HEARTBEATS - CTPCLC · Promoting youth volunteerism & intergenerational bonding 32 befriending...

VOLUME 3

HEARTBEATS

’16

Journal of the Chua Thian PohCommunity Leadership Programme

Heartbeats: Journal of the Chua Thian Poh

Community Leadership Programme

ISSN 2345-749X | Printed in Singapore

This journal is a publication of the Chua Thian Poh Community Leadership Programme,

National University of Singapore.

Editor

Associate Professor Albert Chu-Ying TeoDirector, Chua Thian Poh Community Leadership Programme

Associate Editors

Ng Yan Da, ElsonFellow, Chua Thian Poh Community Leadership Programme

Andrea Brendan Ang Chin WeiFellow, Chua Thian Poh Community Leadership Programme

Gladys Ng Kai XinFellow, Chua Thian Poh Community Leadership Programme

Editorial Assistants

Ng Kian Sing, JasonSenior Manager, Chua Thian Poh Community Leadership Programme

Yeo Yee Lian LianaAssistant Manager, Chua Thian Poh Community Leadership Programme

Copyright © 2016 Chua Thian Poh Community Leadership Programme, National University of Singapore

Apart from fair dealing for the purpose of research or private study, or criticism or review, and only under

the Copyright Act (Chapter 63) of Singapore, this publication may be reproduced, stored or transmitted in

any form or by any means, only with the prior permission in writing of the Publisher.

EDITORIAL BOARD

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The Editor, Heartbeats

National University of Singapore,

Chua Thian Poh Community Leadership Programme,

University Town,

18 College Avenue East,

Singapore 138593

[email protected]

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Heartbeats Volume 3 29

Promoting youth volunteerism and

intergenerational bonding

SOH WEN SHI MICOLE

Abstract

Under National University of Singapore’s Chua Thian Poh Community Leadership

Programme (CTPCLP), I embarked on a research attachment at Ren Ci Hospital from June –

July 2014. I was tasked to look at ways to improve Ren Ci’s volunteer landscape and propose

recommendations on how Ren Ci could better recruit and retain youth volunteers. To that

end, interviews, surveys and observations of volunteer activities were carried out across

the three branches of Ren Ci Hospital: Ren Ci Community Hospital, Ren Ci Nursing Home,

and Ren Ci Long Term Care. After which, I proposed the following recommendations to Ren

Ci: (i) link up with schools to develop long-term projects; (ii) use appropriate media

channels to connect with youth; (iii) follow up with ad-hoc volunteers; (iv) develop training

programmes to retain volunteers. In the longer term, changing mindsets about

volunteerism and capitalizing upon the assets of both youth volunteers and older

residents/patients could potentially help develop meaningful and long-lasting

relationships.

Introduction

In the Individual Giving Survey 2014, published by National Volunteer & Philanthropy

Centre (2015), it was reported that while fewer Singaporeans donated or committed their

time to volunteering in 2014, those who did so contributed more in both areas. Record

levels of donations were registered in 2014, totaling $1.25 billion. This was a huge 14%

increase from $1.1 billion of donations made in 2012. Average volunteer hours grew to 93

hours per volunteer, compared to 72 hours per volunteer in 2012. Evidently, Singaporeans

do give, and these resources are important in helping charitable organizations serve the

public interest and common good.

As a charity healthcare organization, Ren Ci Hospital “relies heavily on public donation

and support as well as government subvention” (2016a). Through the research attachment,

Promoting youth volunteerism & intergenerational bonding 30

it was established that Ren Ci currently has a pool of more than 450 active volunteers,

ranging from 12 to 54 years old. More than 1000 volunteers help on an ad-hoc basis, many

of whom are from corporate or educational organizations (personal communication, June

2014). As Ren Ci acknowledges on its website, volunteers play a huge part in supporting the

patients whom Ren Ci cares for (2016c).

During my research attachment at Ren Ci Hospital from June – July 2014, I was tasked

to look at ways to improve Ren Ci’s volunteer landscape, and propose recommendations on

how Ren Ci could recruit and retain youth volunteers more effectively. In order to better

understand Ren Ci’s volunteer landscape, observations and interviews were carried out

across the three branches of Ren Ci Hospital – Ren Ci Community Hospital, Ren Ci Nursing

Home, and Ren Ci Long Term Care. Volunteer opportunities in Ren Ci can be classified into

patient-related and non-patient-related activities. The former include activities like

befriending, group karaoke and bingo, outings, haircutting, and craft sessions. Volunteers

also come in to help Ren Ci staff in carrying out activities like feeding, art therapy,

occupational therapy and physiotherapy. Non-patient-related activities include money

counting, sewing, and administrative tasks. The huge variety of volunteering activities

ensures that the needs of the patients and residents under Ren Ci’s care are well taken care

of.

Methodology

As shown in Figure 1, a three-pronged approach was adopted to uncover information

about Ren Ci’s volunteer landscape.

Figure 1. Overview of research methodology

From Ren Ci

• Understanding of volunteer recruitment workflow

• Understanding of volunteer demographics through updating of volunteer database

From Volunteers

• Observations of volunteer activities

• Interviews with regular volunteers

• Responses from Ren Ci Youth Volunteer Survey

• Responses from Camp REConnection Survey

From Patients/Residents

• Resident profiling in Ren Ci Nursing Home

• Interviews with patients in Ren Ci Community Hospital and Ren Ci Long Term Care


I arrived at an understanding of existing volunteer activities, volunteer recruitment

programmes and volunteer profiles from the Fundraising and Volunteer Development

Departments. Primary data in the form of nine observed volunteer activities, interviews,

and 123 survey responses were collected from volunteers. The bulk of data collected were

in Ren Ci Nursing Home as that was the branch of Ren Ci Hospital where most volunteer

activities were held, and where most long-staying responsive residents were in. To uncover

patient and caregiver sentiments, I carried out a profiling project in Ren Ci Nursing Home,

and informal interviews with patients in Ren Ci Community Hospital and Ren Ci Long Term

Care. Taken collectively, a comprehensive dataset on the perspectives of three stakeholders

– Ren Ci, its volunteers, and its residents/patients - was obtained.

Results

Ren Ci volunteer recruitment process

As illustrated in Figure 2, Ren Ci has a robust volunteer recruitment process that

requires individuals to go through multiple steps before they can volunteer in Ren Ci.

Figure 2. Ren Ci volunteer recruitment workflow (Source: Ren Ci Hospital, 2014)

Individuals who are not affiliated with any group, but who want to volunteer with Ren

Ci, have to submit an application form, available for download on Ren Ci’s website. S/he will

then be contacted to attend an interview. Besides screening prospective volunteers, the

interview allows Ren Ci to understand their motivations and inclinations, and match them

to Ren Ci’s existing volunteer groups. For example, prospective volunteers interested in


befriending activities in Ren Ci are referred to befriending groups like Smilez, Aspiration,

Benevolence, Compassion, and Dana. During the interview, the applicant also gains an

understanding of the nature of the beneficiaries whom s/he will be interacting with, should

s/he volunteer with Ren Ci. Upon acceptance of his/her application, Ren Ci will organize a

short orientation for the volunteer, to introduce the volunteer to the volunteering

environment, and to expose him/her to simple dos and don’ts. The volunteer will also be

exposed to nursing protocol, communication skills and simple physiotherapy via training

sessions.

Apart from regular volunteers, Ren Ci has also welcomed many corporate and student

groups who organize ad-hoc activities for its patients and residents. Staff from Charles &

Keith organized a wheelchair cleaning session in June 2013, and a group of students from

National University of Singapore’s University Scholars Programme organized a craft and

games session in July 2013. These are one-off activities, and volunteers do not need to go

through the recruitment process as stated above, though a simple thirty-minute orientation

is to be conducted at the start of the session.

Ren Ci youth volunteer survey

During my attachment, I developed a Ren Ci Youth Volunteer Survey questionnaire

(see Appendix A) to better understand the motivations and sentiments of Ren Ci’s youth

volunteers. Questions were adapted from the original Ren Ci Volunteer Survey to factor in

the motivations, problems and takeaways that youth might have had from volunteering in

Ren Ci. The survey was then disseminated to youth volunteers in Ren Ci at the end of their

respective volunteering sessions, and a total of 123 responses were collected. A detailed

breakdown of the responses can be found in Appendix B. Respondents came from a variety

of volunteer groups in Ren Ci, though the bulk of respondents (80%) were youth who

organized one-off ad-hoc activities in Ren Ci.

One area the survey aimed to uncover was youth’s motivations for volunteering. The

responses given proved insightful. As can be seen in Figures 3 and 4, factors such as fulfilling

school requirements and improving their resumes/Values-In-Action (VIA) records were

important motivations for half of the volunteers. This is understandable, for many who

organize ad-hoc activities do so as part of a school requirement, for example, fulfilling the


local component of a Youth Expedition Project (YEP) 1 , a component of a community

problem solving project (Future Problem Solving Program Singapore, 2011) or a

requirement of an orientation camp.

Figure 3. Responses to “It was a requirement/expectation by my school/company”

Figure 4. Responses to “I wanted to improve my resume/VIA record”

Factors such as giving back to society (see Figure 5) and helping others (see Figure 6)

were rated by an overwhelming majority of respondents as either very important or

1 The YEP grant scheme supports youth from educational institutions and registered organisations to embark on service-learning projects that involve communities in ASEAN, China, India and Singapore (National Youth Council, 2016).

0 5 10 15 20 25 30

Does not apply

Not at all important - 1

2

3

4

5

Extremely important - 6

0 5 10 15 20 25 30

Does not apply


2

3

4

5



extremely important. Therefore, even though youth volunteer for practical considerations,

many are also motivated by a desire to contribute back to society and to help others. These

two sets of motivations should hence not be seen as mutually exclusive.

Figure 5. Responses to “I felt that I should give back to society”

Figure 6. Responses to “I wanted to help people”

Apart from their motivations for volunteering with Ren Ci, respondents were also

asked to provide feedback on their volunteering experiences. As mentioned earlier, the

majority of the survey respondents were ad-hoc volunteers, and thus did not have to

undergo the compulsory orientation programme that all regular volunteers have to go

through. This possibly resulted in some respondents feeling not adequately prepared to

carry out their activities. Specifically, 26% of respondents felt that they did not receive

enough training and support prior to carrying out their activities (see Figure 7).

0 10 20 30 40 50

Does not apply


2

3

4

5


0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70

Does not apply


2

3

4

5



Figure 7. Responses to “I received adequate training before carrying out my tasks”

This result, however, might not be solely attributable to the level of preparation

provided by Ren Ci but might also be potentially an evaluation of how personally prepared

the individuals felt. Many youth surfaced the numerous difficulties faced in communicating

with older patients and residents. As can be seen in Figure 8, more than half of the

respondents (59%) pointed out that language barrier was an important problem. In a

follow-up open-ended question, those who listed language barrier as a problem said that

they either paired up with friends who could speak the language/dialect, or resorted to

using hand gestures and body language to communicate. Some also suggested that Ren Ci

consider holding dialect classes to help youth overcome the language barrier when

volunteering with older patients and residents.

