My First Skool Supports Club Rainbow

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IT’S ALL ABOUT THE CHILDREN

As an independent charity, we rely on donations from charitable members of the public and corporate partners to sustain our daily operations and enable us to offer quality services to our children and their families. We are thankful to have the continued support of companies and organisations who partnered us through fundraising, CSR initiatives, volunteerism and sponsorship. This month, we will be sharing more on our collaboration with some of these valuable partners who contribute their resources and expertise for the good of the society.

We caught up with Ms Thian Ai Ling, General Manager of My First Skool.

Hi Ai Ling, thank you for supporting our children and their families. Can you tell us more about why MFS chose to support Club Rainbow? 

AL: Both My First Skool (child-care service) and after-school (student-care service) are happy and honoured to be able to partner with Club Rainbow in 2019. As leaders and educators, we have always been working with young children and their families to provide care, support and development. Extending this, we know that staff working with children and youths in need should be supported and encouraged too. I myself have had experience working with other children’s charity and hence it was almost natural for us to connect with Club Rainbow. Each year, as the big My First Skool and afterschool come together as a group to celebrate our achievements for the year, as leaders and educators, we are also cognizant that we can do more as part of our CSR responsibility and contributions. Hence in early 2019, after a meeting with staff from Club Rainbow, we started planning for the various engagement activities we can create and implement in 2019 as a network of childcare and student care centres. 

1) A Blessing to Share 

We invited 25 Club Rainbow children and their caregivers to join us at our end-year appreciation and celebrations event on Friday 20 Dec, 3pm.  All of them were treated to a sumptuous high-tea.  

In addition, all of us as leaders (ADs, CQMs, SQS, Principals, Centre Supervisors, and Managers) sponsored gifts for the children of Club Rainbow.

 As proposed by Club Rainbow, we sponsored and shared gifts with the homebound and bedbound kids as there are less activities which they are able to participate in due to their condition, and our teams made visits to the homes of these kids to present the gifts to them between Sep to Nov 2019. 

2) Pay-it-Forward and Share Together (Food and necessities) 

For this special initiative, MFS Centres collected donations from children and their families and sharing the requested items with Club Rainbow.  

Engagement was done by our centre leaders and teachers with parents of MFS students for this donation after National Day 2019. 

I prepared a simple poster for all centres to use to engage staff and parents for this special effort. 

Can you share more about the experience you had with the donation drive for food rations? 

AL: The experience was definitely a very meaningful and rewarding one for all of us leaders and educators, as well as for our children and families. 

I received much feedback from my leaders to share how they have been encouraged and motivated by the Club Rainbow children. An example of a note from one of my Principals to me:

“Dear GM,

I just wanted to share my thoughts on this initiative. 

As I visited the family, and passed them the items and spent some time chatting with them, my heart goes out to these families who receive minimal support to look after their children with needs. Day-to-day, we fail to see how much others need more and go through more than what we do. The little things that happen in our lives seem huge and challenging, yet these people’s lives is harder than ours, yet they strive on to do the best and provide the best care for their child/children. 

It has been an inspiring moment for me, especially when I think that managing my twins is a chore, yet I see dedication like what I saw with the mother and her son who has Cerebral Palsy. That made me think a lot!

Thus, I want to thank you so much for allowing us to be part of this initiative, and in giving us this opportunity to give something to brighten up the child and his/her family! Truly, as you say, the happiest people are not those getting more, but those giving more! I am truly happy today.”

How has this CSR initiative benefited MFS and the people who are involved?

AL: Definitely this initiative had touched everyone in the My First Skool and after-school teams. Our children and parents had also shared that they found the initiative meaningful, provided them a chance to come together as a family to do something nice for others. Both staff and parents also added that this provided the unique opportunity for them to be role-models and to be able imbibe in young children life values like empathy, compassion and generosity through such values-in-action activities. I myself was really touched and impressed by the donations supported by our children and families, we collected so much over a short 2-week period. I was told by my leaders, even families with needs, came forward to share and donate what they can afford to, as they said that they like to be involved too.

Thank you leaders, staff, parents and students of My First Skool for your contributions!

