StandOUT Issue 12

SEP 2018 ISSUE NO.12 MCI (P) 175/03/2018

It’s The Little Things That Matter 3

Take an exclusive tour to The Enabling Village!

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Special Feature: Regular Service Project Mental Health!

30 Learn about the magical powers of music on mental wellness NTU Welfare Services Club

@ntuwsc

Contents 1 President’s Message 2 The Purple Parade: Celebrating Inclusivity

Supporting the inclusion of the special needs community through a vibrant celebration of their diverse abilities.

4 A Community Space For Everyone

Singapore’s first inclusive community space.

9 Are You Ready For “Volun-Time”?

This year’s Social Impact Week aims to change the way people view volunteering.

11 Christmas - Spreading Cheer and Lighting Up Lives RSP Mental Health brought warmth to their beneficiaries in their first-ever Christmas celebration together.

13 Kids’ World 2017

Superheroes, assemble! Bring out your inner hero through the programme conducted at NTU!

16 Welcoming RSP Mental Health to the WSC Family

WSC introduced its 18th and newest portfolio, RSP Mental Health, in 2017, to befriend and support the mental health community. We go behind the scenes to find out about the journey behind getting the new portfolio off the ground.

19 Mind Matters: Mental Health Issues of the Elderly

Loneliness and isolation - many elderly in Singapore are at risk of developing mental health issues.

23 Starting the Conversation: Celebrities Get Candid on Mental Health Behind the glitz and glamour, celebrities face struggles like the rest of us. A few have bravely shared their stories with the rest of the world.

25 World Mental Health Day

Rallying efforts for mental health awareness - we take a look at how countries around the globe celebrate WMHD.

27 Managing Stress Through the Little Actions

We share some simple tips on how to relieve your stress.

30 Lifting Spirits with Music

Some songs are our best companions through the roughest days.

33 Film Commentary: Silver Linings Playbook

Learn about how one man finds the silver lining.

35 WSC Bonding Day: Creating Memories for future #Throwback

18 portfolios creating fun memories.

President’s Message Jessica Lim Jia Ying President of 23rd Executive Committee NTU Welfare Services Club

Another year has passed in the blink of an eye for all of us in the WSC Family. The club has grown in the past year with the steady establishment of the Regular Service Project (Mental Health) and the transition of Special Project (Operation Hope) to a Regular Service Project. The past year has not been without its challenges. But together with the 23rd Executive Committee, I am extremely grateful for the relentless support from all WSC members and the continual hard work we put into our volunteering activities despite multiple challenges.

This StandOUT issue is particularly close to my heart. It focuses on special needs and the importance of mental wellness. It was only through WSC, that I as a freshman, got to understand more about the special needs community and learn how we can serve them in the simplest yet most meaningful ways.

Something that has been especially heartening to me is how WSC members can always reach out readily to this community and forge friendships with them beyond mere volunteerism.

Mental Wellness is gaining importance in our society, and as volunteers, I personally feel that we must not only learn how to give but to receive as well. For I have always truly believed in - one cannot give others enough care and love out of an empty vessel, I wish for all members of WSC to take a break occassionally, and cherish yourselves so that you will be able to give more and be happy in doing so.

WSC has been a large part of my university life. It gives me great joy to have been able to serve all of you in the past year, and accompany you through your journey in WSC. Thank you very much for all your smiles and laughter in serving the beneficiaries as well as one another! Continue to have joy in volunteering. WSC can definitely achieve greater heights for its beneficiaries with all of your support!

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The Purple Parade: Celebrating Inclusivity By: Jesleen Soh We may know Singapore to be a “tiny red dot” or a “green city”, but for two weeks starting from 21 October, 21 landmarks across the country— ranging from iconic bridges and buildings like The Esplanade and Marina Bay Sands, to community buildings such as Khoo Teck Puat Hospital— were lit up in purple.

This was but part of the 2017 campaign for The Purple Parade, an annual movement which seeks to ensure not only the inclusion of people with special needs in the main chapter of Singapore’s growth, but also equal access to education, employment, transport and social networks.

However, what might have presented an even more impactful statement, was the sea of people clad in purple, that gathered outside Suntec City on Oct 28, to support the inclusion of and celebrate the diverse talents and abilities of the special needs community.

The movement, which saw a turnout of around 10,000 people at its fifth edition, has come a long way since its inaugural edition at Hong Lim Park, which had attracted a 3000-strong crowd.

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Image Credit: The Purple Parade Facebook Page The Helix was one of the 21 local landmarks that was lit in purple for two weeks, as part of The Purple Parade’s campaign.

Advisor to The Purple Parade Committee and Mayor of Central Singapore District, Ms Denise Phua, was heartened by how far the movement has come.

While Ms Phua acknowledges that Singapore has yet to fully become the inclusive society the movement envisions, she is optimistic about it becoming a reality in time.

“This fifth year milestone marks a very special point in The Purple Parade history,” she remarked. “We started out as a small group with a handful of partners in 2013 and are thankful to have grown into a full-fledged movement in support of our local special needs community.”

“Supporting inclusion and celebrating abilities remains the heartbeat of The Purple Parade.

As we move towards a more inclusive society, we are hopeful that persons with special needs will receive equal opportunities and continue to be strongly integrated in mainstream society.”

The Purple Parade, which turned five in 2017, is the largest movement in Singapore that supports the inclusion of, and celebrates the abilities of the special needs community.

Image Credit: The Purple Parade Facebook Page The talents of the community with special needs, were also evident in their performances, such as wheelchair dancing and drumming. Designers also strutted down the stage, in the unique outfits that they came up with.

Mr Andrew Liew, the Chairman of the Board of Very Special Arts (VSA), shared with us about how he believes that it is important to include people with special needs in events such as this.

“They went through a very hard time,” he shared. “When you were disabled in those days, you were kept at home and not let out. So I want to make sure

we bring them out and let them enjoy the music, the art and everything else.”

The financial consultant, who was already a volunteer with several organisations before joining VSA four years ago, was manning the booth, where artworks produced by beneficiaries were sold.