Figure 8. Responses to “I could not communicate well due to language barriers”

Strongly agree7%

Agree32%

Somewhat agree28%

Somewhat disagree17% Disagree

7% Strongly disagree

2%

Does not apply7%

0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45

Does not apply


2

3

4

5



However, despite not feeling adequately prepared, an overwhelming 64% of

respondents agreed or strongly agreed that they had the support and guidance needed to

accomplish their activities (see Figure 9). This corroborates with how 97% of respondents

agreed with the statement that volunteering in Ren Ci was professional and pleasant on the

whole (see Figure 10). Evidently, many participants found the environment in Ren Ci

supportive and conducive for volunteerism.

Figure 9. Responses to “I have the support and guidance I need to accomplish volunteer activities”

Figure 10. Responses to “The volunteer environment is professional and pleasant”

Observation of volunteer activities

Observations of volunteer activities and interviews with volunteers supplemented the

survey results. A wider range of volunteer activities other than those organized by youths

were observed, providing a fuller picture of the range of volunteer activities in Ren Ci. A

total of nine activities were observed. With the exception of one, all activities were

conducted weekly or monthly. Interviews with the volunteers were conducted in English or

Strongly agree15%

Agree49%

Somewhat agree28%

Somewhat disagree

2%Disagree

1%

Strongly disagree

1%

Does not apply4%

0 10 20 30 40 50 60

Does not apply

Strongly disagree

Disagree

Somewhat disagree

Somewhat agree

Agree

Strongly agree


Mandarin, and the list of questions used is attached in Appendix C. A summary of the

observations of these volunteer activities can be found in Appendix D.

Amongst these nine activities, only three of them involved youth (who came from

National University of Singapore’s Community Service Club, Institute of Technical

Education College Central and Raffles Girls’ School’s Project Aurelia). The latter two were

regular volunteering activities, and thus provided valuable insights from youth volunteers

who volunteer with Ren Ci on a regular basis. A total of 14 responses from these two groups

were collected. They were administered the Ren Ci Youth Volunteer Survey questionnaire,

and asked to comment on the problems they faced during their volunteering experiences.

The responses received are summarized in Table 1. The most common rating for each

question is highlighted in the table.

Rating

I could not communicate well

due to language barriers

I was unsure of the needs

of the elderly

I was unsure as to how to approach the

elderly

I felt that the activities I

prepared were unsuitable

I felt that my activities were not sufficiently

engaging

6 (Extremely important)

7.1% 7.1% 7.1% 7.1% 7.1%

5 14.3% 14.3% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0%

4 42.9% 14.3% 21.4% 7.1% 28.6%

3 14.3% 28.6% 35.7% 35.7% 14.3%

2 14.3% 35.7% 35.7% 28.6% 42.9%

1 (Not at all important)

7.1% 0.0% 0.0% 14.3% 0.0%

0 (NA) 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 7.1% 7.1%

Table 1. Responses to “Rate the extent to which these issues were a problem for you throughout the

volunteering experience”

Similar to other youth surveyed, language barrier was also a problem for regular

volunteers. 64.3% of respondents agreed that they could not communicate well in Mandarin

or in dialects. The volunteers often mentioned during debriefs that they found it difficult to

understand the residents and patients, many of whom spoke to them in dialects that they


could not understand. Some of them even struggled to hold conversations with the residents

and patients in Mandarin. However, the youth reported little problem in understanding the

needs of the residents and patients, or approaching them. Yet, from my personal

observations, these youth did show some hesitation and awkwardness in their interactions

with the residents and patients, and tended to cluster in groups when conducting their

activities. This seemed to be a common problem amongst the youth aged 13-18 years; this

was especially apparent when contrasted with the older youth volunteers from universities.

However, the younger youth volunteers were highly enthusiastic and innovative – strengths

that often outweighed their shortcomings. These strengths were also likely reasons behind

their perceived ease in coming up with engaging and suitable activities.

Camp REConnection

Ren Ci’s School of Compassion and some students from National University of

Singapore’s University Scholars Programme came together to organize Camp REConnection

in 2014. Camp REConnection aimed to expose youth between 16 and 18 years old to the

problems faced by older persons in Singapore, particularly those under intermediate and

long-term care (Ministry of Health, 2016). This non-residential camp was held in both Ren

Ci and National University of Singapore from 7 to 11 December 2014, and it attracted 45

participants. As a member of the organizing team, I conducted informal interviews and

crafted a Camp REConnection Post-Camp Survey (see Appendix E). 31 responses were

collected in total, and a detailed breakdown of the responses to each question can be found

in Appendix F.

The camp attracted a group of youth who were highly interested in social issues. Many

of them rated statements such as ‘I wanted to learn something new’, ‘I am interested in

interacting with the elderly’ and ‘I see it as an opportunity to make a difference’ as important

or extremely important motivating factors for joining the camp (see Table 2). Conversely,

statements such as ‘I wanted to improve my resume/VIA record’ and ‘It was a requirement

by my school’ were rated as low in importance. Some participants expressed interest in

social work or medical courses in university, and many were already volunteering their

time in a variety of causes.


Rating

I wanted to learn

something new.

I am interested in interacting

with the elderly.

I saw it as the opportunity to

make a difference.

I wanted to improve my resume/VIA

records.

It was a requirement/ expectation by

my school.

6 (Extremely important)

42% 42% 35% 0% 0%

5 32% 39% 42% 16% 6%

4 23% 19% 19% 23% 3%

3 0% 0% 3% 19% 3%

2 3% 0% 0% 19% 3%

1 (Not at all important)

0% 0% 0% 13% 45%

0 (NA) 0% 0% 0% 10% 39%

Table 2. Responses to “Rate what motivated you to join the camp”

Camp REConnection consisted of a range of activities designed to get youth to

empathize with older persons in Singapore, and to learn how to interact more effectively

with them. Participants attended dialect and language classes, learning basic Cantonese,

Hokkien, Teochew and Bahasa Melayu across four days. They also participated in an

Amazing Race to expose themselves to mature estates in Singapore, and took part in an

experiential learning activity organized by Ren Ci. The experiential learning activity had

participants putting on foggy glasses and weights, and using ambulatory aids, for a few

hours to simulate the life of a sick and disabled older person. Interactions with the residents

in Ren Ci Nursing Home assumed a key component in the camp. Participants did craft

activities with the residents, collected their life stories for a patchbook project, and engaged

them in an outdoor kite-flying activity.

Overall evaluations of Camp REConnection were largely positive. As can be seen in

Figure 11, all of the respondents agreed that they learnt useful skills from their participation

in Camp REConnection, with 65% strongly agreeing with the statement. An important goal

of the camp, which was to get youth to better understand the needs of older persons, was

also met. All the participants agreed with the statement “I can better understand the needs

of the elderly now” (see Figure 12).


Figure 11. Responses to “I learnt useful skills from the camp”

Figure 12. Responses to “I can better understand the needs of the elderly now”

81% of the respondents indicated that their perspectives on older persons changed

after the camp. Many of them typed long responses to explain why. One respondent wrote,

“I have come to realize the many ways in which they are just like us, from the constant need

for companionship to the occasionally judgmental attitudes some of them take to the people

around them. It really struck me how much we can learn from them if we just take the time

to listen to them.” Similarly, another respondent said, “Before the camp, although I didn't

really think of them as inferior to us or as beneficiaries, I always thought that they were

more dependent, may be due to the physical disabilities of old age. They may not be able to

do as much as we can, but after interaction with the elderly in this camp, I realised there is

so much I can and have to learn from them”. From the survey responses and the reflection

sessions at Camp REConnection, it was evident that many participants had valuable

takeaways from their participation in the camp.

0 4 8 12 16 20

Does not apply

Strongly Disagree 1

2

3

4

5

Strongly Agree 6

0 4 8 12 16 20

Does not apply

Strongly Disagree 1

2

3

4

5

Strongly Agree 6


In terms of specific aspects of the camp, some questions elicited extreme responses

(i.e., with high percentages of agreement or disagreement). Experiential learning and

reflections were aspects that received particularly positive evaluations. These activities

were seen as meaningful (see Figure 13) and effective in helping the youth empathize with

older persons (see Figure 14), achieving important goals of the camp.

Figure 13. Responses to “Reflections were meaningful”

Figure 14. Responses to “Experiential learning helped me better empathize with the elderly”

While there were no programmes that had more than 80% unfavorable ratings, the

following two questions had a sizable number of respondents in disagreement. As can be

seen in Figure 15, 45% of the respondents felt that the language classes were not effective

in helping them interact with the residents. However, a majority of the respondents said

that the materials used in these language classes were appropriate (see Figure 16), and that

the classes sparked their interest in dialects (see Figure 17). Thus, it is unlikely that the

problem lies in the lessons per se. Rather, while the dialect classes provided a crash course

for the participants, these classes were not sufficient in equipping the participants with the

necessary skills to hold conversations with the residents. This therefore necessitates a

0 3 6 9 12 15

Does not apply

Strongly Disagree 1

2

3

4

5

Strongly Agree 6

0 4 8 12 16 20 24

Does not apply

Strongly Disagree 1

2

3

4

5

Strongly Agree 6


rethink of how dialect classes should be conducted in future runs of the camp. Perhaps, a

greater emphasis on building proficiency in one or two dialects, instead of exposing

participants to a range of dialects, would be advisable.

Figure 15. Responses to “Dialect/language lessons helped my interaction with the elderly”

Figure 16. Responses to “The material taught was appropriate”

Figure 17. Responses to “The dialect/language classes sparked my interest in the dialect”

0 2 4 6 8

Does not apply

Strongly Disagree 1

2

3

4

5

Strongly Agree 6

0 3 6 9 12 15

Does not apply

Strongly Disagree 1

2

3

4

5

Strongly Agree 6

0 2 4 6 8

Does not apply

Strongly Disagree 1

2

3

4

5

Strongly Agree 6


Another less favorably rated aspect of the camp was the Amazing Race. Approximately

half of the respondents surveyed mentioned that it did not help them better understand the

ways of life of older persons (see Figure 18). The Amazing Race was specially tailored to

allow participants to complete older person-centric activities such as practicing taichi,

visiting mature estates and striking conversations with older persons. However, due to time

and situational constraints, not all the locations and activities were fully explored and

conducted, which therefore reduced the intended takeaways.

Figure 18. Responses to “Amazing Race helped me understand the elderly's life”

Resident profiling in Ren Ci Nursing Home

I also executed a Resident Profiling Project in Ren Ci Nursing Home during my

attachment. It was aligned to efforts undertaken by a workgroup in Ren Ci, to identify

individuals who could potentially live in a group home setting. The Resident Profiling

Project was also useful in identifying gaps in meeting the needs of the residents. 62

identified residents in Ren Ci Nursing Home were interviewed to obtain information on

their present and past interests, previous occupations, family support, food preferences,

ambulation and physical function, and general feedback.

Based on the interviews, the popular interests of the residents were tabulated. These

results are shown in Table 3. The top 5 most popular activities are highlighted in the table.