Should your company or organisation wish to support our children and their families, please email us for a discussion: crscpm@clubrainbow.org

 #Collaboration #CorporateGiving #Corporate Social Responsibility #Ground-Up Movement

How can we help? - One man's approach in both business front and giving back to community...

A statement that resonates very closely to the heart for the team at Tee Hai Chem both on the business front and CSR initiatives.

The family-owned business succeeded by the second generation management decided to carry on their late father, Mr Han’s spirit of giving five years ago. The organisation formally set up a committee - Smile+Hope and organised their first CSR initiative in 2014.

We met up with Miss Han Aiqi, Senior Director, Business & HR to thank her, the management of Tee Hai Chem and the charity committee for their incredible support to Club Rainbow Singapore since 2017.

When asked how were charities selected by the committee, Miss Han replied ‘We have some criteria on selecting the charities. One such criterion would be in line with our theme for the year, preference for interaction between employees and the beneficiaries, etc.’ Through the recommendation of the committee for the theme on ‘Children’, Club Rainbow was selected as the charity for their CSR initiatives …

Read more - http://bit.ly/2IbzPTC-Tee_Hai_Chem

First published in Club Rainbow Singapore LinkedIn article.

Developing A Child’s True Potential

In Photo: Meena

In Photo: Gabriel

Born at 7 months, Gabriel was a pre-mature baby who suffered from a host of medical conditions. He joined Club Rainbow when he was less than a year old. Since then, we have been providing support to him and his family in various aspects.  About 2 years ago he started attending befriender tuition at our satellite centre located at KKH. Last year he was paired up with a new befriender tutor, Meena. For the past seven months, Meena has been spending 2 hours every week to tutor Gabriel and another child. Jasmine, Gabriel’s mother said: “Gabriel is not able to stay focus for long and he needs help to catch up with his school work. We are lucky to have Teacher Meena. She has been patient with him and within a short period of time, he has shown improvements in his academics. Now, he is able to write a short composition with minimal assistance and he has even started writing his own journal! His foundation in Math is also much stronger.”

The heart to help

All along, Meena enjoys working with children and spending time with them. As a mother herself, she wants to support the parents of special needs children and that motivated her to volunteer her time and skills as a befriender tutor.

“Being a befriender tutor has truly been a fantastic experience and I look forward to my sessions every week.” she shared.

As a Speech Therapist, Meena has a greater understanding of the challenges faced by children with special needs so she can modify her sessions accordingly. Diagnosed with a condition that impeded his speech, Gabriel used to be non-verbal until he went for a correction surgery. Thankfully, with the regular therapy sessions he received at Club Rainbow, he has shown marked improvements in his speech over time. To address Gabriel’s needs, other than working on academics, Meena will also work on improving Gabriel’s communication skills.

Challenges  

At times, it can be slightly challenging when the child is not in the mood to do work. When this happens, Meena will be very patient with her student and get the child to cooperate by offering small rewards and lots of praise and encouragement. Also, she will try to let her students learn at their own pace so that they can be more confident and enjoy the sessions.

What does it take to be a good befriender tutor?

“A tutor must be patient, empathetic and have a positive attitude. She must be able to understand the learning style of the student and be able to build his or her confidence. Most importantly the tutor
must enjoy teaching because watching the children you tutor progress is the most fulfilling and rewarding experience.”

“Gabriel is a smart child. His current performance in school has yet to reflect his true potential. He likes to use the laptop so I will be using technology more to engage him” Meena added.

Stay strong, stay positive, and never give up.

Children supported by Club Rainbow are faced with challenges in the constant battle with their medical conditions.  We spoke to our beneficiary, Xue Le, a 17-year-old teenager who never stops trying despite the
obstacles that she encounters. Read on to find out more.

1. Do you encounter challenges in your studies?

XL: I have Dyslexia which means I have difficulties in learning to read and interpret letters, words and other symbols. During lessons, when I try to read what is written on the whiteboard, the letter “P” will look like “B” or “D” to me, so a word will look like another word to me. I couldn’t fully understand what is being taught in class.

Due to another medical condition that I have, I sound different when I talk and other kids in my class will make fun of me. When this happens, I don’t feel like going to school.  