“I still volunteer in many charity organisations and this is one of them. It’s very hard to prioritise, but you have to make time.

Most people would say they have no time. Sure, you can do many other things on the weekend, but to me, this is more fulfilling,” he said.

“I feel that this kind of work is more satisfying than corporate work or commercial work, because it’s about giving back and I like to give back. It’s a question of priority; never a question of time in my view.”

It also helps that he loves what his volunteer work entails. In fact, it was his love for art that had led to his journey with VSA, and he hopes that the special needs community would receive support in further developing and pursuing their talents.

“They may have special needs, but they are as normal as any other person,” he emphasised.

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A Community Space for Everyone By: Lai Jue Hao

As Singapore’s first ever integrative community space for persons with disabilities, the Enabling Village is a stride towards progressive reforms in society. Join Lai Jue Hao as he finds out what makes this space inclusive, in a guided tour on Sept 17— a Volunteer 360 Experience (#V360E) organised by the NTU Student Community Engagement.

Nestled in the quiet neighbourhood of Lengkok Bahru, lies a lush green space that offers visitors respite from their daily hustle and bustle. While it is distant from the city centre, this space is far from being a wasteland. In fact, the Enabling Village, which opened its doors to the public in 2015, is Singapore’s first ever inclusive community space.

Despite its name, the Enabling Village is not the typical village or kampong you would expect.

Step past the lush greenery and you will be awed by the award-winning architecture that greets you. Not just your usual Instagram-worthy hangout, the village also boasts a range of retail, lifestyle and training facilities in an openaccess public space, and is home to various social enterprises and community services. However, beyond all these offerings, you may wonder, what makes this space so inclusive?

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Surrounded by lush greenery, the clean design of the concrete buildings comes alive with a dash of art which promotes inclusiveness.

Art, Design and Technology Doors that leave us pondering over how they can be locked, and spaces that hinder easy movement are just some examples of bad design. The general public may not give much thought to design, but it is,

in fact, a big factor affecting our daily life. While many of us take everyday objects and experiences for granted, the lack of universal design in Singapore poses a different set of challenges altogether, for persons with disabilities.

The Enabling Village is one with nature, being an idyllic getaway for those seeking a respite from the hustle and bustle of the city.

At the Enabling Village, however, universal design— simply put, the design of products and built environments that users can easily understand and access, “regardless of their age, size, ability, or disability”— is a key consideration. The community space was one of the three winners of the Building and Construction Authority (BCA) Universal Design Award in 2016.

Thoughtful design is displayed throughout the entire village, with braille lettering for key signage, and floor tile indicators for the blind and visually impaired users. The audio induction loops present in every event space within the Enabling Village, directly transmit sound to

Barrier-free movement throughout the Enabling Village. hearing aids with T-coils, allowing hearing-impaired persons to focus on musical performances and public announcements without the distractions of ambient noise.

The concept of barrier-free movement is also evident throughout the village; ramps that are wide enough for wheelchair and personal mobility device users span extensively throughout the open-air

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amphitheatre, the playground, allowing them to navigate around freely.

The magic truly comes alive at Tech Able, a facility where universal design is paired with technology. The futuristic hub is reminiscent of my childhood fantasy as a secret spy agent, but instead of spy gadgets, the integrated assistive technology space showcases various assistive devices that enable persons with disabilities to live and work independently, aided by training and assessment services also provided by the Enabling Village.

Universal design is not only about enhancing convenience for users; it can also be empowering and allow for greater inclusivity.

Ms Chia Ai Ling, Deputy Director of Communications and Development at SG Enable, shared: “Universal design and assistive technology enable persons with disabilities to be more independent at work, school, and in their daily living by overcoming some of the challenges that they face. This helps them to be able to be integrated in schools, workplaces and the community.”

However, the highlight of the Enabling Village for me was definitely The Art Faculty.

Managed by the Autism Resource Centre (ARC), the retail art gallery features art pieces and merchandise by talented artists with special needs.

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The Art Faculty, an art gallery and retail space with a coffee bar. It features art pieces and merchandise by talented artists with special needs.

Each unique artwork on display emphasizes the unique gifts each artist possesses, reminding visitors that persons with disabilities are more than their disabilities; that people should look at their abilities, rather than just their disabilities.

I was impressed with the high level of intricacies each artist had painstakingly incorporated into their artwork, so it was no surprise to me that some art pieces were auctioned off for a high sum. For every item sold, the artists will receive royalties which would enable them to continue to pursue their passion.

Such merchandise includes the famous blue dinosaur pouch designed by See Toh Sheng Jie, which garnered attention when it accompanied Ms Ho Ching and her husband, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, on a trip to the White House last year.

Ms Chia feels that arts can help unify the local community, and make it a more inclusive one.

“A means of fostering imagination, creativity and self-expression, arts is a great way to bring people together,” she said.

The integration of arts, design and technology has certainly been a key focus of Enabling Village, making this place oneof-a-kind not only for me, but in the eyes of many others as well.

Facilities within The Enabling Village at a Glance The Enabling Village offers a range of facilities and services for both persons with disabilities and the larger community.

The Information and Career Centre at NEST provides information, referral and employment related services for persons with disabilities and caregivers. Job seekers and employers can seek employment advice and support from SG Enable and its Job Placement Job Support partners – (ARC), Movement for the Intellectually Disabled of Singapore (MINDS), and SPD. Academy houses a comprehensive suite of training facilities where a range of courses are conducted for persons with disabilities. An architectural design studio, hospitality training rooms, F&B outlets and a disabilities. An architectural design studio, hospitality training rooms, F&B outlets and a supermarket are co-located

However, while the presence of an inclusive community space for persons with disabilities like the Enabling Village is significant, it is but a milestone for the country, as it continues working towards being an inclusive society.

“As Singapore continues to grow, we hope that more spaces and facilities will be made accessible to people of all abilities,

here to provide both training and employment opportunities for persons with disabilities, as well as to serve the community.