Activity Percentage interested

Watch TV 40.7%

Karaoke and bingo 40.7%

Volunteers' befriending 31.5%

0 2 4 6 8 10

Does not apply

Strongly Disagree 1

2

3

4

5

Strongly Agree 6


Sports 31.5%

Exercise/ Therapy 24.1%

Listen to radio 18.5%

Outings 16.7%

Watch movies 14.8%

Chitchat 13.0%

Cooking 11.2%

Religious activities 11.2%

Read newspapers 11.2%

Chinese chess 9.3%

Table 3. Interested activities of residents

Activities like watching television, taking part in karaoke, doing therapy, and talking

to volunteers are activities which the residents currently engage in. This indicates that the

interests and needs of the residents are already currently being met. However, when probed

if they would like to see any other improvements, the residents generally found it difficult

to think of anything else. This raises the question of whether residents have become so

accustomed to the current environment in Ren Ci Nursing Home, that attempts to change

and make amendments to the routine might be difficult. This poses an extra challenge for

Ren Ci to push the able-bodied and cognitively-sound residents to take ownership of their

lives in the nursing home, and make their residential experiences as fulfilling as possible.

Apart from these existing activities, the high interest in sports (31.5%) stood out as

an exception. Many of the residents interviewed spoke of their younger days when they

engaged in sports like basketball, football, and swimming. These activities, however, are

now unfeasible due to the limited mobility of wheelchair or bedbound residents.

Nonetheless, the interest in sports is an avenue that could be further explored.

Recommendations

Based on the results discussed above, both short-term and long-term

recommendations to improve the volunteer landscape in Ren Ci are proposed.


Short-term recommendations

Ren Ci could implement the following short-term recommendations to attract and

retain youth volunteers. Firstly, Ren Ci could conduct outreach activities in schools, which

could potentially increase awareness of volunteering opportunities in Ren Ci amongst

youth. When asked for feedback in the Ren Ci Youth Volunteer Survey, 10 respondents

suggested that Ren Ci could do more outreach to youth. A volunteer recommended that Ren

Ci could “[spread] more awareness about what Ren Ci does and how to volunteer”. As can

be seen in Figure 19, a substantial 71% of youth volunteering in Ren Ci first learnt about

volunteering opportunities in Ren Ci through their schools. Ren Ci could therefore organize

outreach activities in schools to increase its visibility amongst youth. Tie-ups with schools

for one-off VIA activities could also be considered. Compared to other developed countries

such as the United States of America and the United Kingdom, Singapore ranks higher in

terms of youth volunteerism rates (Kok, 2015). One reason for the high numbers is the

mandatory Community Involvement Programme that has been put in place in schools since

1977, requiring students to spend time on community work as part of the curriculum (Kok,

2015). Working with schools to mobilize students as volunteers is an avenue that Ren Ci

could consider embarking on.

Figure 19. Responses to “How did you FIRST learn about volunteer opportunities in Ren Ci?”

There might also be a need to use appropriate channels to reach out to youth

volunteers, to ensure that publicity materials on volunteer activities reach them. While

Facebook has been listed as the top social networking platform in Singapore (Kemp, 2015),

and is actively used by Ren Ci to promote its activities, anecdotal evidence from youth

At work/school

71%

Ren Ci staff/volunteer

2% Personal experiences

1%

Media/Social media

1%Ren Ci website

6%

From a friend19%

Others0%


between the ages of 13 and 18 suggests that they do not frequently use Facebook. None of

the Camp REConnection participants heard about the event through Facebook, despite it

being used as a publicity channel (see Figure 20). Camp participants mentioned that

Facebook is no longer the preferred means of connecting with their peers. Other social

media platforms, such as Instagram and Twitter, are more commonly used. Alternatively,

school mailers were commonly highlighted (61%) as the channel through which the

students got to know about the camp (see Figure 20), which highlights the importance of

Ren Ci working with schools to increase its visibility.

Figure 20. Responses to “How did you hear about Camp REConnection?”

Secondly, it might be important for Ren Ci to follow up with ad-hoc volunteers who

volunteer for one-off activities. Many Youth Volunteer Survey respondents said that they

had a good experience volunteering in Ren Ci. Specifically, 98% of the respondents rated

their volunteering experience as either excellent or good (see Figure 21), and 94% said that

they would recommend Ren Ci to a friend as a place to volunteer (see Figure 22).

From school

61%

From CCA16%

From friends

7%

Others16%

From Facebook

0%


Figure 21. Responses to “How would you rate your overall volunteer experience with Ren Ci?”

Figure 22. Responses to “I would recommend Ren Ci to a friend as a place to volunteer”

When asked if they themselves would continue volunteering at Ren Ci in the future,

89% of respondents said they would, with those who said no mentioned that they already

have other volunteering commitments. There is a lot of value in following up with this pool

of keen volunteers, like sharing with them about the volunteering opportunities at Ren Ci,

and advising them on the volunteer recruitment process. These efforts can potentially

retain these ad-hoc volunteers.

Thirdly, Ren Ci could consider crafting a training programme that is tailored for youth

volunteers. Achievement programmes such as the National Youth Achievement Award

(National Youth Achievement Award Council, 2016), where youth have to complete certain

activities in order to attain different award tiers, is a concept familiar to them. In order to

motivate youth to complete the training programme, Ren Ci could consider adopting a

Excellent40%

Good58%

Fair2%

0 11 22 33 44 55

Does not apply

Strongly disagree

Disagree

Somewhat disagree

Somewhat agree

Agree

Strongly agree


similar structure. Milestones in nursing, communication, and therapy would need to be

achieved before the volunteer is certified as a trained volunteer. As many youth listed

language barrier as a common difficulty faced when volunteering in Ren Ci, dialect classes

could specifically be incorporated into the training for youth volunteers. This suggestion

was welcomed by some of the youth surveyed. Amongst those who provided suggestions in

the Youth Volunteer Survey, 7 respondents suggested having dialect classes as part of their

training programme. A volunteer mentioned that teaching youth dialects would help

“prepare youth volunteers more sufficiently”.

Lastly, judging from the positive response that Camp REConnection garnered, annual

runs of the camp could be considered. As a concept familiar to youth, camps are a good

means to reach out to students and engage them in learning through fun and meaningful

activities. Subsequent runs could expand in scale, and better ways of publicizing the camp

to schools to attract more participants could be considered. Fine-tuning of the programme,

based on the feedback obtained from its inaugural run in 2014, would be advisable.

Long-term recommendations

As an extension to the first short-term recommendation, Ren Ci could consider

developing long-term projects with schools, which could be handed over to subsequent

batches of students in the respective schools. This fits in with the way volunteerism is

currently being carried out in schools. As illustrated in the 2012 Budget debate, then

Education Minister Heng Swee Keat described the VIA programme in terms of “four-year or

six-year development plans in order to move towards more coherent and sustainable

learning through community involvement” (Kok, 2015). Projects that are more long-term

in nature can both meet the needs of schools, and foster long-term partnerships between

schools and Ren Ci. These projects could come in the form of befriending programmes taken

on by service-oriented student clubs in schools, and Art programmes developed by students

in art-oriented student clubs or the Art Elective Programme. Strong linkups with schools

would not only provide a sustainable pool of volunteers for Ren Ci, but also increase the

continuity of volunteer programmes and students' commitment to volunteering, since these

activities would be incorporated into schools’ curriculum and co-curriculum.


In the long run, the way in which volunteering is viewed and carried out should also

be redefined. Asset-based community development, the idea of focusing on the strengths

and assets of a community instead of dwelling on its needs (Mathie & Cunningham, 2003),

could potentially revolutionize the volunteer landscape. Applying to the Ren Ci volunteer

environment, it would mean considering the residents in the nursing home as having skills,

assets and resources, and not just as beneficiaries. Instead of organizing unidirectional

activities, in which volunteers give and beneficiaries receive, interactions between both

parties would be reciprocal and would focus on relationship building. This is especially

relevant in the older persons sector. Nursing home residents often form warm relationships

with youth volunteers, calling these youth their “grandchildren”. Thus, it would be valuable

if Ren Ci could realign volunteer activities to foster more meaningful two-way interactions

between the nursing home residents and the youth volunteers. This shift in perspective

should be conveyed to the volunteers, and would in turn imply changes in the activities that

volunteers and residents engage in.

As many youth pointed out, they often have a poor grasp of dialects. The expertise of

older persons who are fluent in dialects could be capitalized on, when Ren Ci conducts

dialect classes for the volunteers. In this situation, the common scenario of the volunteer

instructing the resident on what to do would be reversed. The resident would now assume

the role of the instructor, and impart his/her assets, resources and skills (e.g., knowledge of

dialects) to the youth volunteer. Not only would the skills of the resident be utilized, but

worries about unsuitable activities and lack of common topics would also be solved. Apart

from harnessing the assets of the residents, the skill sets of volunteers should also be tapped

on. Volunteers with certain talents or interests, like art, music, dance, writing or

photography, should be encouraged to propose activities for the residents. Renci’s

engagement with Singapore Police Force (SPF) is a good example of such asset-based

activities. SPF K-9 trainers make monthly visits to Ren Ci Nursing Home with their friendly

police dogs, spending an hour with those residents who love dogs. Sharing such examples

with the youth would motivate them to come up with activities that they themselves would

enjoy and could share with the residents. By tapping into the expertise of both the

volunteers and the residents, more meaningful activities that engage both parties could be

created, fostering commitment to these volunteering activities. Developing volunteering


activities that both volunteers and residents would enjoy could help create meaningful

volunteerism.

The interests of the residents, discussed earlier in the profiling exercise, should also

be considered. Of all the activities that were highly rated, sporting activities stood out for

their high but currently unfulfilled demand. Though many of Ren Ci’s residents are no

longer physically mobile and have issues engaging in strenuous physical activity, modifying

activities to retain the fun spirit of competitive sports could be considered. Sporting

activities could be modified to make them suitable for wheelchair- or bed-bound residents.

Modified games such as wheelchair balloon volleyball, table bowling, or pass-the-parcel

memory games could be played. Wii games could also be used as a substitute for sports,

with tournaments held between residents on the sponsored Wii console in Ren Ci Nursing

Home. Such interesting and innovative activities could be made feasible with the help of

volunteers.

Conclusion

Ren Ci currently has a pool of committed and dedicated volunteers who contribute

time, effort and money to serve and work with Ren Ci’s patients and residents. With a strong

volunteer management system in place, Ren Ci has a wide range of activities and volunteer

groups that support its work. Ren Ci’s success in maintaining a strong volunteer network

can be attributed to three key factors (see Figure 23) – the supportive volunteer

environment that Ren Ci provides, the engaged volunteers who come forward to serve, and

the volunteers’ dedication to enhance the well-being of the patients and residents. In

particular, the first factor – from the on-the-ground nurses whom volunteers come into

contact with, to the staff in the Fundraising and Volunteer Development – has been

mentioned by many volunteers to be valuable in helping them carry out their volunteer

activities.