2. How long had you been attending our tuition program?

XL: About 6 years.

3. Did the tuition help you?

XL: Yes. The tuition played a part in helping me to understand all my subjects better. My grades improved and I was able to get into the course that I wanted.

4. You received an Education Award for Excellence despite the challenges you encounter. How did you manage to do it?

XL: Every day, I tell myself that I have to go to school to learn something new. I shouldn’t be affected by what other people think or say.  If I give up, I will fall way behind.

5. How has receiving the award benefitted you?

XL: With the cash award, I was able to purchase my course notes, school uniforms and meals in school. It motivated me not to give up on studying despite the challenges that I have. I tell myself to keep trying no matter what happens.

6. Any word of advice for children of Club Rainbow who may be facing difficulties in their studies?

XL: Persevere and just keep trying your best. As long as you strive to do your best, you will be able to succeed.

Don't stop believing in yourself!

Yi Jie was diagnosed with Thalassemia Major when he was 15-months-old. Our social worker, Sylvia, had been journeying with Yi Jie since he was a preschooler till he graduated last year, ensuring that he received the necessary supports he needed to live an enriching life. We caught up with Yi Jie to understand more about the educational assistance he received from Club Rainbow.

1) What have you been up to since you graduated from Club Rainbow?

YJ: I am studying in Nanyang Polytechnic School of Health and Social Sciences. This is my final year and I will be graduating in May.

2) When you were a beneficiary, did you attend tuition provided by Club Rainbow? ​

YJ: Yes, I attended tuition when I was in Primary and Secondary School. 

3) Do you face any difficulty in your studies due to your medical condition? ​

YJ: Growing up, I spent my days at KKH for regular check-ups and monthly blood transfusions. My weak
immune system meant that I had to be hospitalized on several instances. Now that I am older, I do occasionally fall sick due to my low immunity. But usually I will still attend school and take care of myself. Now,
I still have to go for blood transfusions every 4 weeks and I will try my best to arrange my medical appointment after school or on weekends. ​

4) Despite your medical conditions, you have shown resilience in pursuing your academics and has even received the Education Award several times. May I know which are the education awards that you had
received?

YJ: I had received several education awards from Club Rainbow such as the Progress Award for a few years
as my grades were always what I aimed for. ​

5) Has receiving the education awards helped you in any way? ​

YJ: The awards motivated me to challenge myself to do better every time. The cash I received went into my savings and was also used for the purchase of study materials.​

6) Any word of advice for children of Club Rainbow who may be facing difficulties in their studies due to their condition?

YJ: "Don't ever stop believing in yourself. When you fail, don't stop there. Get up and aim further."

Rewarding experience as a befriender tutor

How long have you been a befriender tutor? 

Amanda: About 3-4 years.​

What is your most memorable experience? ​

Amanda: There is no single most memorable experience but I have to say that the most fulfilling and rewarding experience is witnessing the progression of the two boys I’ve been tutoring - not only academically but more importantly, their character growth and attitude towards learning. 🙂​

Have you learnt or gained anything from your journey as a befriender tutor?  ​

Amanda: Definitely! There are always things to learn - being more creative and using different ways to motivate and guide the boys I’ve been tutoring, understanding how to communicate with teenagers and many more. But the biggest thing I’ve gained from this journey is my friendship with the family. We’ve built a relationship over the years and being with them through their highs and lows has taught me the value of family empowerment and working as a team. 🙂​

If there is one thing you would like to share with our children and their family, what would it be?​

Amanda: Tough times don’t last, tough people do. 🙂 Find something positive in your life daily and to quote Walt Disney, “The flower that blooms in adversity is the rarest and most beautiful of all.”

Traits of a befriender. Have you got it?

by Navya Singh, Content Contributor

Yay, you get to volunteer as a befriender! But wait, what are you supposed to do? What qualities do you need? What are the dos and don’ts? Not to worry, we have got just the article to help you! Here is the ultimate guide on how to be a befriender

Tan Erica, a student at SIM, shares her dos and don’ts of being a befriender. Erica spends her free time volunteering, making beautiful cards and spending time with her friends. When not doing that, she can be found at a quaint café enjoying a cup of coffee.

