try to help 10 ppl and 9 do not respond, just that 1 who changes is worth all the effort put in.

Volunteers come and go all the time, hopefully mostof you will stay on and continue our work. Do help to motivate the new batches of volunteers to join our work and let us be able to do more for those we can. We do not get paid in cash but what we gain is something money cannot buy.

During the 3 months in the home,1 year in hostel and 1 year home probation changed my life totally.

I hope that you can pass on this message to all the other boys in the hostel.''Their future is still not ruined,it is only how they lead the remaining parts of their lives.Everyone makes mistakes.I am sure that even though some of them may be stubborn and not willing to change,there are others amongst them who are willing to learn and make their parents proud in the future.''

Most importantly the current volunteers should not be dejected when they are handling a troubled boy and that he should also not give up on himself.The reason why he is troubled and probably has disciplinary problems in hostel is because he has not sorted out his thinking.Once the barrier is removed,he will lead a much meaningful life.

I send my regards to all NTU volunteers. You and your grp of volunteers are really sincere and want to help us.Thank you very much,you created a positive impact in me.I have not forgotten any of you.

He has made me very proud of him and I do hope each of you will have boys who will make you proud to have once been a part of their life in your volunteer journey. He scored 9 for L1R5,6 for L1R4, very good results and better than what he had promised me but its his level of maturity now thats making me feel very proud of him and glad that i managed to play a part in changing his life.

Regards,
Desmond

Hey

It is my turn to share my thoughts about volunteering at the boys' hostel.

Unlike the other students I taught previously, the boys are actually friendlier and are willing to learn from us. However, being often "marked" by their own school teacher, they may not be so open to us.

After a few sessions, my tutee and I got to know each other better and he start sharing more things with me. He is quite intelligent and is willing to learn. He should be able to achieve more if not for his moments of folly.

This weekly session provides with a break in my usual studying schedule. Although I am seemingly sharing my knowledge, in fact I have gained a lot from them. They gives us very different perspectives of life. Besides, I got to know quite a number of fellow volunteers through this program.

In all, it is an enriching and interesting experience.

Cheers
Cheong Hengq

volunteering at a boys' hostel is fascinating!

Hi everyone,

It is now my turn to share with everyone my thoughts and experiences that I have been through while serving the boys at the hostel these few months. This is the first time that I have volunteered myself to serve in this particular area, giving academic assistance to the boys staying in the hostel. Never in my life would I imagine that I would be able to get to know these boys even though I am often curious about them and their lives in general. Joining WSC has made this thought of mine come true and I have learnt many things, especially from the boys and my mentees.

It has been great (and I know it will continue to be) to have been able to interact with them, to teach them, to hear their stories and to reflect about my life as well. Often we may hear stories about “challenging” kids in the newspaper or through books and may wonder what was going through their minds when they think of doing something like that. Having attended the various secessions has helped me to understand a little of what they are going through. I have been allocated two mentees and I would be lying to say that it has been an easy task teaching them both together but I can surely say that I have gained a lot from them as well (although I am not sure if they managed to gain much from me).

Understanding that there is often lack of willingness to open up to “us”, it was difficult for me to get them to talk to me at the beginning for me to understand better and to effectively teach them. This made me rather frustrated but overtime I learnt to let things flow accordingly and soon enough through weekly interactions, they responded, converse and even laugh together with me. All these little things made my day and knowing that I have helped them understand even a simple equation made the trip down all worthwhile.

Through teaching and interacting with them, I learnt about their lives outside school and in the hostel, about their fears and regrets and their determination to start over once they have completed the time needed to leave the hostel. They have matured a lot over the year and I can say that they are generally regretful of their actions and often reproach themselves about how silly and naïve of them to think of committing those acts that got themselves into where they are now. At the same time, I also learnt more about myself, being thankful with what I have before me. Being able to go to school and having the autonomy to do the things that I want never came across to me as something that I should be thankful for and I learnt that from my mentees.