An assistive technology resource centre, Tech Able showcases various assistive technologies which enable persons with disabilities to live and work independently, and provides assessment and training in Assistive Technology for persons with disabilities.

Other facilities open to the public include UOB Ability Hub – an accessible event space, The Art Faculty – an art gallery and retail space with a coffee bar, Kindle Garden – an inclusive preschool, ActiveSG – an inclusive gym, a clinic offering special rates for persons with disabilities and the elderly, a stroke support centre, and an outdoor fitness corner.

and that the society as a whole will evolve to one where inclusiveness is an established way of life,” said Ms Chia.

“We also hope to develop greater understanding and empathy for persons with disabilities and change people’s perceptions of them. Instead of focusing on the limitations of persons with disabilities, we hope that people can focus on their abilities and

Through the services and facilities it offers, Enabling Village: 1) Provides an inclusive community space that promotes integration and interaction among people of all abilities.

2) Serves as a focal point for training and employment for persons with disabilities – providing a range of employment support services and training programmes to improve employment opportunities for persons with disabilities.

3) Showcases how accessibility and universal design, assistive technology and infocomm technology can enable persons with disabilities to lead more independent and fulfilling lives.

appreciate different abilities,” she added.

The Enabling Village, where architecture, lifestyle, technology, and user experience intertwine, offers a glimpse into the fully integrative society Singapore could transform into, in the future.

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#V360E

CALL FOR IDEAS

ARE YOU

LET US HELP YOU HELP OTHERS.

Student Community Engagement is keen to support projects that reach out to Singapore’s hidden communities (e.g. migrant workers, ex-offenders etc.).

Workshops? Community trails? Immersion visits?

Talks? We want to hear your ideas!

Are You Ready for “Volun-Time”?

By: Jothinee D Amurdalingam

Time may be measured objectively in minutes and seconds, but we often perceive its passing in a subjective manner. WSC Growth & Opportunities! (GO!) had certainly proven that point, as the two-day long Social Impact Week (SIW) passed in a flurry of excitement.

Held on 23 and 24 January, the annual event had transformed NTU North Spine into a hive of activity, with as many as 28 booths, ranging from portfolios within Welfare Services Club, to other social causes-driven Co-Curricular Activities (CCAs) in NTU, such as Earthlink and Red Cross, as well as external Social Service Organisations (SSOs) like Animal Concerns Research & Education Society (ACRES) and SPD. GO! prides itself as the “glue” of the WSC community, and seeks to unite all the WSC portfolios serving different causes and beneficiaries, through its event. But on top of that, GO!’s larger purpose was to promote the spirit of volunteerism within

the Nanyang Technological University (NTU) community.

This year’s SIW rode on the theme of making time for volunteering, cheekily termed “Volun-Time”. Chairperson of GO!, Lim Kang Wen, explained how his team was driven to fix the common misconception that volunteering is time-consuming.

“Many of our peers have the mindset that volunteering takes up a lot of time,” the Year 2 Chemical Engineering & Economics double-degree student said. “However, there are different forms of volunteering, and for some of them, we do not actually even need to be there to participate in it.”

The theme of “time” was further emphasised through the Bingo game, which visitors could play as they visited the booths. Participants had to complete certain tasks to earn a chop at any of the 18 WSC portfolios’ booths, which took up 9

Camp OutReach was one of the many WSC portfolios which sold items to fundraise for their respective causes.

A few Regular Service Projects utilised props to adopt a more visual and realistic approach towards promotion of their causes. An example would be Regular Service Project Physically Challenged, which brought in an actual wheelchair to their booth. separate areas within North Spine Canopy Stage, each representing a letter that made up the word “Time”, in order to get a row crossed out on their bingo cards.

However, it was not just the task of completing the bingo game that had garnered participants’ rapt attention; every booth had something unique to offer. In addition to a couple of booths which were raising funds through the sale of items or carnival-like games, there were also a few that aimed to attract volunteers to understand their social causes.

Year 2 NTU student, Jermain Goh, and Year 3 NTU student, Nikki Koh, who were manning the Regular Service Project Elders booth, agreed that while they are looking to recruit people who are interested in ad-hoc volunteering, spending time with the elderly beneficiaries on a regular basis is certainly encouraged. That said, potential volunteers are free to attend the volunteering sessions at their own time and pace. Ultimately, what is most important, as the two noted, is how “volunteering has to come from the heart”.

While attracting passionate and committed volunteers may be important, raising awareness of the various social causes and the situations the beneficiaries face, was another integral aspect that some booths took to promoting during the SIW. 10

RSP Elders, for instance, presented an interesting simulation experience. In order to allow participants to empathise with the struggles faced by the elderly in the simplest of situations, such as a deteriorating sense of touch, the RSP Elders members got participants to try on an uncomfortable glove coated with masking tape, and old socks that had no friction, to mimic the elderly’s daily struggles.

Regardless of the goal of the booth, they all conveyed the same message: it’s the small things that matter. A tiny act— be it spending an affordable amount on a hand-drawn bookmark to contribute to a good cause, sparing less than an hour a week at an old folks’ Home, or simply empathising with the the less-fortunate or less-abled, can go a long way.

This small effort on our part would help not only those we serve, but even ourselves as volunteers. Volunteering provides a platform for social interaction, hence allowing one to deal with stress better. With the recent climb in suicide cases among the youths in today’s society, the importance of taking care of one’s mental health starting from a tender age cannot be more greatly underscored.

Give it a thought — don’t you think it’s high time we start “Volun-Timing”?

Christmas — Spreading Cheer and Lighting Up Lives By: Toh Jun Yong The 2017 Christmas celebration, organised by Regular Service Project Mental Health (RSP MH), held a special significance for the portfolio.

The event, held on 30 December, was not only the first Christmas which the RSP MH members spent with the residents of the Institute of Mental Health (IMH), but also the first time they had organised such a large-scale event for beneficiaries.

Collaborating with volunteers from Temasek Polytechnic, as well as IMHope— a volunteer group that caters to the residents of a slow-stream rehabilitation male ward in IMH, the RSP invited 100 residents of IMH to join in the festivities.

