By Fong Jun Er (Secretary-Treasurer ’24) and Hannah Quak Xiao En (Secretary-Treasurer ’24)

Given the academic rigour of life in Raffles, the desire for students to contribute to the community is often sidelined by other commitments and priorities. Raffles Interact, as the largest service CCA in RI, seeks to provide students with the opportunity to pursue their passion for service. 

Our members do not chase recognition or rewards through volunteering – instead, they are passionate about giving back to the community through various initiatives and partnerships with service organisations, aspiring to our motto of “Service before Self”.

Our members’ main method of service is via Weekly Service with our partner organisations. Through regular service, our members develop the knowledge, skills and emotional connections required to be effective volunteers for our beneficiaries. Our partner organisations include St Luke’s Eldercare, the National Kidney Foundation (NKF), Thye Hua Kwan (THK), The Signpost Project (TSP) and Equal. 

At St Luke’s, Interactors will conduct exercise sessions of various degrees of difficulty with the elderly, to ensure that they move daily to maintain an active lifestyle. Occasionally, Interactors bring the elderly out to open spaces surrounding the residence for exposure to natural sunlight, sparking great fun and enjoyment. 

Our volunteers at NKF befriend dialysis patients, playing different games and having conversations to entertain them during their treatment. Members helping at THK mainly interact with elderly residents through arts and crafts and other interesting activities. 

Our club’s partnership with TSP involves Interactors going on weekly runs in their assigned regions (Ang Mo Kio, Toa Payoh, Clementi, Hougang, Punggol and Kovan) to chat as well as check in on regular tissue peddlers, nurturing strong bonds with them.

Lastly, our members assist Equal in preparing for their Animal-Assisted Services by conducting food preparations and stable maintenance, gaining better understanding of how animals can play a fundamental role as therapy providers in the process.

Apart from Weekly Service, Interact helms RI’s Raffles Mentorship Programme, which seeks to benefit P4-P6 students in ten primary schools. Our members are assigned to students from five different schools as mentors and conduct weekly life skills-based lessons which aim to increase their interpersonal competencies and self-management abilities. 

Interactors are also involved in the planning and execution of day camps (held twice a year) for all ten schools. Each camp programme is themed and includes a series of structured activities that aim to inculcate values and skills such as consideration and teamwork. 

Our CCA also helms major events including the Mini Relay for Life (RFL) carnival held in conjunction with the Singapore Cancer Society (SCS). The event seeks to raise awareness about cancer, celebrate survivors who have overcome the disease, as well as journey with those currently battling with it, as part of the larger RFL movement in Singapore. 

Every club member will be given a chance to take charge of such an event, with Organising Teams (OTs) enabling students to build strong friendships among like-minded peers and develop critical soft skills like teamwork and leadership.

In addition to the planning of initiatives, Interactors gather every Wednesday from 11am to 12pm for General Meetings. This is a pocket of time reserved for CCA bonding and the settling of administrative matters.

Occasionally, external speakers from service organizations will be invited to give presentations, enabling Interactors to gain greater insight into the larger service scene in Singapore and better understand the needs of the beneficiaries they work with. 

In conclusion, our Club provides a platform for passionate students with a heart for service to give back to society in a meaningful and effective manner, allowing our members to create a lasting impact for our beneficiaries while developing their skills, knowledge, and empathy for others in the process. 

If you have a heart to serve and give back to the community, Interact might just be the place for you!