Figure 23. Summary of Ren Ci’s success

As the bulk of my research has been carried out in Ren Ci Nursing Home, the

applicability of the recommendations to the two other branches in Ren Ci – Community

Hospital and Long Term Care – needs to be qualified. These two branches serve patients

with different needs, and hence the nature of activities and volunteers required would also

differ. This research focuses on youth volunteerism, and considers the unique strengths that

youth can bring to the patients and residents of Ren Ci. Nevertheless, the strengths of other

volunteers, such as homemakers who have the time and ability to volunteer, should

definitely not be discounted.

With measures in place to change the way in which nursing homes are envisioned, the

conception and model of volunteering in nursing homes has enormous potential to be

changed and improved upon. Going forward, Singapore can take a leaf out of care facilities

in the Netherlands, where nursing home residents are given more autonomy and freedom

to make their own lifestyle choices. This is a departure from current nursing home models

in Singapore, which have been criticized for being too institutionalized (Tan, 2016). With a

change in how nursing homes function, it is hoped that volunteering practices will adapt

and become a meaningful albeit never-ending work-in-progress in Ren Ci.

Success

Supportive Ren Ci

environment

Engaged volunteers

Meeting real needs of

patients & residents


References

Future Problem Solving Program Singapore. (2011). Community problem solving.

Retrieved from http://fpsp.org.sg/programs/community-problem-solving

Kemp, S. (2015, January 21). Digital, social & mobile in 2015. We Are Social. Retrieved

from http://wearesocial.sg/blog/2015/01/digital-social-mobile-2015/

Kok, X. H. (2015, May 25). Are youth really not volunteering enough? The Straits Times.

Retrieved from http://news.asiaone.com/news/singapore/are-youth-really-not-

volunteering-enough?nopaging=1

Mathie, A., & Cunningham, G. (2003). From clients to citizens: Asset-based community

development as a strategy for community-driven development. Development in

Practice, 13, 474-486.

Ministry of Health. (2016). Intermediate and long-term care (ILTC) services. Retrieved

from

https://www.moh.gov.sg/content/moh_web/home/our_healthcare_system/Healt

hcare_Services/Intermediate_And_Long-Term_Care_Services.html

National Volunteer & Philanthropy Centre. (2015). Individual giving survey 2014.

Retrieved

fromhttp://www.nvpc.org.sg/Portals/0/Documents/Research%20and%20Public

ations/2014/IGS%202014%20Topline/IGS%202014_Topline.pdf

National Youth Achievement Award Council. (2016). National Youth Achievement Award.

Retrieved from http://www.nyaa.org/

Ren Ci Hospital. (2016a). About us. Retrieved from http://www.renci.org.sg/about-us/

Ren Ci Hospital (2016b). Our services. Retrieved from http://www.renci.org.sg/our-

services/

Ren Ci Hospital (2016c). Volunteers. Retrieved from http://www.renci.org.sg/volunteers/

Tan, W. (2016, January 24). Dutch-style care facilities offer independent living. The Straits

Times. Retrieved from http://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/dutch-style-care-

facilities-offer-independent-living


National Youth Council. (2016). Youth Expedition Project (YEP). Retrieved from

https://www.resourceportal.nyc.sg/nycp//ShowProperty//WLP%20Repository/

nyc/grants/Youth%20Expedition%20Project%20Grant

https://www.resourceportal.nyc.sg/nycp/ShowProperty/WLP%20Repository/nyc/grants/Youth%20Expedition%20Project%20Grant

https://www.resourceportal.nyc.sg/nycp/ShowProperty/WLP%20Repository/nyc/grants/Youth%20Expedition%20Project%20Grant


Appendix A: Ren Ci Youth Volunteer Survey

REN CI YOUTH VOLUNTEER SURVEY

Name

Volunteer Group/Activity

Ren Ci is interested in learning about your experience volunteering with us. The

feedback you provide through this survey enables us to evaluate and strengthen

our volunteer management program. We sincerely appreciate you taking the

time to provide us with your comments and suggestions.

1 Which age group do you belong to?

13 – 16 17 – 20

21 – 25 26 – 30

31 – 35

2 What is your occupation?

Full-time student (Please go to Q3)

Employed (Please go to Q4)

Unemployed (Please go to Q5)

3 Which educational institution do you attend?

Secondary school Junior College/Pre-University

Polytechnic Institute of Technical Education

University

4 Which sector of work are you in?

__________________________________________________________________

5 How long have you been volunteering at Ren Ci?

6 months or less 6 to 12 months

1 to 2 years 2 years and above


6 How often do you volunteer at Ren Ci?

Several times a week Weekly

Fortnightly Monthly

Ad Hoc Others: _________________________

7 How did you FIRST learn about volunteer opportunities at Ren Ci?

Ren Ci website From a friend

Media/Social media At work/school

Ren Ci staff/volunteer Personal Experiences

Others: ______________________

8 On a scale of 1 to 6, please rate what motivated you to volunteer by ticking the box that best represents how you feel.

No

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1 2 3 4 5 6 0

I wanted to learn something new.

I felt that I should give back to society.

I wanted to help people.

I wanted to improve my resume/VIA records.

I saw it as the opportunity to make a difference.

It fulfills my moral principles.

I wanted to occupy my free time.


It was a requirement/expectation by my school/company.

Other reasons:

9 On a scale of 1 to 6, please rate the extent to which these issues were a problem for you throughout the volunteering experience.

No

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1 2 3 4 5 6 0

I could not communicate well due to language barriers. (e.g. dialects)

I was unsure as to how to approach the elderly.

I felt that the activities I prepared were unsuitable.

I felt that my activities were not sufficiently engaging.

I was unsure of the needs of the elderly.

Other issues:

10 How did you overcome some of the abovementioned problems?

_______________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________


11 Please provide your opinion about the Ren Ci volunteer environment by

ticking the box that best represents how you feel.

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1 2 3 4 5 6 0

I received adequate training before carrying out my tasks.

I have the support and guidance I need to accomplish my volunteer activities.

The volunteer environment is professional and pleasant.

I feel that my work is making a difference.

I feel that my efforts are being/have been recognized and appreciated.

I am able to share my ideas/ suggestions/comments to the staff freely.

I am treated properly and with respect.

Ren Ci makes an effort to make me feel that I am a valuable member of the organization.

My volunteer job gives me a sense of accomplishment.

Ren Ci is an excellent place to volunteer.

I would recommend Ren Ci to a friend as a place to volunteer.


12 Considering your Ren Ci experience, please evaluate the extent to which

your volunteer work at Ren Ci has had an impact on you.

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My volunteer work has: 1 2 3 4 5 6 0

Allowed me to use my skills and abilities to do meaningful work.

Increased my self-confidence and interpersonal skills.

Improved my relationship with the elderly around me.

Helped me develop a social network with other volunteers and paid staff.

Increased my awareness of community needs.

Increased my involvement in other areas of community engagement.

Other areas of impact:

13

12

How would you rate your overall volunteer experience with Ren Ci?

Excellent Good

Fair Poor

14 Will you continue volunteering at Ren Ci in the future?

Yes, Why? ______________________________________________________________________

No, Why? ______________________________________________________________________

15 Are there any suggestions or comments you would like to share? (e.g.

activities that can be done, how to better engage youth volunteers)

__________________________________________________________________________________

THANK YOU!


Appendix B: Summary of results for Ren Ci Youth Volunteer Survey

1. Which age group do you belong to?

Age Group Number of Responses Percentage of Responses

13-16 7 6%

17-20 91 74%

21-25 23 19%

26-30 1 1%

31-35 1 1%

2. What is your occupation?

Occupation Number of Responses Percentage of Responses

Full-time Student 118 96%

Employed 3 2%

Unemployed 2 2%

3. Which educational institution do you attend?

Educational Institution Number of Responses Percentage of Responses

Secondary School 6 5%

Institute of Technical

Education

9 7%

Junior College/Pre-

University

18 15%

Polytechnic 47 38%

University 41 33%


5. How long have you been volunteering at Ren Ci?

Duration Number of Responses Percentage of Responses

6 months or less 119 97%

6 to 12 months 3 2%

1 to 2 years 1 1%

2 years and above 0 0%

6. How often do you volunteer at Ren Ci?

Educational Institution Number of Responses Percentage of Responses

Several times a week 2 2%

Weekly 13 11%

Fortnightly 4 3%

Monthly 4 3%

Ad Hoc 98 80%

Other 2 2%

7. How did you FIRST learn about volunteer opportunities at Ren Ci?

Channel Number of

Responses

Percentage of

Responses

Ren Ci website 7 6%

From a friend 24 20%

Media/Social media 1 1%

At work/school 87 71%

Ren Ci staff/volunteer 3 2%

Personal experiences 1 1%

Other 0 0%


8a. On a scale of 1 to 6, please rate what motivated you to volunteer by ticking the box

that best represents how you feel.

No

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1 2 3 4 5 6 0

I wanted to learn something

new.

2 3 10 31 45 26 6

2% 2% 8% 25% 37% 21% 5%

I felt that I should give back to

society.

0 2 2 16 45 55 3

0% 2% 2% 13% 37% 45% 2%

I wanted to help people. 0 1 2 12 39 66 3

0% 1% 2% 10% 32% 54% 2%

I wanted to improve my

resume/VIA records.

18 18 18 30 20 9 10

15% 15% 15% 24% 16% 7% 8%

I saw it as the opportunity to

make a difference.

0 2 9 22 44 41 5

0% 2% 7% 18% 36% 33% 4%

It fulfills my moral principles. 0 0 9 27 47 37 3

0% 0% 7% 22% 38% 30% 2%

I wanted to occupy my free time 21 13 22 34 19 8 6

17% 11% 18% 28% 15% 7% 5%

It was a

requirement/expectation by my

school/company.

15 19 17 22 26 12 12

12% 15% 14% 18% 21% 10% 10%

Other reasons : Talk to elderly

Good way to spend time

Learn about the living conditions at Ren Ci


9. On a scale of 1 to 6, please rate the extent to which these issues were a problem for

you throughout the volunteering experience.

No

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1 2 3 4 5 6 0

I could not communicate well

due to language barriers. (e.g.

dialects)

11 19 20 42 10 12 0

9% 15% 16% 34% 15% 10% 0%

I was unsure as to how to

approach the elderly.

5 24 30 30 26 8 0

4% 20% 24% 24% 21% 7% 0%

I felt that the activities I

prepared were unsuitable.

16 29 27 28 11 4 8

13% 24% 22% 23% 9% 3% 7%

I felt that my activities were not

sufficiently engaging.

9 28 31 33 14 3 5

7% 23% 25% 27% 12% 2% 4%

I was unsure of the needs of the

elderly.

6 18 32 37 21 8 1

5% 15% 26% 30% 17% 7% 1%


10. How did you overcome some of the abovementioned problems?

Asked for assistance

From staff: Asked therapists/nurse for help when unsure Asked the nurses what to do. Try to get some information from nurse or their family first.