While the RSP MH Christmas celebration might have been of a larger scale than those of previous events held by WSC at IMH, the MH members made sure to not compromise on building a personal connection with the beneficiaries at the first Christmas they spent together.

What was particularly striking during the event, was how the organisers encouraged the residents to not just take part, but also to take charge. The residents helped to craft the ornaments hung on the Christmas tree, and create the cards and stockings that were distributed. One of the stations also had the participants making their own snowman cups, which were later used in the “Cups of Snowmen” game.

Lee Junye, a volunteer from IMHope, believes that it is important to get the residents to take up an active role in the celebrations.

“The ultimate aim is to try and get the patients more involved, and beyond the party, let them feel that they have a part to play in society, and a sense of pride,” he shared.

Bowling takes on a new spin, as residents attempt to strike down the Christmas ball ornaments.

Residents were also treated to carolling, as well as a guitar and violin performance, prepared by the volunteers.

The IMHope volunteer also emphasised the significance of greater understanding towards, and social inclusion for people with mental illnesses.

“There is an increasing number of patients who are inclined to seek treatment, rather than treat their illnesses as ‘terminally ill’ or have the mindset that their life is ruined, so there has certainly been an improvement in the way society views

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The event could only have been made possible with the passion and efforts from all the volunteers from RSP MH, IMHope and Temasek Polytechnic. mental illnesses. However, that said, people are definitely still afraid (of individuals with mental illnesses),” he pointed out.

“Many volunteers have actually come in very afraid, but after a session with the patients, (they) realise that they are actually very friendly and nice people. Many of the patients crave companionship, as they have been shunned by society.”

RSP MH Chairperson, Goi Shi Qi (not pictured) hopes that the celebration would provide a platform for volunteers to foster a bond with the beneficiaries.

Aside from spreading the festive joy, another key objective for RSP MH in organising the Christmas celebration, was for the portfolio to cultivate better relationships between volunteers and residents.

While not everything may have gone according to plan during the event itself, the residents’ warm reception of the event was the most rewarding part of the experience, for Chairperson of RSP MH, Goi Shi Qi. “I am thankful that the event managed to run smoothly, and that the beneficiaries enjoyed themselves,” she said. “The most memorable moment was probably when we gave out the log cakes, because we could really see their faces brighten up with joy.”

The festivity is apparent in the air, with everyone decked out in Christmas colours!

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Kids’ World 2017 By: Chiang Hui Ping Charis

Bringing Out the Hero Within Many of us round off the year with celebrations, but underlying the cheer of festivity, is also a sense of hope — the hope of becoming a better version of ourselves in the new year.

For 100 children of ages ranging from 6 to 13 years old, the year concluded in a meaningful way with Volunteer Management’s (VM) Kids’ World. Themed “A Hero Within Me”, this year’s edition set out to encourage the children to develop and hold onto this sense of hope; to not just recognise the potential within themselves, but also develop the confidence to pursue their dreams.

“Hello, my name is Big Boss and this is your mission.”

True to the theme, Day One was off to an action-packed

start. Tasked with the mission to stop the villain’s evil plans to take over the world, the children were buzzing with excitement from the moment the introductory video was played. There were cheers of approval as the superhero character each group was named after, was revealed, and the children received the drawstring bags, which had been painstakingly hand-painted in their respective groups’ colour and symbols by the volunteers.

Superhero Training To fulfill their mission, the children — now superheroes-in-training — were to complete various activities, both within and outside NTU. With experiential learning introduced in this year’s event, the children, alongside the volunteers, participated in hands-on

activities, which ranged from making slime and designing their own keychains out of perler beads, to building electric circuits with conductive clay and creating a car powered by rubber bands, across five stations within NTU. While the activities may appear to be distinctly different, all five stations taught the children various scientific concepts in a fun and interactive manner. The superheroes-in-training did not have to tackle these challenges alone; the volunteers helped the children whenever they encountered difficulties doing the mini-projects, and provided advice with regards to the type of creations they wanted to make.

It was heartwarming to see the manifestation of bonds in how some of the children had chosen to incorporate the groups through the incorporation of 13

the group’s symbol into their individual creations.

Everyone Can Be Their Own Kind of Superhero Just like how superheroes’ abilities are not confined to just one category, science was not the only area the participants were exposed to. After exploring scientific concepts on the first day, the superheroes entered the second phase of their training — attempting their hand at the ancient arts of pottery and archery at Thow Kwang Pottery Jungle.

The pottery instructor mesmerised everyone with his level of skillfulness during a demonstration. His fingers deftly shaped a lump of clay on the potter’s wheel— in a process termed “throwing”—, transforming the clay into a cylinder that could eventually be turned into a mug.

While the children did not get to try “throwing”, they were shown how to create their own plates! Using simple tools such as stamps and sticks, they could customise and add decorations to their creations before their pieces were fired.

Experiential Learning – A cute creation made with conductive clay.

Who says learning about electric circuits can’t be fun?

Regardless of whether they were sports-inclined, the children enjoyed themselves as they took a shot — several, actually— at archery, with an intergroup competition ending the session.

The Hero Within You By the end of the camp, aided by life skills such as teamwork, which they learnt through the various games, the budding superheroes managed to defeat the villain, ensuring that peace prevailed. As the camp wound down, it was evident from the smiles and high-fives exchanged that the kids had thoroughly enjoyed themselves. However, one might ask: Who exactly was the “hero” the kids were supposed to find?

The answer is simple: the hero they wanted to be. Following the path that one is inclined towards may sometimes become a challenge as one grows up in a society that defines success within a narrow bracket.

Hoping to spur children on to become the hero they want to be, and take pride in their own unique ‘superpowers’, the organisers planned a wide range of activities that catered to children whose interests and fortes lie in different areas.

Chairperson of VM, Irene Ng, believes that it is important for the children to know that everyone can be a hero in their own right.

“Through this theme of ‘A Hero Within Me’, we hope to tell the kids that they don’t have to follow a hero; that everyone

Beneficiaries learning to shoot straight during their archery lessons.