DO NOT

1. Talk about sensitive issues

Avoid sensitive topics such as religion, politics and family unless you are super close to your beneficiary. Stick to lighter topics. Ask about their favourite shows, movies, hobbies etc. If you’re lucky you might find common ground and really get to bond!

2. Overpromise

You might find that your beneficiary really enjoys your visits. As a result, you say perhaps you could visit more often. Do not say that. Do not promise anything until you are sure of it. If you make promises and break them, they tend to remember. And this will harm your relationship…

Read more - http://bit.ly/2vWIM03

First published in Club Rainbow Singapore LinkedIn article.

As a Befriender Tutor : In Pursuit of a Meaningful Life

Volunteering your time and expertise to help is a highly rewarding experience. At Club Rainbow (Singapore), we have befriender tutors who volunteers to tutor, befriend and mentor. They are an exemplary model to our children by constantly motivating them to do their best in school.  For this interview, we speak to Shixuan who shares with us on her role and experience as a befriender tutor.

When did you begin your journey as a befriender tutor?

SX : I started tutoring in February 2019.

How old are the children you have taught?

SX : The child that I am currently tutoring is 10 years going 11 this year.

Is there any challenge(s) that you can share with us? How do you try to overcome it?

SX : The challenge is to understand the child’s learning needs. I overcome it through understanding the child’s character. The most important thing is to care for the child and to let him or her learn at their own pace and of course, to enjoy every session.

What advice would you give to others who might be interested in becoming a befriender tutor?

SX : It is a blessing to be able to volunteer your time with others, as when you do so, your happiness levels increase and that will give you a fulfillment in life in many ways material pursuits will not be able to do so. Volunteering drives depression away and the good memories which you keep in your heart and mind will give you a sense of meaning in life.

For volunteering opportunities, please click here to find out more information

“We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give”

Janet Chong (first from left) featured with one of our families during the annual Camp Rainbow.

The quote by Winston Churchill aptly describes the happiness one gets in giving than receiving. When you volunteer your time to helping those in need, you receive much more in return. We spoke to Janet Chong, who is our regular volunteer.

Hello Janet! Share with us, how long have you been volunteering with us?

JC: I have been volunteering with Club Rainbow since 2016 so it has been over 3years,

What have you volunteered for?

JC: I started off as a befriender tutor to assist the kids in their weekly schoolwork and also participated as a befriender in Camp Rainbow. Occasionally I do help out in Club Rainbow events such as Dreamseeds Art Fest and Celebrating Heroes.

What is your most memorable volunteering experience and Why?

JC: The most memorable experience was the 3 days 2 nights Camp Rainbow. As we spent the entire 3 days with the kids, I could feel the challenges the caregivers are facing and I give my upmost respect for them. Through the camp activities, I could also feel the resilience and positive energy from the kids as well as the dedication of all befrienders. I would definitely return for Camp Rainbow yearly as the experience given is not only memorable but meaningful to me.

Do you feel that volunteering has helped you in your personal development?

JC: Definitely through volunteering, and out of my comfort zone, it made me have a different perspective in life. It has cultivated more empathy and strength in me and more importantly it gives me the kind of happiness that you can't get anywhere else.

The Heart That Gives, Gathers.

Hello Joshua! Share with us, how long have you been volunteering with us?

JW: My first event was Camp Rainbow in March 2017, so it’s been 3 years!

What have you volunteered for?

JW: I’ve volunteered for close to 30 events, including Camp Rainbow, Ride for Rainbows, Dream Seeds, and a lot of single beneficiary features and interviews.

What is your most memorable volunteering experience and Why?

JW: I went to shoot photos during an interview with Amelia and her family, and I was really inspired and moved by their devotion and love for Amelia. Shortly after, they had a tv feature where they made Amelia’s dream of ice skating come true, and that was a really special thing to be a part of.

What kept you going?

JW: What made me start was having my own children – I was feeling really blessed that they are healthy and happy, despite some issues that might have affected them. But the two things that keep me coming back are firstly, the reactions when the beneficiaries and families see their photos, and secondly, getting to know the dedicated staff and other volunteers over the years.