Then start the conversation. Asked the staff Asking the staff for help Ask them more questions and seek help from nurses about

their needs. By pairing up with my supervisor (I am an intern

accompanying my supervisor)

From experienced volunteers: Ask help from older members with better dialects Our seniors also gave us good advice and reassurance before

our visit. Approach veteran volunteers for advice. Talk to the organisers

From friends: My friends with me would help translate what I don't

understand. Friends helped with different dialects. and we tried to think

from an elderly's point of view when preparing activities and if we were unsure which activities to take in, we would just decide to talk with them.

Friends who speak the language helped translate. With help and moral support from my friends/classmates. Get friends who could speak the language to attend to the

elderly. Changed activity to suit elderly. Seek help from peers. Think of common topics. With the help of friends Volunteers help each other Got a friend who could speak Chinese/dialects. Friends helped translate. Use actions. Getting people who know the dialect. Got a Chinese friend to accompany and used hand gestures. Try to ask help from friends that speak Mandarin Asking my friend to translate Tried to communicate through my friend's translation. My partner was chinese so she was able to help out with the

interaction. Find a friend that can speak Mandarin.


I approach the patients with friends who are able to converse in Mandarin or Malay

I try to approach the elderly with friends that are able to speak different languages.

Self-improvement (Lessons/self-learnt)

Lessons: Took some language lessons offered through the

volunteering programme at Ren Ci and outside. Self-learnt: I tried to learn dialects. As time passed, I became more

confident with the elderly. Learning the languages, improving my speaking skills Learning the dialects. Use google translate, hand language and seek help from

friends. Tried using google translator while communicating Use Google Translate and force myself out of my comfort

zone Increased communication to facilitate understanding

Talking to the elderly enabled me to better anticipate and understand their needs.

I try my best to communicate with the elderly. By entertaining the elderly every time when I visit, I can

understand what they need, how to communicate with them, and improve our relationship. Spending more time with them removes the feeling of talking to strangers for them.

Keep trying to communicate with the elderly. Try to talk more and play together. Got more familiar with their needs over time. Keep trying and observe if the elderly are willing to open up. Approaching the elderly and being aware of their needs

became more natural after the first day. The elderly could recognize us and were cooperative.

Have conversations with the elderly themselves. Communicated through common languages/ body language/ sign language/ smiling

Tried using Malay and English. Spoke to the elderly that I could communicate to. Tried to use a mix of sign language, broken Malay/Chinese

and English to communicate. A lot of smiling, sign language and rudimentary dialect if

needed. Interpret body language. Body Language. Body Language. Smile more and be more talkative. Just smiled even when I couldn't understand the elderly. Using body language instead Used broken Hokkien to get the elderly to teach me. I approached elderly that knows how to speak mandarin and

improvised.


Use hand gestures I try use hand gesture

Good conversation topics/ techniques

Tried to start on simple conversation topics e.g. meals Thought of more personal questions to build a closer

relationship. Figured out that sometimes a conversation is what they

need Tried to find topics the elderly are interested in. Build upon what the elderly talked about Asking few questions about their past, give an attentive ear

to them Ask few question Just continue to interact, any subject just brought up to

them, just get them talking with you or share their stories. I prompt them to talk and open up to me so that I could get

to know their problems. Even when I don't understand them I think just lending a

listening ear is important enough. Even though I couldn't understand what she is saying, I tried

to keep the conversation going by nodding my head, encouraging her to go on.

By talking to them Tried my best just talking. Try to talk to them with simple routine questions Find common topics of interest I tried to find connection through experiences and

knowledge we have Giving the elderly attention at the same time maintaining a

positive attitude and trying to empathize with them. Be a listening ear and smile Try to be attentive and listen.

Good interactive activities

I managed to find someone to play Chinese Chess with. With Chinese Chess Thought about suitable activities on the spot Thought about possible activities the elderly might enjoy

based on experience, their possible needs, and the best ways to address them.

Helped the elderly with the origami activity prepared as they couldn't fold it themselves.

Just giving them a listening ear and doing origami. The elderly likes old songs so we just sing for him on our

own. Be more proactive/ confident

Approaching the elderly Approach those who are easy going We approached the elderly in pairs so that we can help each

other out and will feel less awkward with the elderly.


Just approach and talk to the elderly. They usually react very positively when I showed the effort to engage.

By taking the first step, something amazing might just happen.

Make the first move, start the conversation. By hook or by crook, you will have to try it Just taking the first step to start Initiate the conversation During interaction By keeping up a high level of enthusiasm. Be spontaneous and proactive. Just did my best to communicate and be enthusiastic. Open minded, with more experience will help Try my best and just do it. Learn to be confident. I try to be friendly as possible. Engage more with the elders and make initiatives Break down the social barrier. Be confident and ask question Have the courage to speak out. Be open minded and communicate with the patients.

Be more flexible

Think on the spot and change the activities according to the needs of the elderly and the situations.

Instead of going ahead with our ideal plans, we decided to spend most of the time talking to the elderly instead, as we realised that they prefer talking to us than playing some of the games.

We did not carry out the activities that we planned to do with them, but we just spent time talking to them and understanding them better.

We planned to play chess, in the end we talked to the elderly.

We tried talking different elderly and work together as a group

Constantly providing them with a listening ear. Scrape whatever we planned to do and just spend time chit-

chat with them Go with the flow Be flexible and improvise based on situations. Talk to them about their experiences instead of carrying out

the activities we prepared Others I got lucky and managed to find people who were receptive.

The elderly turned out to very willing to share. I just be myself and treat the elderly like my own

grandparents. Trial and error


11. Please provide your opinion about the Ren Ci volunteer environment by ticking the

box that best represents how you feel.

Str

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1 2 3 4 5 6 0

I received adequate training before carrying out my tasks.

3 8 21 35 39 8 9

2% 7% 17% 28% 32% 7% 7%

I have the support and guidance I need to accomplish my volunteer activities.

1 1 3 34 60 19 5

1% 1% 3% 34% 60% 19% 5%

The volunteer environment is professional and pleasant.

0 0 1 19 64 37 2

0% 0% 1% 15% 52% 30% 2%

I feel that my work is making a difference.

2 1 7 23 49 40 1

2% 1% 6% 19% 40% 33% 1%

I feel that my efforts are being/have been recognized and appreciated.

1 1 0 29 53 38 1

1% 1% 0% 24% 43% 31% 1%

I am able to share my ideas/ suggestions/comments to the staff freely.

0 0 3 36 44 33 7

0% 0% 2% 29% 36% 27% 6%

I am treated properly and with respect.

0 0 0 12 52 57 2

0% 0% 0% 10% 42% 46% 2%

Ren Ci makes an effort to make me feel that I am a valuable member of the organization.

0 0 3 22 58 32 8

0% 0% 2% 18% 47% 26% 7%

My volunteer job gives me a sense of accomplishment.

0 1 5 15 56 42 4

0% 1% 4% 12% 46% 34% 3%

Ren Ci is an excellent place to volunteer.

0 0 4 17 62 37 3

0% 0% 3% 14% 50% 30% 2%

I would recommend Ren Ci to a friend as a place to volunteer.

0 0 4 17 53 47 2

0% 0% 3% 14% 43% 38% 2%


12. Considering your Ren Ci experience, please evaluate the extent to which your

volunteer work at Ren Ci has had an impact on you.

No

t at

all

To

a g

reat

ex

ten

t

Do

es n

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app

ly

1 2 3 4 5 6 0

Allowed me to use my skills and abilities to do meaningful work.

0 2 5 42 45 25 4

0% 2% 4% 34% 37% 20% 3%

Increased my self-confidence and interpersonal skills.

0 1 6 27 60 26 3

0% 1% 5% 22% 49% 21% 2%

Improved my relationship with the elderly around me.

0 0 5 21 49 42 6

0% 0% 4% 17% 40% 34% 5%

Helped me develop a social network with other volunteers and paid staff.

4 3 11 37 41 20 7

3% 2% 9% 30% 33% 16% 6%

Increased my awareness of community need.

0 1 5 23 51 41 2

0% 1% 4% 19% 41% 33% 2%

Increased my involvement in other areas of community engagement.

0 1 11 30 43 33 5

0% 1% 9% 24% 35% 27% 4%

13. How would you rate your overall volunteer experience with Ren Ci?

Rating Number of Responses Percentage of Responses

Excellent 49 40%

Good 71 58%

Fair 3 2

Poor 0 0%

14. Will you continue volunteering at Ren Ci in the future?

Yes No

Yes. Got to learn useful skills for the future No. Busy with studies

Yes. It is a great experience and I love

interacting with the elderly here.

No. Already volunteering with another

organisation.


Yes. It is meaningful and rewarding to

work with the elderly.

No. Most patients can only speak dialects

or Chinese and I find it hard to interact

with them.

Yes. It is meaningful and enjoyable to

interact with the elderly.

No. I feel that my inability to properly

communicate with the residents

disallows me from truly helping.

Yes. I think that it's meaningful and we

have gotten to know the elderly.

No. I'm not comfortable interacting with

patients.

Yes. It is meaningful and enjoyable. No. Already volunteering with another

organisation.

Yes. It is enjoyable. No. Already volunteering with another

organisation.

Yes. It is fulfilling. Yes and No. Enjoy interacting with the

elderly but not very good at

communicating with elderly. Problems

with language.

Yes. I can help more people. No. I'm not naturally inclined towards

welfare help.

Yes. I feel happy when I help people who

are in need.

No. Language barriers, can't speak

Chinese.

Yes. I like to push the elderly. No. I'm not suited to working with the

elderly.

Yes, if there's a chance in the future. No. I'm currently involved with other

organizations.

Yes. I love helping the elderly and the

needy.

No. Time commitment.

Yes. I feel happy helping the elderly. No. Alas, time constraint

Yes. Happy to see them. No. But if I can squeeze time, I will still

choose to volunteer at Ren Ci.

Yes. I feel like I'm making a difference No. But if I can squeeze time, I will still

choose to volunteer at Ren Ci.

Yes. I can spend my time meaningfully

Yes

Yes

Yes. Engage them if I have time.

Yes. Still slightly hesitant, but the old folks

here are fun to banter with.

Yes. To play Chinese Chess.

Yes. Ren Ci has a conducive environment.

Yes

Yes. Staff are friendly and approachable,

worthy cause to volunteer with


Yes. Good and comfortable environment.

Yes. The time spent was too short to make

an impact on the elderly.

Yes and No. Enjoy interacting with the

elderly but not very good at

communicating with elderly. Problems

with language.

Yes. To provide any help Ren Ci patients

need.

Yes. I want to help the patients at Ren Ci.

Yes. It is a stress-free environment to work

in.

Yes. Meaningful and hope to continue the

relationship with the old folks that I

interacted with.

Yes. Great satisfaction in serving and

helping others in need.

Yes. I would like to continue to bring cheer

into the elderly's lives.

Yes. Elderly are very cute and I wish to

have more contact.

Yes. Good volunteering experience.

Yes. There are many more others to reach

out to.

Yes. I empathise with the elderly's

problems

Yes. To better understand the needs of the

elderly and to contribute in whatever way I

can.

Yes. Feel for the elderly, want to see them

smile.