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Into the belly of the beast: beneficiaries and volunteers walking through the Dragon Kiln, as part of a short tour of Thow Kwang Pottery Jungle.

can be a hero if they have the courage to do what they want, and to discover their potential,” she said.

“We feel that kids at this age, should do what they want to do.

We want kids them to know that they don’t have to follow the typical route to success. You can be successful in pursuing your passion as well.”

The children are not the only ones who had takeaways from the event. It was also a rewarding experience for volunteers like third year Chemistry and Biological Chemistry student, Ong Hui Shan Adeline.

“Volunteering for the event taught me that happiness can be quite simple. Something as simple as a sweet gesture can make people very happy,” she shared.

“It really taught me to appreciate the little things.”

Beneficiaries learnt the importance of teamwork when they had to direct their buddy volunteers in retrieving and placing the items into the respective boxes they belong to.

For 11-year-old Ethan (alias), it was probably the friendships that had left the greatest impression on him.

“The event gave me a chance to bond with the volunteers and get to know them better,”

he said. When asked if he had made many friends, he quips, “Too many.”

But we all know that a superhero can never have one too many allies, in saving the world.

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Welcoming RSP Mental Health to the WSC Family By: Ong Shi Man

Three generations of leaders; a two-year journey to fulfil one common goal of raising awareness on mental health. Ong Shi Man talks to the people behind the birth of the new portfolio.

A New Beginning: How It All Came Together Regular Service Project Mental Health (MH), which first debuted as a pilot outreach event with the Institute of Mental Health under Special Project Volunteer Management (VM), is now a full-fledged portfolio.

The latest addition to the Welfare Services Club (WSC) family joined the 17 existing portfolios — six Special Projects, four Supporting Committees (SCs) and seven Regular Service Projects (RSPs), which comprise over 2000 members.

Similar to the other RSPs, RSP MH holds weekly sessions where volunteers interact with and befriend their beneficiaries.

Every Saturday afternoon, MH members will head down to the Institute of Mental Health (IMH), where they would partake in activities such as painting and folding origami, with around 60 long-term residents of wards 36A, 36B and 53B.

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Volunteers participating in Inspiring Minds and Hearts 2017 interacting with the residents of IMH. The success of the event prompted IMH to propose a further collaboration with WSC to deepen the relationships formed.

Goi Shi Qi, Chairpersonof RSP MH, hopes that the new portfolio can provide more students with the opportunity to gain a better understanding of mental health through their interactions with the beneficiaries through volunteering.

The collaboration between WSC and VM to establish RSP MH had been initiated by Lim Sze Chi, Chairperson of VM in AY2015/16, who saw the need

and felt that it was the right time for WSC to befriend and support the mental health community.

“In the past, it was a hush-hush issue, but in recent years, more voices are coming forward to speak up about mental health and the issues faced by people affected in the community,” says Sze Chi, “So, of course, we as WSC should keep in time with the needs of our community.

There is still a lot for us to do for them.”

VM has long played a pivotal role in kick-starting pilot projects with new beneficiaries, which are capable of growing into long-running collaborations and projects for WSC. A case in point would be the founding of RSP Physically Challenged (PC) in 2011, as well as the adoption of The Sunshine Welfare Action Mission (Swami) Home as a regular beneficiary under RSP Elders following a home visit in 2013.

VM’s first outreach programme with IMH in March 2016 turned out to be a huge success, after which IMH expressed their interest in continuing their partnership.

Embarking on a New Journey The following year, the position of VM chairperson was passed on to Wong Qun Jie, who then led another large-scale festive event for residents at IMH. Themed “Inspiring Minds and Hearts 2017”, it attracted more than 100 sign-ups from NTU students.

Sze Chi attended the event as the President of WSC’s 22nd Executive Committee. After the event, IMH put forward a momentous proposition for even closer collaboration through regular sessions, which would give the IMH residents more time to open up to the volunteers and foster deeper friendships.

“One of VM’s objectives is to serve as an experimental platform for WSC,” explains Sze

RSP MH Chairperson Goi Shi Qi (left) and IMH Volunteer Programme Director Ms Catherine Chua (right).

Chi. “The success of each event can potentially turn out to be something greater for WSC in future.”

IMH’s volunteer programme manager, Ms Catherine Chua, said promoting mental health well-being is “a matter of knowing who they (the patients) are and tailoring the programme to meet their needs”.

A retired nurse with over 50 years of working experience, the 69-year-old has high hopes for the new portfolio, as she feels that youth volunteers bring positive energy and creativity into the projects they do.

Despite initial concerns on funding and broaching the issue of mental health to the NTU population, the WSC Executive Committee came to a unanimous decision to welcome the new portfolio into the family.

They felt that it was time WSC committed themselves to serving the Mental Health community.

Lim Sze Chi, Chairperson of VM 2015 and President of WSC 22nd Exco in 2016, speaking at the volunteer briefing before IMH Awareness Day 2016.

Having obtained the green light, Qun Jie then undertook the next step of finding a candidate to helm the new portfolio.

Shi Qi, having been part of the organising team for both of the aforementioned VM awareness events at IMH, eventually stepped up to the challenge of becoming the first Chairperson of MH. Her predecessors felt that her strengths made her a good fit for the role.

“Shi Qi is someone who can bring out the best in her members. She always takes the extra step to help ,” Qun Jie explains, “We picked her because she has

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Image Credit (left): VM’s second collaboration with IMH in February 2017: Inspiring Minds and Hearts. An IMH staff is briefing the volunteers before the event commences.

Image (right): Behind every successful event is a dedicated and committed team. Members of VM flash smiles as they take a group photo commemorating the conclusion of Inspiring Hearts and Minds 2017.

that innate ability to find her place in any team — and help others do the same too.”

Sze Chi also observed that Shi Qi, who brought together 30 over new volunteers within a few months, is a charismatic leader and would always have the beneficiaries’ best interests at heart.

But Shi Qi recalls how daunting it was in the beginning.

