Sixty students from secondary and tertiary institutions in the Marine Parade District will undergo a pilot training programme to better prepare them as volunteers in the community. The participating schools are Victoria Junior College (JC), Nanyang JC, Outram Institute, Tanjong Katong Secondary School and St Anthony Canossian Convent.

2 Entitled Character Education and Community Service Programme, the training will focus on preparing youths, mentally and emotionally for the expectations and responsibilities expected from them as direct service volunteers (ie. working directly with beneficiaries) and, ultimately nurturing them for more active and civic participation.

3 The training is divided into three components: the workshop, adventure training and attachment to social service agencies. Social service agencies working with four different target groups, namely the disabled, the elderly, disadvantaged families, children and youths, will also be conducting workshops for the students. Equipping youths with empathy skills that will allow them to better relate to the beneficiaries through adventure learning will be the task of lecturers from the Centre for Character Education of Temasek Polytechnic.

4 The students will then have hands-on experience when they are attached to the social service agencies to complete the practical aspect of the training.

5 The programme is in line with the Singapore 21 vision of getting youths to be more involved in community and voluntary work. It is also a learning experience for these young individuals to actively contribute their effort and ideas to work towards a common goal- a vibrant and caring Singapore community.

6 "We wanted to involve more young people in community service and approached the Centre of Character Education at Temasek Polytechnic with our proposal. Together, we came up with this innovative training package for the students. I believe that using adventure training in the area of community service is relatively new and from the encouraging response that was received from the schools, we will probably conduct more of such training", said Mr Stephen Poh, Member of Volunteers and Training Committee, Marine Parade CDC.

7 "We are glad to have this opportunity to work with the Marine Parade CDC to train and encourage youths to serve the less fortunate. We hope this programme will catch on and more youths will experience the joys of volunteering", said Dr N Varaprasad, Principal and CEO, Temasek Polytechnic.

8 The Character Education and Community Service Programme will be launched by Mr Abdullah Tarmugi, Minister for Community Development on Monday, 7 June 1999 at Temasek Polytechnic.

9 This pilot training programme is jointly organised by the Marine Parade CDC and Temasek Polytechnic.

10 Your journalist and photographer are cordially invited to attend the launch of the Character Education and Community Service Programme on Monday, 7 June 1999 at 2.00 pm in Auditorium 2 of the Temasek Polytechnic.

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Contact Person : Ms Ng Lay Cheng

(for media) Deputy General Manager

Tel : 240 2702

Fax: 243 3130

E-mail: Lay_Cheng_NG@pa.gov.sg

Ms Vanessa Quek

Senior Community Development Officer

Marine Parade CDC

Tel : 240 2789

Fax : 243 3130

E-mail: Vanessa_QUEK@pa.gov.sg

Ms Vimala Christie

Public Affairs Officer

Public Affairs Division

Temasek Polytechnic

Tel : 780 5019

Fax: 78908185

E-mail: vimalac@tp.ac.sg

News Release by : People’s Association Public Relations Section

Tel. No. : 3405161/242