Yes. It's a very personal experience.

Yes. I find it meaningful to engage with the

old folks here.

Yes. To learn more about how to help the

elderly

Yes.

It was enjoyable and I feel emotionally

attached to the elderly, especially towards

those whom I have interacted with.

Yes. Give back to society.

Yes


Yes

Yes. I love to contribute to society.

Yes. Seeing people smile makes me happy.

Yes. I want to make the elderly know there

are people who care for them, not only

their children or nurse and also help them

kill time to let them memorable memories.

Yes. The environment is comfortable and

suitable.

Yes. The elderly are very friendly here.

Yes. A practical place to stay on

Yes. You reap what you sow.

Yes. I want to communicate with the

elderly more.

Yes. Interaction and learning.

Yes. To help.

Yes. Why not?

Yes

Yes. Why not?

Yes. I want to have an impact on the

elderly.

Yes if time permits

Yes. It is always great to give back we'll

never know what we may receive will be

greater.

Yes. No comments

Yes. Can help old people and I am happy

here

Yes. It is a nice environment with good

support staff.

Yes. I would like to make a difference in the

elderly's life :)

Yes. To have continuity after the YEP trip

Yes. A requirement for my school project

and I want to contribute to society.

Yes. To know more about how the folks

feel.

Yes. The elderly here do not have that

much activities so doing something during

their free time would bring joy.

Yes. It's a good experience


Yes. Very experiencing

Yes. I want to volunteer

Yes. I feel that I can continue to contribute.

Yes. Continue to serve my country, elderly

Yes. Giving back to community

Yes. I realised the elderly just need a

listening ear and all of them seemed lonely.

Yes. To make them happy :)

Yes. It is a fruitful experience.

Yes. It was very enriching and fulfilling.

Yes. Interesting and I love helping.

Yes. Cause I want to.

Yes. I enjoy it.

Yes

Yes. It was rewarding.

Yes. Good opportunity to interact with the

elderly.

Yes. It is a fulfilling activity.

Yes. I have learnt a lot from the

experiences shared by the elderly and this

has allowed me to reflect and become

more willing to be involved in CIP.

Yes

Yes. Perhaps after A levels. Will come with

friends again.

Yes. If given the time, I will want to talk to

more elderly and to know more about

them.

Yes. I think it is meaningful.

Yes. I think the environment here is good

and the elderly here are friendly and

approachable.

Yes. On an adhoc basis

Yes. The staff are very nice.

Yes. The staff and elderly are friendly.

Yes. It was fun.

Yes. Staff are very friendly.

Yes. It was enjoyable talking to the elderly

and it was satisfying to make them happy.

Yes. I feel that old people need a listening

ear.


Yes. Because the elderly is friendly.

Yes. Well informed, organised, meaningful

Yes. It was fruitful to spend time with the

elderly.

Total: 104 Responses Total: 13 Responses

15. Are there any suggestions or comments you would like to share? (e.g. activities that can

be done, how to better engage youth volunteers)

Greater

outreach

Perhaps greater outreach to schools to raise awareness and

recruit more volunteers. Opening up regular slots to those

volunteers who initially started with ad hoc activities.

Spreading awareness among the volunteering and interacting

with the elderly.

Make it more public.

Public awareness of activities.

Use social platform.

Teens need to be able to empathize with the elderly. It would help

attract more volunteers. Spreading more awareness about what

Ren Ci does and how to volunteer.

Using social media platform to better encourage and engage

youth volunteers.

Educate them to sympathize and feel from elderly' perspective

Better information channels.

A partnership with USP. Do more Flag events.

Volunteer

training

Teach youth volunteers dialects to better prepare them.

Simple dialect training or provide a list of people indicating their

dialect, so we know who we can approach.

A guide/handbook for dialects and basic things to observe when

interacting with the elderly.

Prepare youth volunteers more sufficiently, teach them dialects.

There should be a translator to translate the language for those

who don't understand.

To have language workshops

Some simple books at the sides for language barriers, like how to

say 'how do you do?' in Cantonese


Better

activities

Maybe we can have some other CIP activities such as cleaning or

decorating the wards

I think more activities like the Bingo session on Friday should be

conducted. The elderly really enjoyed playing bingo. Perhaps a

Chinese chess session could be implemented. Ren Ci can tie up

with schools for VIA activities. The elderly enjoyed our company

very much and were happy that we were there to talk to them.

More activities can be planned to engage the patients.

Make it more lively. Sing a long session for patients that can

move around or sing at the ward.

Plan for something that can cater to a more general crowd (i.e.

English songs instead of just Chinese songs just because the

population is largely Chinese) Also, expect rejections

No bingo, more older songs, include English songs

Activities done with the elderly should not need much effort and

can be done when their on bed

Try to design activities that can really engage elderly i.e. simply

games, old songs

Human horse racing is a good idea

There is room for improvements in terms of entertainment and

commitment.

Better

organization

Better communication between the planning committee and the

staff.

Not many patients were awake and available to interact with.

Inform the patients that the volunteers are coming.

Others Attach one volunteer to a group of elderly that get along.

Those patients who I talked to wanted a greater variety of food.

Ren Ci was very welcoming

I hope the programme can be extended.


Appendix C: Interview questions for volunteers

1. How long have you been volunteering at Ren Ci?

2. How often does your group come down to volunteer?

3. How does a typical volunteer session run and what is your role in these

volunteer sessions?

4. Where do you get your materials and resources (food, prizes etc)?

5. How has your volunteer experience been so far? Have there been any difficulties

or areas that you think can be improved upon?

6. How do you think the elderly find your activities?

7. Has your group thought about coming down more often to have more frequent

or more sessions?


Appendix D: Observations of volunteer activities

Ren Ci Nursing Home

NUS Community Service Club

Description Observation

Who: Members of NUS CSC in the

Ethelonther orientation camp

When: One-off

To Whom: All wards

Did ward based activities in groups of 6. Prepared

their own handmade puzzles, paper cups to play

game, and origami paper to fold paper cranes. Chit

chatted with those who didn't want to do activities.

Awkward at first, but many took the initiative to

spread out and talk to many elderly. Those able to

speak dialect could interact better.

Project Aurelia

Who: Sec 2 RGS girls doing their

Community Problem Solving

project.

When: Weekly

To Whom: Ward 503 interaction

Had activities planned for each session, mainly Art

& Craft work (eg finger painting) with individual

residents. Sang on subsequent sessions - had a good

mix of English, Chinese and Malay songs and made

an effort to sing to most of the patients, especially

those who couldn’t do the activities.

Important for volunteers to test out their own

activities – eg wanted to do finger painting, but

didn't check if the paint was easy to wipe off. Tend

to be shy and huddle a lot, unsure with how to

handle the less responsive elderly

The students themselves mentioned that they felt

the elderly warmed up to them after seeing them for

2 weeks, though they are still not very attentive to

small details like pushing the tables closer to the

elderly, making sure they were comfortable etc.

Buddhist Fellowship + ITE Central + Taiji

Who: Students from ITE Central

who signed up; rotated

fortnightly.

Members of the Buddhist

Fellowship though this activity

now runs separate from the

Snacks distribution, karaoke session, bingo session

led by the students, followed by a Taiji session

teaching exercises on the wheelchair.

Some students were very good at interacting with

the elderly, translating the bingo into different


organization itself. Recruits

volunteers by word of mouth.

When: Every Friday.

To Whom: 30 selected residents

languages, while some tended to talk amongst

themselves and do the activities for the elderly.

However, in general they are all quite friendly and

good at handling the wheelchair.

Elderly mentioned the food and prizes from the

bingo game are good even if they are simple.

Art Therapy

Who: Elsie from Dulux

When: Once or twice a month

To Whom: Those interested in

gardening related or art activities

Decorated recycled 1.5L bottles and then planted

plants in them. Residents to take care of their own

plants.

K-9 trainers

Who: Singapore Police Force

When: Monthly

To Whom: Non-Muslim patients

who enjoy interacting with

animals

Residents enjoyed interacting with the dogs very

much. Police officers were also proactive in rotating

the dogs around and keeping the elderly

entertained.

Huan Le

Who: Homemakers and middle-

aged individuals (Started in 1988,

recruit by word of mouth)

When: Monthly


Singers from China perform Chinese and Hokkien

oldies for the residents. Give out food, which is

sponsored by others who don’t come for the

sessions (fruits, kueh, bread). Someone who is good

at making coffee makes it

I/C mentioned that it’s difficult for them to come

more than once a motnh as it’s hard to arrange for a

common slot.

Commented that they would like more residents to

join them (only had 20 that day when they used to

have 30+).

Shinnyo-en Singapore


Who: Members of Shinnyo-en

Singapore. Recruits volunteers by

putting up a signup sheet

monthly. Some have been

volunteering for over 10 years.

When: Monthly


Give out snacks and drinks throughout the session,

and make a conscious effort to ensure that the

snacks vary each session. Modified Bingo – as long

as someone gets a number, they will get a prize

(small snack). Karaoke, got a resident to hold a mic

and sing.

IC mentioned that it is hard to track the volunteers

– some bring kids, some just come once, some

irregular.

Memory Group Activity

Who: Lucie (psychologist from

France) and assisted by 2 other

volunteers

When: Weekly, in total a 10-week

programme


Run weekly cognitive stimulation activities such as

recalling the day, date, and each other’s names.

Visual-spatial recognition activities (eg copying

pictures with increasing difficulty) and memory

activities like getting them to identify pictures and

tell stories (eg samsui women, dumplings). The 3

then get together to review on a rubric the cognitive

abilities of each patient (responsiveness, mood,

participation etc).

Commented on the limited outreach as their activity

is only for small groups and it ends after 10 sessions.

Many other patients who are deteriorating in

cognitive ability can be reached out to.

Ren Ci Long Term Care

Christofori (every Thu)

Who: 2 teachers from Christofori.

Joined as they were asked if they

were interested in doing CIP

when they applied for the job.

When: Weekly

To Whom: Selected residents

Didn't really engage the elderly. Just sang and

played the piano without talking to the elderly at all.

Claimed that they don't know if the patients are

responsive


Appendix E: Camp REConnection Post-Camp Survey

CAMP REC 2014 FEEDBACK

Age

School

We hope these four days have been great for you. We greatly appreciate your

feedback to help us improve the camp!

1 How did you hear about Camp REC?

From friends From school

From CCA From Facebook

Others

2 On a scale of 1 to 6, please rate what motivated you to join the camp.

No

t at

all

Im

po

rtan

t

Ext

rem

ely

Im

po

rtan

t

Do

es n

ot

app

ly

1 2 3 4 5 6 0


I am interested in interacting with the elderly.

I wanted to meet more people.




It was a requirement/ expectation by my school/company.

Other reasons:


3 On a scale of 1 to 6, please rate the extent to which you agree with the

following statements.

Str

on

gly

D

isag

ree

Dis

agre

e

Som

ewh

at

Dis

agre

e

Som

ewh

at

Agr

ee

Agr

ee

Str

on

gly

A

gree

Do

es n

ot

Ap

ply

1 2 3 4 5 6 0

The duration of the dialect/lang lessons was just right.