Unlike how main committees were usually formed by senior club members, Shi Qi founded the first main committee of RSP MH with five other students who volunteered for MH outreach events. In leading her new team, she has kept Sze Chi’s advice of cultivating a culture of open communication in the new portfolio close to her heart.

“She advised me that it will be important to assure new volunteers that any feelings experienced were not to be ashamed of, but to embrace it as part of a 18

process that all new volunteers go through,” Shi Qi shared.

Qun Jie also assured Shi Qi that VM, with their rich experience in planning large-scale events, will always help their sister portfolio RSP MH. In February, VM once again extended manpower support to MH for their Chinese New Year Celebration.

Shi Qi is grateful for the support she has received from the volunteers and the WSC family. “We have had high turnout rates for our outreach events since the VM days, so we knew that many people were interested and passionate in helping the mental health community,” says Shi Qi. Moving Forward Moving forward, Shi Qi hopes that RSP MH would be able to continue increasing engagement efforts within the NTU community. The portfolio, which currently has more than 30 members, is looking to expand

to a 40-strong team next year, to reach out to the beneficiaries more effectively.

“When they (the patients) start opening up, you feel this connection. People think that they (mental health patients) are different, or even dangerous. We have feelings, and so do they,” she says.

“They’re really just like us.”

Mind Matters: Mental Health Issues of the Elderly By: Julian Choo “Julian, I haven’t seen you for months!”, Ms Chow’s cheery voice greeted me when I came by her house for another of my regular visits.

Being an elderly befriender, I spend time with elderly like Ms Chow, who live alone, checking on them and ensuring that they feel included in the community.

elderly, with 10% of the elderly population suffering from the condition. The study also revealed that 3.7% of the elderly were diagnosed with depression.

When I went on to ask her about the sponsored outing l had brought her on, just last week, the 70-year-old responded with: “What outing?”

This is particularly important, seeing as how the 2013 Well-being of the Singapore Elderly (WiSE) study spearheaded by Institute of Mental Health (IMH), found that a significant percentage of elderly face mental health issues. Dementia is the most prevalent condition among

Dementia

It was then I realised that she didn’t remember the outing at all.

Dementia encompasses a group of brain diseases which impairs an individual’s daily functioning.

The commonly-known ones include Alzheimer’s Disease, Parkinson’s disease and vascular dementia. Dementia is typically

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Three facts about dementia: 1. 1 in 3 cases of dementia is preventable Perhaps due to its prevalence amongst the elderly, a common misconception is that dementia is a normal part of ageing. Instead, it is possible to slow its progression, as long as care and attention is given

2. Difficulty in communication

3. Risk factors

People suffering from dementia may have difficulty in communicating their wants and needs to others, and thus, patience and understanding are needed when caring for them.

While genetics does have an influence in the risk of developing dementia, the probability of developing dementia is largely influenced by the individual’s lifestyle, such as dietary intake.

Three facts about depression: 1. Depression is more than “being sad” While depression is often associated with sadness and grief, it is a complex psychological disorder involving other emotions such as anxiety and emptiness, which require long-term care. Depression may also manifest in forms like lack of energy, arthritis pain or worsening headaches.

2. Cures for depression Medication isn’t always enough to cure depression, especially if the cause of depression is environmental rather than biological, as in the case of elderly who live alone. Rather, it is paying attention to one’s lifestyle activities, such as partaking in social activities, that induces a sense of involvement with the community, and thus benefits the individual’s spirit.

3. Depression can be invisible The signs of depression can be very subtle. When such signs are noticed, they are often misattributed to old age.

caused by poor nutrition or brain injuries, which are an effect of strokes.

In its initial stages, symptoms such as tremors, restlessness, anxiety, impaired judgment and hallucinations occur in a seemingly one-off, or non-threatening manner. When left untreated, however, the prolonged stay of such symptoms swell into irreversible brain damage. This deterioration in brain capacity and functioning, manifests in Source: https://www.imh.com.sg/uploadedFiles/ Newsroom/News_Releases/23Mar15_WiSE%20 Study%20Results.pdf

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Source: http://www.moh.gov.sg/content/dam/moh_web/SuccessfulAgeing/action-plan.pdf areas such as memory and performance in language, emotion, movement or motivation.

Hence, early detection is essential for prevention and recovery.

Depression Depression (or Major Depressive Disorder) is a disorder characterised by dampened moods over long periods of time, which manifests negatively in a person’s thoughts, feelings and behaviours. Symptoms include tiredness, changes in sleep patterns and appetite, feelings of guilt and worthlessness, loss of

interest in previously enjoyable activities and in extreme cases, suicidal thoughts. This can cause sufferers to be unable to function effectively in daily life. Elderly who live alone are particularly susceptible to depression, due to their isolated lifestyles and feelings of loneliness.

Managing mental conditions An estimated 1 in 4 Singaporeans will be over the age of 65 by 2030 - our ageing population makes it imperative to properly address mental health care for elderly, for not only our current

population, but for the future as well.

A stigma against mental illnesses, which still exists in Singapore, deters many from getting diagnosed and seeking treatment.

This phenomenon worsens with lack of social interaction and isolation, as in the case of many elderly like Miss Chow. Hence, volunteer befrienders play an important role in not only providing a connection the elderly have with society, but also in checking on the elderly’s mental health.

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Be it as volunteers or family members of elderly members of society, we have a responsibility towards helping our seniors age gracefully, and in good health.

Prevention is better than cure Engaging seniors physically, mentally and emotionally is a good way to prevent the onset of, and slow the progression of mental illnesses. This could be done through outings, exercises like tai chi, art and craft, mahjong, or even simply having a conversation.

Notice the symptoms early Dementia and depression are most effectively tackled when they are detected early. When symptoms are noticed, it is best to consult a qualified professional in institutions such at the Institute of Mental Health and Singapore General Hospital.

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Make use of support networks When seniors have been diagnosed with mental conditions, caregiving is necessary to ensure that they can age as comfortably as possible, in their homes.

No one can sustain caregiving alone, and help can be found from many avenues: friends and family, neighbours, community partners and social service organisations. Examples include Senior Cluster Networks and Medical Social Workers.

