Building Bonds and Sharing with Active Agers at S.E.A.
Volunteerism has been an integral part of SMU’s DNA since the university’s inception, and staff and students alike actively engage in diverse types of community service.
Staff from SMU’s Office of the Registrar (RO) found a meaningful way to build bonds with their colleagues last year when they accompanied seniors from the Thye Hua Kwan Active Ageing Centre (Bukit Merah View) on an excursion to the S.E.A. Aquarium.
For many of the RO staff, this was also their first time volunteering for such an outing, and the result was a fulfilling and fun day for both seniors and the staff.
Ms. Chio Liling, Assistant Manager of SMU’s Office of Registrar, said, “Staff were paired with a senior to accompany and help during the excursion, and many staff do not have experience of interacting with seniors whom they’re not acquainted with. Hence they were very mindful and excited to participate in this volunteering excursion.”
Forming Friendships in a Magical Underwater World
The excursion came about after SMU’s Centre for Social Responsibility connected the RO team with the SG Cares Volunteer Centre at Bukit Merah. The team came to understand more about the different types of corporate volunteering activities and were then put in contact with Thye Hua Kwan Active Ageing Centre (AAC) – one of Thye Hua Kwan’s arms which extends support to seniors living in the community.
The centres provide a platform for seniors to engage in recreational activities and create opportunities for them to build strong social bonds. Volunteers such as SMU’s team open the door to different experiences when they accompany the seniors on excursions, befriending them over the course of the day and learning from each other.
In total, 15 seniors from the Bukit Merah AAC were accompanied by 21 RO staff for the excursion on 2 October 2023. Each senior was paired with at least one RO staff member, while others helped to ensure the safety of the seniors at all times. It was a day filled with pleasant surprises as the group explored the realm of our fascinating marine animals at a leisurely pace.
“There was a senior who did leisure diving before, and she listed some of the fishes that she saw, which was fascinating to us,” shared one of the RO staff, describing their exploration of the aquarium’s Discovery Pool.
With this being one of the first volunteering activities for some RO staff, it was a simple yet fun gateway to future volunteering opportunities. The team suggests that individuals interested in volunteering should consider the beneficiaries they wish to help and seek guidance from the organization to find a good fit.
As for the biggest takeaway? Ms. Chio said, “If there’s a volunteer activity that you feel like doing, don’t think too much and just act on it.”