The number of dialect/lang lessons was just right.

The material taught was appropriate.

Dialect/lang lessons helped my interaction with the elderly.

The dialect/lang classes sparked my interest in the dialect.

Amazing Race helped me understand the elderly's life.

Amazing Race facilitated team bonding.

I enjoyed the Amazing Race.

The Experiential Learning session was meaningful.

Experiential Learning helped me better empathise with the elderly.


Reflections were meaningful.

The time allocated for reflections was just right.

Facilitators provided valuable insights to the sharing.

The Patchbook is a meaningful project.

Patchbook activities helped me interact with the elderly.

The Outdoor Activity (kite-flying) was appropriate.

The Outdoor Activity facilitated bonding with my elderly.

The Photo-Frame activity was appropriate.

The number of interaction sessions was just right.

The duration of the interaction sessions was just right.


4 On a scale of 1 to 6, please rate the extent to which these issues were a

problem for you during the elderly interaction.

No

t at

all

Im

po

rtan

t

Ext

rem

ely

Im

po

rtan

t

Do

es n

ot

app

ly

1 2 3 4 5 6 0



I felt that the activities prepared were unsuitable.


Other problems:

5 Have your views on the elderly changed in any way through this camp?

Please indicates Yes or No and explain why

__________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________


6 On a scale of 1 to 6, please rate the extent to which you agree with the following statements.

Str

on

gly

D

isag

ree

Dis

agre

e

Som

ewh

at

Dis

agre

e

Som

ewh

at

Agr

ee

Agr

ee

Str

on

gly

A

gree

Do

es n

ot

Ap

ply

1 2 3 4 5 6 0

The camp was well-organised.

I learnt useful skills from the camp.

I can better understand the needs of the elderly now.

7

1

2

How would you rate your overall camp experience?

Excellent Good

Fair Poor

8 Are there any suggestions or comments you would like to share?

____________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________

9 Will you volunteer at Ren Ci in the future?

Yes, Why? _______________________________________________________________________

No, Why? _______________________________________________________________________

10 Which sectors do you normally volunteer in?

Children Youths

Animals Environment

I don’t volunteer Others

THANK YOU!


Appendix F: Summary of results for Camp REConnection Post-Camp Survey

1. How did you hear about Camp REC?

Number of

Responses

Percentage of

Responses

From friends 2 6%

From CCA 5 16%

From school 19 61%

From Facebook 0 0%

Other 5 16%

2a. On a scale of 1 to 6, please rate what motivated you to join the camp.

No

t at

all

im

po

rtan

t

Ext

rem

ely

im

po

rtan

t

Do

es n

ot

app

ly

1 2 3 4 5 6 0


0 1 0 7 10 13 0

0% 3% 0% 23% 32% 42% 0%

I am interested in interacting with the elderly.

0 0 0 6 12 13 0

0% 0% 0% 19% 39% 42% 0%

I wanted to meet more people. 0 4 4 9 7 7 0

0% 13% 13% 29% 23% 23% 0%


4 6 6 7 5 0 3

13% 19% 19% 23% 16% 0% 10%


0 0 1 6 13 11 0

0% 0% 3% 19% 42% 35% 0%


3 6 4 4 9 3 2

10% 19% 13% 13% 29% 10% 6%

It was a requirement/ expectation by my school.

14 1 1 1 2 0 12

45% 3% 3% 3% 6% 0% 39%


2b. Are there any other reasons not mentioned above that motivated you to join?

Spend time in a

meaningful way/

Contribute to

society

Though I mentioned above that I wanted to occupy my free

time, I was more focused on spending my free time in a

meaningful way and not just wasting it away by watching

movies and dramas all day long.

I have always been interested in social work and wanted to

serve the society for a very good cause. Joining this camp also

meant that I will be able to pick up soft skills like

communication skills which are learnt in a large scale at

school. Why I wanted to participate in this camp was simply

due to genuine interest and will to contribute back to the

society, especially the less fortunate or disadvantaged such as

the elderly! Interest in healthcare and social work sector also

made me join this camp!

Joined with

friends

Joining with friends

Some of my friends joined the camp too

Interact with

elderly

I interacted with some elderly during my hospital stay:) they

were really nice and friendly, and I want to help them, but I

wasn't really mobile after my surgery, so I thought this was a

great platform!:)

I wanted to try interacting with elderly as i have not been

offered a chance before!

Learn how interact with the elderly more.

Learn new

languages

Was interested in learning some other languages plus my

friend wanted me to go to

Understand

elderly sector

It was an opportunity to better know the status of geriatric

health care in Singapore.

I want to see how elders live their daily life in a nursing

home.

I wanted to gain more insight into the elderly sector as I have

not really been exposed to it much.

Others It sounded fun


3 On a scale of 1 to 6, please rate the extent to which you agree with the following

statements.

Str

on

gly

D

isag

ree

Str

on

gly

A

gree

Do

es n

ot

app

ly

1 2 3 4 5 6 0

The duration of the dialect/lang lessons was just right.

0 0 6 12 10 3 0

0% 0% 19% 39% 32% 10% 0%

The number of dialect/language lessons was just right.

0 0 6 10 9 6 0

0% 0% 19% 32% 29% 19% 0%

The material taught was appropriate.

0 0 2 4 13 12 0

0% 0% 6% 13% 42% 39% 0%

Dialect/lang lessons helped my interaction with the elderly.

1 6 7 6 8 2 1

3% 19% 23% 19% 26% 6% 3%

The dialect/lang classes sparked my interest in the dialect.

0 1 3 5 11 11 0

0% 3% 10% 16% 35% 35% 0%

Amazing Race helped me understand the elderly's life.

1 3 9 10 6 2 0

3% 10% 29% 32% 19% 6% 0%

Amazing Race facilitated team bonding.

0 1 1 7 9 13 0

0% 3% 3% 23% 29% 42% 0%

I enjoyed the Amazing Race. 0 1 4 9 8 8 1

0% 3% 13% 29% 26% 26% 3%

The Experiential Learning session was meaningful.

0 0 0 4 4 22 1

0% 0% 0% 13% 13% 71% 3%

Experiential Learning helped me better empathise with the elderly.

0 0 0 2 7 21 1

0% 0% 0% 6% 23% 68% 3%

Reflections were meaningful. 0 0 2 5 13 11 0

0% 0% 6% 16% 42% 35% 0%

The time allocated for 0 1 3 4 12 11 0


reflections was just right. 0% 3% 10% 13% 39% 35% 0%

Facilitators provided valuable insights to the sharing

0 0 2 1 14 14 0

0% 0% 6% 3% 45% 45% 0%

The Patchbook is a meaningful project.

0 0 2 3 15 11 0

0% 0% 6% 10% 48% 35% 0%

Patchbook activities helped me interact with the elderly.

0 1 4 6 14 6 0

0% 3% 13% 19% 45% 19% 0%

The Outdoor Activity (kite-flying) was appropriate.

0 1 1 6 8 12 3

0% 3% 3% 19% 26% 39% 10%

The Outdoor Activity facilitated bonding with my elderly.

0 0 0 2 13 10 6

0% 0% 0% 6% 42% 32% 19%

The Photo-Frame activity was appropriate.

0 0 3 7 10 10 1

0% 0% 10% 23% 32% 32% 3%

The number of interaction sessions was just right.

0 0 5 7 13 6 0

0% 0% 16% 23% 42% 19% 0%

The duration of the interaction sessions was just right.

0 0 5 3 16 7 0

0% 0% 16% 10% 52% 23% 0%

4a. On a scale of 1 to 6, please rate the extent to which these issues were a problem for

you during the elderly interaction.

No

t at

all

im

po

rtan

t

Ext

rem

ely

im

po

rtan

t

Do

es n

ot

app

ly

1 2 3 4 5 6 0


12 3 4 2 4 2 4

39% 10% 13% 6% 13% 6% 13%


6 4 11 2 2 5 1

19% 13% 35% 6% 6% 16% 3%

I felt that the activities prepared 12 7 4 2 1 1 4


were unsuitable. 39% 23% 13% 6% 3% 3% 13%


5 6 11 4 2 2 1

16% 19% 35% 13% 6% 6% 3%

4b. Are there any other problems not mentioned above that was a concern?

Leaving other residents

out

Sometimes I felt sad that maybe other residents

in the ward might feel left out while the few of

us were interacting with a specific resident,

although sometimes we moved on to interact

with the other residents.

Other problems with

communication/

conversations

How to communicate to those who cannot

talk/hear

Could not hear the elderly

Maybe can include simple sign language!

Sometimes the elderly can be unclear in their

pronunciation and it can be difficult to

understand them.

When physical disabilities really inpair them

from even conversing, it can be hard to interact

if there isn't a common activity that can engage

both the volunteer and the resident

Trying to have a common topic but can't be

help due to the lack of experience

How to end a conversation with an elderly

politely when u have to leave.

Other problems during

interaction

The kite flying was too hot for some of the

elderly and since the kite wont fly, it was quite

boring for some of them

Apart from the above mentioned problems, my

partner and I also faced different situations

whereby the elderly was reluctant to interact

with us. It was perhaps the language barrier or

generation gap that made them felt less

comfortable taking to us. But nevertheless, it

was only a minority, majority were actually

very responsive and active!

5. Have your views on the elderly changed in any way through this camp?


Yes No

Yes. I think the elderly are nice people now. No

Yes. They are not a group of people that we

should pity but individuals who have very

interesting stories to share and learn from!

No

Yes. I experienced the difficulties elderly

people faced in their everyday lifes and now

admire and respect their resilience and

optimism towards facing their problems

No, they remained as inspirational as they

had been in my impression

Yes. I always thought the elderly would not

be keeping in touch with what is happening

outside in the current world. But I was

proved wrong. Not all are like that. To

many, age is just a number and they believe

that there is no age limit to learn. I also

realized that many of them, though they

have certain issues, there are still optimistic

about life and are determined to get well as

soon as possible. Which made me think that

I shouldn't be worrying much about my

current problems that are really small.

Not much. I have always never looked

down on the elderly before. However after

this camp I have realised just how similar

the elderly are to us in terms of passions

and interests for example.

Yep. Was quite surprised that I was able to

sustain a fairly long conversation with the

resident I was assigned to since that was

one area I thought I'd have difficulty in

prior to interacting with him, so it made me

realize that chatting with an elderly may

not be that difficult and that the stereotype

of elderly (especially those with

disabilities) as unapproachable is very

wrong.

Also, while I was visiting another ward with

my guitar, I chanced upon this resident

playing on his ukelele. He then went on to

play and sing like he was the happiest man

on earth (really). Made me realize how

much some of the elderly are still so

cheerful and optimistic despite their

various disabilities. Compared to our

stresses / problems in work / sch / family

they would probably have experienced /

Not really. I interact with them on a

regular basis due to my cca. But it did

make me realise the significance of the

challenges that most may face due to

physical and thus emotional challenges in

their life. Although that has only motivated

me further to try my best and aid them

when i can, whilst still seeing them as

nothing less than equals


are experiencing so much greater pain both

physically and emotionally, but yet they

move on. I think this is really very

admirable of them.