Starting the Conversation:

Celebrities Get Candid on Mental Health By: Chen Jiaxin Ivy Mental illness has always been a taboo topic in society, for it is not the light-hearted everyday conversation topic people might prefer to talk about. However, with an increase in the number of people who grapple with mental illnesses, more and more celebrities have opened up about their own experiences, to support others who are going through similar struggles. Here are five celebrities who have not allowed their mental illnesses to consume them, and have bravely stepped forward to share their Stories.

Dwayne (“The Rock”) Johnson One would have thought that nothing could beat the wrestler down, but The Rock too, had his own fight with depression.

The former football player’s dreams in the sport took a huge blow when he was passed over by the NFL at 23 years old, and also cut from his team afterwards. He revealed that what he had needed most when he was undergoing depression then, was to have someone who would have pulled him aside and said, “Hey, you will be okay,” and that “On the other side of your pain, is something good”.

Depression could hit anyone, and perhaps the main takeaway from The Rock’s candid discussion on battling depression is to have faith in yourself, continue the fight, and never give up.

Ed Sheeran The English heartthrob may have touched many hearts with his serenades, but what may be a lesser known fact is that Ed Sheeran had started singing and playing his guitar to cope with his psychological distress over being bullied about his stutter in his childhood. The singer decided to use his own experiences to help others and raise awareness on mental health issues, such as supporting the #IAMWHOLE campaign, which aims to challenge the negative stigma and language towards mental illnesses.

Image Credit (top:) http://www.mentalhealthamerica.net/sites/default/files/shattered%20reflection.jpg Image Credit (bottom): https://pixabay.com/p3285625/?no_redirect

“Battling depression is to have faith in yourself, continue the fight, and never give up”

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Image Credit (right): https://i2.wp.com/www.thewealthywallet.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/anxiety-1535743_1280.png

“The world is full of wonderful things you haven’t seen yet. Don’t ever give up on the chance of seeing them”

Lili Reinhart

John Green

J. K. Rowling

Lili Reinhart— best known for her role of Betty Cooper from the popular American drama series Riverdale—, looks like your typical celebrity rising to fame.

However, the actress has shared that prior to landing the lead role in Riverdale, she was struggling to score acting gigs, and had thus suffered from many panic attacks.

Eventually deciding that her condition was not going to improve without psychological help, she went back to her hometown to see the therapist whom she had previously visited, and the therapist “really helped me build myself back up again.”

Besides admitting to seeking help, the young actress also tweets about mental illness, henceforth opening up discussions on mental health with her fans.

Author of bestsellers like The Fault in Our Stars and Looking for Alaska, Green does not shy away from talking about his experience with mental illnesses.

He has even recently published a novel titled Turtles All the Way Down, which deals directly with the topic of mental health, with a protagonist who has severe anxiety and Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD). Besides using writing as a mechanism to broach the subject of mental illness, he has also used his own social media including Twitter and Youtube, and public interviews, as platforms to share about his experiences with mental illnesses. Green reveals that there is no shame in talking about mental illnesses; in fact, tackling it publicly could help others deal with it.

The beloved author of the Harry Potter series seems to have it all— from a beautiful family to creating a legacy treasured by fans worldwide. However, these had not come easy. Rowling had gone through depression as she lived on welfare while raising her daughter as a single parent, and faced countless rejections by publishers before the first book of the Harry Potter series even hit the shelves. The author expressed that she has “never beenr emotely ashamed of having been depressed,” and has also extended support towards her fans on social media, reminding them that, “The world is full of wonderful things you haven’t seen yet. Don’t ever give up on the chance of seeing them”.

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World Mental Health Day By: Natasha Ganesan A 1973 study published by psychologist David Rosenhan involving eight “pseudo-patients”, changed the way people thought about psychiatry, and more importantly, the treatment of people who were labelled as “mentally ill”.

The pseudopatients of said study, none of whom had had any prior history of mental illnesses, stopped feigning and reporting psychiatric symptoms upon being admitted into hospitals’ psychiatric units. However, the staff, whose judgement was tainted by their own prejudices, failed to see past their initial diagnoses of schizophrenia to recognise that the patients were in fact, not actually mentally ill.

Another crucial finding of the study was how the hospital staff often inflicted verbal and physical abuse on their patients. For example, the pseudopatients were forced to ingest antipsychotic drugs even after they had stopped exhibiting symptoms of schizophrenia.

Fast forward to 45 years later; while those with mental health conditions are not ill-treated the same way as patients in the past, the stigmatisation attached to mental issues continues to persist.

The World Health Organization (WHO) highlighted that more than 300 million people across the world suffered from depression in 2017, and 260 million, from anxiety disorders. These figures continue to increase, but few are willing to seek professional help because of the stigma they fear facing.

With hopes of shedding light on issues pertaining to mental health, the World Federation for Mental Health held the inaugural World Mental Health Day in 1992. Henceforth, the day, which seeks to rally global efforts towards mental health awareness and education, and eradicate the social stigma surrounding mental health, is observed on the 10th of October every year.

One of the most prominent advocators of mental health wellness, America’s former First Lady Michelle Obama, has repeatedly emphasised the importance of “de-stigmatising” mental health.

“We shouldn’t treat mental health conditions any differently from physical injuries,” she once said. “Instead, we should make it clear that getting help is not a sign of weakness, but a sign of strength.”

With increasing global recognition of the importance of raising awareness of mental health so as to normalise it in society, various countries around the world have stepped up their efforts to include mental health as a fundamental aspect of everyday conversation.

Credits: https://www.facebook.com/ events/164741937412837/ India India celebrated its first Mental Health Festival in 2017. The festival, an initiative by Mental Health Foundation in India, used art as a medium for spreading awareness about mental health, and encouraging innovative ideas on mental health.

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Image Credit: http://stopthestigma.org/

Image Credit: https://www.royal.uk/heads-together

United States Stop the Stigma (STS), a non-profit organisation from the United States, celebrated mental health through the Stop the Stigma, Not the Music: Halloween Benefit Festival. The organisation aims to educate the public on pressing mental health issues, and as its name suggests, end the stigmatisation against people who are mentally ill.