All in all, I hope everyone has learnt much as they continue to serve at the hostel. Take care and have a good recess week(:

cheers,

Yoz volunteerz!
My turn to share my thoughts and reflections here. =p I joined WSC(youth) with the initial thought of getting the experience of interacting with the “problematic” teenagers. I wanted to get to know more about them. But the very first time that I get to know my allocated mentee, I don’t really know how to approach him though and do not know what to do besides guiding him with his homework. But luckily he was quite willing to share his “experiences” with me. Only until the last session (10/02/10), he got to know that I am a teacher-to-be. Haha but his very first reaction was “why do you want to be a teacher?” .Then I went on to ask him why did he has this reaction, and he said he think it is very tough to be a teacher. Then I jokingly replied, “ya lor because got students like you right??” He then looks kind of embarrassed. I think my mentee is still very respectful towards me. Though on some sessions, he will ask if he can don’t finish his homework, but when I ask him to continue and finish his work, he will still do so (BUT he has yet to buy his math assessment book since the first session!). I think is partially because he can be quite tired with the journey of travelling. He got to leave for school at 5.45am and most of the time he will only be back in hostel at 6 to 7pm.
I think I really enjoy coming to the sessions because of the company of you guys too! I think the idea of meeting for dinner before making our way to the boys’ hostel is great, because we can at least catch up a little with one another and not forgetting some hilarious jokes on the bus too( Huimin and taekwando) LOL!!
And by the way, me and serena will be posted to school for practicum starting 22nd Feb. But we will still try our very best to join you guys for the sessions though. Last but not least, wishing you all a very fruitful and enjoyable new year ahead!!

Best wishes,
Yiwen =)

Hello fellow friends.
I'm here to share with you all my food for thought.
Honestly, I was really happy when my mentee suddenly said that he had childhood problems when i was reading the english passage to him. Not that he wasnt paying attention but i think he couldn't hold it anymore. It's also unbearable for them to withhold everything from ppl and not have a chance to find a listening ear who can also listen to them and try to understand their feelings. He really misses his home from the way he was telling me about his mum and sister and how cute his pet rabbit was. But he will get out from there in the later part of the year. Sincerely hope that he won't go astray and do something foolish again. They are really smart just that they are still too young to realise how stupid their curiosity, angsty and ways of attracting attention can bring them to. Actually i think if they are to change their ways and repent they should not hang out with their old bunch of friends anyway unless they are those who really care about them even after they are being held up there. As the saying goes, birds of the same feather flock together, no other meanings, so they must first leave them and start afresh. No point getting out and continue to hang out with those who commit illegal crimes and really start to regret why they are still walking the same path as before. It's hard though to put all the past behind them. But they can treat this as a learning experience and a trip to cultivate their mind and soul in resolance. My mentee is really keen in going back school but the school doesn't seem passive in wanting him back. It's making him dejected and he's thinking of enrolling in a private school instead. however, this sign in the lost of hope is worrying to me. I hope he can perservere on to wait for their reply just like how i will be assured that he will turn for the better after he leave with his kind of determination.
All the best people and a very prosperous, enriching and happy new year to everyone and the boys! :)

Best regards,
Germaine

Hello everyone!

This is my first time in my 19 years of life to join a welfare group visiting the Boys Home. Perhaps, i can be considered one of the youngest newbie to join everyone with a similar passion to serve in this area, helping the young guys out there who had steered to the wrong track due to a moment of folly. Indeed, it was a great and enjoyable experience to interact with them, teaching them the various subjects that they need help, and it's not just I who taught them the academic subjects but instead in the process of our interaction together, they had taught me alot too. Everyone makes mistake inevitably, and it really takes alot of courage to admit our wrongdoings and be willing to change and turn over a new leaf. Every kid that i take on, i would be sure to ask them how they ever end up here...and they would state their various reasons which are usually the same. And, i asked them- " why would you want to do it since you know it's wrong?", almost all of them would reply that they did it for the thrill of it and they really really do not know the seriousness till they end up serving their time in Boys Home. I guess it's really the time away from the usual routine of a school kid and the home sick-ness that many feels as well as the loss of freedom that made them reflect upon the mistakes they had made. But above all, many of them would just tell me they were still young when they commit the crime and now, just only one year apart, they are more mature now and finds it really foolish to do what they had done and felt very regretful for their actions. Hmm, it got me thinking, that sometimes we did many things that are unpleasing to the people around us and we took the freedom that we have for granted. Many of them are suspended from school, yet we are dreading school even when we could study and meet our friends out there freely. Well, let us continue to inspire the kids that we always have a choice to make the right decision in our life journey, provide them a hope that they can look forward to, befriend them so they can have a mentor they can look up to and may our smiles and laughter as well as the life lesson and experience that we instill in them subconsciously by our words and actions bring joy to their seemingly monotonous life!

Hooray! May everyone be feeling happy and smiling and remember to cherish the people and things that are around us!! CHEERS! :)

Signing off..
Huishian! :)