Yes. Before the camp, although I didn't

really think of them as inferior to us or

beneficiaries, I always thought that they

were more dependent, maybe due to the

physical disabilities of old age. They may

not be unable to do as much as we can, but

after interaction with the elderly in this

camp, I realised there is so much I can and

have to learn from them. There are some

things that they may need our help but I

had learnt so much from them in this camp.

They are very respectable and

knowledgeable. :)

Not really :P I interacted with them during

my 2 weeks hospital stay, so it was more

of less the same:) But what changed my

view was the attitude the youths had

towards them :P I saw some really patient

individuals, and I really got inspired!

Yes. Empathy!

Yes I no longer view them as a whole group

of underprivileged people but rather, very

unique individual just like any one of us.

Yes. I feel that they play a much more

important role than we thought they did.

Some of them may look fierce but if we

break down the barrier and take the first

step in talking to them or understanding

them, they actually will warm up to u. And

they are much easy to talk to. They can

provide useful life insights too!

Yes. Initially I was quite uncertain about

how to approach the elderly as I saw them

as being distant and that there was a divide

between us, but after this camp I realised

that some of them can be friendly and very

approachable. They are also independent

and still cherish life a lot. Hence, I've come

to see them not as beneficiaries who need

my help but rather a friend whom I can

offer my company to.

They are really nice and friendly people!

Yes. Before this camp, I actually think of

elderly as one who is less fortunate or


disadvantaged. But during the process of

interaction with them, I realized that they

are not different from us, or rather, they

have gone through many experiences and is

wiser in comparison to youngsters like us.

Yes! I have come to realise the many ways

in which they are just like us, from the

constant need for companionship to the

occasionally judgmental attitudes some of

them take to the people around them. It

really struck me how much we can learn

from them if we just take the time to listen

to them, something that admittedly does

take quite a bit of effort.

Yes, i realised that not all elders are really

fortunate to enjoy good health at old age.

Through this camp ,it made me realised that

some elders need to live with their illnesses

for life, which seems very tiring and painful.

Yes. Initially, I had the perception that the

elderly have very traditional mind-sets and

would not have much knowledge about the

modern music and games that we enjoy.

Hence, there will always be a generation

gap between us. Yet, after this camp, I

realise that the elderly are no different from

any of us. They know about such things as

much as we do and they enjoy listening to

such music we well.

Yes the camp has provided with an insight

as to how helpless the elderly feel when

their disability inconvenienced others with

activities that makes us move about while

in a wheelchair.

Yes. I saw them as frailer and more

lethargic than a regular person, both

mentally and physically, but I learnt that

they can be just as enthusiastic and have as

much mental fortitude as anyone else.

yes. I realised that they can be very cheerful

and energetic too.


Yes. I feel that it is important to

communicate well with the elderly now as I

witness many elderlies having difficulty

communicating with the foreign nurses in

the ward. Hence I feel that it is important

for youths and locals to play their part to

break the language barrier between the

foreign nurses and the elderly as well as to

provide companionship for the elderlies to

make their lives better.

Yes. To me I feel like they are the same like

us and need more company from us

Yes. I realised even sick elderly can be very

young at heart and act like your peers.

Yes. Before I thought the elderly were

mostly frail and bedridden, but now I

believe all they need is simply company.

Yes . I have learnt to understand their plight

more . They are resilient and impressive

pioneers.

Yes. This camp made me realise that

actually the elderly are quite easily satisfied

and happy as log as one is patient towards

them

yes. it provide us a perspective of how some

the the elderly live for the rest of their life

Total Responses: 25 Total Responses: 6


6. On a scale of 1 to 6, please rate the extent to which you agree with the following

statements.

Str

on

gly

D

isag

ree

Dis

agre

e

Som

ewh

at

Dis

agre

e

Som

ewh

at

Agr

ee

Agr

ee

Str

on

gly

A

gree

Do

es n

ot

Ap

ply

1 2 3 4 5 6 0

The camp was well-organised.

0 0 0 1 10 20 0

0% 0% 0% 3% 32% 65% 0%

I learnt useful skills from the camp.

0 0 0 2 9 20 0

0% 0% 0% 6% 29% 65% 0%

I can better understand the needs of the elderly now.

0 0 0 1 10 20 0

0% 0% 0% 3% 32% 65% 0%

7. How would you rate your overall camp experience?

Excellent

(26)

Good

(5)

Fair

(0)

Poor

(0)


8. Are there any suggestions or comments you would like to share?

Interaction More interaction sessions

I feel that more time should be allocated to spending

time with the elderly. The interaction sessions were

quite short and even the kite-flying session seemed quite

rushed.

More time allocated for spending time with elderly.

Amazing Race The amazing race wasnt really timed well so we cannot

utilise the activities that the camp organisers created

due to time constraints.

Amazing race was a bit hard to navigate

Dialect Lessons An area for improvement could be the dialect lessons.

Perhaps longer sessions with more practice during the

lesson or more number of lessons thoughout the day

can be of better help for an actual short conversation in

dialect to be possible. The lessons we had only taught

us the basics although I think it's a good starting point

for us to develop an interest in dialect, which I think is

the more important objective actually.

Another suggestion is to offer choices for the dialect

lessons instead of having us attend all of them, so that

less time is spent on the lessons and more time with the

elderly.

Experiential

Learning

Good job guys! I think that this camp is really an eye

opener, esp the simulation!:)

The experiential learning was a good eye opener imo

because I think very few of us actually know how it is

like to be in a wheelchair etc. It is a good platform for us

to rethink about how we treat and perceive not just the

elderly but also the physically disabled in the society.

Reflections The length of reflection sessions could be shortened as

well as buffer time between lunch and dialect lessons

etc.

Patchbook I felt that the patchbook activity wasn't really managed

well. Perhaps there wasn't enough time but I felt as

though the instructions were not very clear or the


participants were also not very prepared for it. Maybe

an example of a patchbook entry would help a lot or

more time allocations for participants to actually type it

out.

Video Making The video making activity was not a very good idea,

especially with the short amount of time for planning

and filming of the video :)

Unplugged Segment Lastly i thought the unplugged section was a good idea

haha

Food/ Attire I think the food was great :D

But I believe that making everyone wear the same

colored shirt kind of failed. Maybe can ask them to wear

dark colored shirts or something as many will have

those! Had so much in this camp by the way. (:

Others It would be good to let the participants to know the

flow of programmes as well.

A good bonding game seems to be Chinese Chess.

Positive Remarks The OT and Renci staff and nurses are really nice to us!

Thank you for organising such a meaningful camp!(:

Really want to thank the facils (and renci) for doing a

wonderful job organizing and executing this camp. I

came away from this camp with many more lessons and

realizations than I had expected.

Thanks!

You facils did an amazing job :)

I would like show my appreciation and gratitude to the

organizing team, especially the facilitator from NUS.

The camp director, my group leaders, we're all very

helpful, caring while having a great sense of humor. We

didn't have stress communicating our reflections out

and they felt like our friends. Thank you and I am

definitely looking forward to more of such volunteering

opportunities. Job well done!

I really enjoyed the camp.

The activities and the duration are perfect. It was great

planning and organization.


9. Will you volunteer at Ren Ci in the future?

Yes No Maybe

Yes. Because I volunteer

anywhere.

No. I feel that I do not

have the skills to make

them feel much happier

Maybe. Because I am

already attached with

another organization as I

am with the interact cca.

Yes. I enjoyed talking to

the elderly!

No. Other commitments. Maybe. Location.

Yes. Working with the

elderly is a fun and

meaningful experience

No as I am already

volunteering at another

place currently :)

Maybe. Due to proximity

reasons NUH seems like

a good choice, but I am

not against volunteering

at Ren Ci.

Yes. I have formed a

connection with some of

the elderly there and since

I have a choice of

volunteering on

Saturdays, it might be

really convenient for me

since I am still schooling~

No as i currently have

regular weekly

commitments at tembusu

elderly activities centre.

Yasss! Spending time with

the elderly really made

me feel happy:) I love how

they are so appreciative:)

if I have a chance, I would

definitely work with them

again in the near future:)

Psss: HAHAHAHA, why

don't y'all send out mails

if there are other

volunteer activities during

the hols!:D

No. I enjoyed my time

with the specific few

individuals I spent time

with, but in some wards,

the elderly were in

extremely frail states and

often screamed and

moaned in pain. Coupled

with the knowledge that I

could not relieve them of

the pain, it induced a

feeling of depression and

dread within me. As such,

I do not think I can

maintain a pleasant

mood in the presence of

elderly people in pain

and suffering.

Yes. Partly because I

became kind of


emotionally attached to

my resident oops. Also,

going around playing the

guitar and singing w some

of the residents also made

me really happy seeing

them so happy singing

songs they had sung in

their youth, so I hope I can

spread this joy to more

people and brighten up

their days :)

Yes because I am

interested in continuing

my interaction with the

elderly

Yes!

Yes. I found the

experience at Ren Ci very

meaningful and would like

to continue serving the

elderly there. Also, now

that I've overcome my

initial barrier in

interacting with the

elderly, I am more

confident and willing to

approach them now.

Yes. It would be really

nice to revisit the elderly

again. I realised it was

very fun to volunteer and


Definitely and

undoubtedly a definite

yes. I enjoyed the whole

process of interaction

with the elderly and I

found out that taking to

the elderly actually made

me wiser and more

matured. I enjoyed


volunteering and

definitely will continue to

serve and volunteer.

Yes. I have gained much

from my experiences and

would like to visit the

elderly again.

Yes, quite possibly. I

might find other

beneficiaries in the future,

but for the time being Ren

Ci does seem to be one of

the most reliable

beneficiaries that I know

of.

Yes,i would like to visit

the elderly again.

Yes, I realise that a simple

act of listening and talking

to the residents at Ren Ci

can brighten up their day

so much and this urges me

to volunteer again in the

future so as to continue

sharing the happiness to

more residents.

Yes. I feel that I have the

time to spare and it is a

meaningful thing to do.

Giving back to the society

is part of our

responsibility and in a

way this camp has

provided me with a venue

to do so. A lot of times,

youths do not go to Ren Ci

and apply to volunteer as

it seems a little

intimidating but this camp

exposes us to what we can

expect and makes the


whole process less

intimidating.

Yes. This camp made me

realise that I can make a

difference to the lives of

the elderly.

Yes, this is because I will

want to go back and


Yes if I have the time. The

elderly at the nursing

home especially require

more interaction and

things to occupy their

time.

Yes, it is a wonderful place

to spend my time in.

Yes

Yes . Each day is a

different experience when

I hear different stories of

the elderly . Making them

smile and brightening up

their day is really

meaningful .

Yup

Total: 23 Responses Total: 5 Responses Total: 3 Responses

10. Which sectors do you normally volunteer in?

0 3 6 9 12 15

Others

I don't volunteer

Environment

Animals

Youths

Children

HEARTBEATS

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