By Natasha Nabila (13S03P)

The famous saying reads, “If you give a man a fish, you feed him for a day; if you teach him how to fish, you feed him for a lifetime.” Raffles Community Advocates (CA) believes that effecting real, positive and sustainable change in society cannot be fully accomplished through the offering of individual services alone. They strive to go a step further by identifying the root causes of problems, and from there, raise awareness to rally the support of the masses. Only then, can the change effected be meaningful and sustainable.

New members will be sorted into one of the 4 Student Interest Groups (SIGs) based on their area of passion: Doveswarm (Migrant Worker Issues), Glass Ark (Environmental Issues), Empty Pocket (Poverty) and Lifeline (Healthcare Issues). These are closely aligned with the Millennium Development Goals. Within these groups, members perform direct service with beneficiaries of their choice to gain greater awareness of their needs. Subsequently, they embark on two self-planned advocacy projects; one for each of their two semesters in CA.

Alongside SIG projects, CA has been at the helm of several flagship events. Arguably, the most well-known one is Hair for Hope. Held annually at the Yr 5-6 side, the event is organised in collaboration with the Children’s Cancer Foundation and is a satellite of a larger national movement. It aims to eradicate the association of baldness with ugliness.

Participants show support for children suffering from cancer by shaving their own heads bald. 2012’s event saw a staggering 214 shavees, including a record 20 girls, which was indeed heartening for the team after months of rigorous preparation. OT member Glen Tay (13S03O) said: “In spite of the intensive planning process where time was both our enemy and ally, we all found great meaning in taking on this project. I have made many new friends along the way, especially amongst my teammates – it’s not possible to ever forget something like HFH.”

Currently, the CCA is preparing for their batch project: No Shoes Day 2013. On that day, Rafflesians will get to experience being barefoot. Through this, the larger student body can experience what people who cannot afford shoes have to go through, and thereafter not take the little things they have for granted.

An exciting project also awaits CA in June 2013, as they will be playing host once again to the biannual Global Alliance of Leading Edge Schools, a conference bringing participants from all around the world together. Participants discuss social issues experienced by their respective countries, brainstorm possible ways to improve the aforementioned situations and hone advocacy skills.

Members can – and are highly encouraged to – initiate their own projects. Projects such as 30 Hour Famine and 500ml (more details can be found on their website below) were the brainchildren of members who were keen on exploring causes outside their SIGs. Through this wide range of events, the CCA is able to continually pursue more innovative methods of advocacy, and improve as advocates for the community.

Of course, General Meetings (GMs) are not all work and no play. A portion of every GM is dedicated to activities encourage intra-CCA bonding amongst members. Members also go out for several outings together after CCA and over the holidays. Hence, CA is not only a place for shaping your advocacy skills – it’s also where you have the opportunity to make great friends with similar interests.

Are you someone who is keenly passionate about speaking out and making a positive difference to the lives of those around you? Do you need an avenue to channel that passion into action? Join CA.

General Meetings are held every Wednesday from 2-4pm.
More information is available on CA’s blog: speakactchange.wordpress.com

By Eugene Lim (13A01C)

At Raffles Interact’s Dine in the Dark event last year, a representative from SAVH was guided onstage by a friend. Standing alone in the spotlight, the blind man said something that I still remember to this day.

“If only more people could step into our shoes, they would understand. It touches my heart, whenever someone reaches out to help and treats me like a fellow human being.”
This, I think, is what Raffles Interact is all about.

When people think of Raffles Interact, typically the first thing that comes to mind is community service. Yes, it is essentially what we do, but there’s whole lot more to it. As an Interactor, I’ve sat down to a service club-organized dinner with DPM Teo Chee Hean in attendance, and not long after walked down the corridors of a ward for seriously ill children. As a club, we work with the disabled, the disadvantaged, and the dispossessed – so long as there is a need to serve, we will.

As an Interactor, you will be going for weekly service at our 5 service centers with various Voluntary Welfare Organizations (VWOs) – from tutoring children at RI itself to spending time with old folks at Ang Mo Kio to helping out with classes at MINDs in Woodlands. We are always looking to expand to more service centers too, so that Interactors can go for the service they’re most interested in.

Other than regular service, we also have several big events held annually – YOUth Got Heart, for example, is an event for youths to check out and volunteer at various VWOs, attracting more than 10,000 visitors since we first began. These events are not only means to serve more people, they are also chances for Interactors to gain experience in organizing and leading large-scale events.

We don’t just do all our work locally, either – after all, Interact stands for International Action! That means international service is a key part of the experience. Every year, we organize an International Understanding trip to do service overseas. In June, Interact went to Cambodia for a week to serve at UNACAS, or the Orphanage in Phnom Penh.

Another great thing about being in Interact is that you’re joining a large community of people who are just as passionate about service. In total, we have 150 Interactors! Amanda Choo, one of our members says, “My regular service at SINDA has taught me the importance of human relationships in service. Over the weeks, I feel a personal stake in the kids’ progress, and find it natural to spend time outside of the weekly sessions to address their questions. My service group has also become a wonderful group of friends whom I respect very much for their dedication, and I look forward to see them every week .”

In fact, the impact of Interact on our lives is such that many of our alumni continue to participate in community service later in their lives. I can certainly attest to that, as my father was from Raffles Interact! Ho Lye Sum, another alumni who was General Manager for Dell Singapore and is now an entrepreneur, came back as our Guest-of-Honour at our Installation (think of it as an investiture), telling us about his time in Interact and how it was invaluable in shaping his own values.

So what are you waiting for? We’re looking for anyone who wants to serve the community, so long as you have the will, the drive, and most importantly, the heart.

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Ask me any questions at my email, register for updates and applications, or just like our Facebook page for general updates on service opportunities and more!