Another similar initiative focused on improving the mental health of current and former military personnel of the United Kingdom instead. Recognising that military personnel experience mental health problems too, Prince Harry and Defence Secretary Sir Michael Fallon launched a collaboration with military mental health charities and organisations, hoping to encourage servicemen and women to talk about their mental health more freely.

Noting how the prejudice towards the mentally ill has deterred many from seeking professional help, STS strives to normalise the seeking of treatment for mental illnesses. The organisation also seeks to reduce the financial burden on individuals who wish to seek treatment, by contracting with counsellors who agree to offer counselling services at a discounted rate.

Proceeds from the music festival aided those in need of counselling.

United Kingdom Heads Together is a campaign spearheaded by the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, as well as Prince Henry of Wales, to kick start conversations about mental health. The campaign aims to let people feel more comfortable talking about their everyday mental well-being.

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Singapore Singapore has also played its part in promoting, through celebrating, mental wellness.

In 2017, TOUCH Community Services organised the Light of Hope Run to raise public awareness and fight the social stigma attached to mental health issues.

The run aimed to give hope to people struggling with mental health, by encouraging them to step out of the darkness into the light.

TOUCH also collaborated with students from Nanyang Polytechnic in the designing of a specially-themed train, to help people understand what it is like to have mental health issues. The train displays stories of people

Image Credit: https://www.allevents.in/singapore/

with mental health issues, and features information of three conditions: depression, anxiety and schizophrenia, in its six cabins. This innovative campaign aims to give mental health a common space within our society, to foster inclusivity and get people to be more open about the topic in the public arena.

The National Parks Board organised the Voice Out! Concert in the Park to honour and celebrate World Mental Health Day. The concert, featuring a stellar line-up of local artistes, allowed attendees to let go of their anxieties and problems, through the music, and to relax themselves.

The 2017 edition of World Mental Health Day pivoted on mental health in the workplace.

To mark the occasion, Silver Ribbon Singapore, an organisation that conducts monthly mental health events, coordinated the Silver Ribbon Workplace Emotional Health and Wellness Summit. 32 organisations pledging to support workplace mental health. This is a stepping stone towards a future where both employees and employers alike will no longer be afraid of declaring their mental health conditions, for fear of judgement.

Managing Stress Through the Little Actions By: Nelvin Quek Your planner is filled with deadlines to meet, and your mind is swamped by the seemingly endless tasks you have on your plate. You know you have to stay on top of all your commitments and assignments, but you cannot help but feel crushed by the weight of your workload.

Most of us have experienced stress before, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that it gets any easier to deal with. Don’t worry, we have compiled a list of tips to help you in managing your stress to come out on top in this coming academic year!

Tip No. 1 - Take a deep breath; An age-old trick What you can do: As cliché as it sounds, taking deep breaths can help tremendously when it comes to stress. For a quick exercise, look away from your notes or laptop. Slowly take in a deep breath, and concentrate on feeling your lungs expand. Exhale slowly and feel the stress leaving your body.

Image Credit: https://www.flickr.com/photos/ twentysevenphotos/5349693235

How it works: Deep breathing helps to oxygenate your blood. It slows down your heart rate and lowers your blood pressure, calming you down.

Source:https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/stress-raising-your-bloodpressure-tale-a-deep-breath-201602159168 27

Tip No. 2 - Get laughing; There’s always time for a good laugh What you can do: Take a break in the midst of your studying, to watch your favourite sitcom or browse funny memes online. Grab lunch with someone who makes you smile. Or, you could just burst out laughing randomly (we recommend doing this behind closed doors to avoid stares from strangers). You would be amazed to find how a good laugh can drastically improve your mood.

How it works: Laughing tricks your nervous system into making you happy, by stimulating the release of “happy” hormones (endorphins), and lowering the level of stress hormones (cortisol).

Source: American Physiological Society (2008)

Image Credit: https://www.maxpixel.net/Human-Person-Girl-Joy-LaughChild-Face-832143

Tip No. 3 - Feel the Music; Groove to the Beat What you can do: Put on some background music with the soothing instrumentals of Bach, Beethoven or Mozart. If classical music is not your thing, nature sounds work wonders too. Make a playlist of the sounds of slow rolling waves, birds chirping and wind chimes.

Alternatively, blow off steam by rocking to more upbeat tunes and singing your lungs out.

Image Credit: https://www.pexels.com/photo/ earphone-headphone-hearing-music-7434/

How it works: Music can have positive effects on your brain and body. It lowers your blood pressure and heart rate. Hearing live music can also reduce the level of cortisol in your body, so you may want to consider hanging out with friends at a cafe with live band performances, to wind down from your studying.

Source: http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.4137/OED.S20960

Tip No. 4 - Stay fit; Get your body moving What you can do: Ditch the lift for the stairs. If the journey is of a walking distance, skip the bus and take a much-needed breather by walking instead. Get up from your desk, and do some head rolls and shoulder shrugs. Exercising does not have to be all power lifting and long jogs, as simple exercises can also offer immediate stress relief.

Try to make it part of your daily routine — when you wake up, during lunchtime, or upon reaching home.

How it works: Exercise can ease depression and anxiety. It gets your blood moving, stimulating the release of endorphins and making you feel good almost instantaneously.

Source: www.trainingdimensions.net/tdArticles/Newsletter/Jan2018/ Brain_Happiness_Chemicals.pdf 28

Image Credit: https://www.runwaypilates.com

Tip No. 5 - Manage Your Time; One step at a time

Image Credit: Bich Tran from Pexels

What you can do: With the many projects, quizzes and finals, we can feel overwhelmed by our own “To-Do� lists. Prioritise your work; make a list of the things you need to do and order them. If there are group projects, check your list to see which tasks you must attend to personally. Keep track of when your assignments are due, because you will only feel more stressed if you remember them near the deadline itself. Allocate buffer times for unexpected tasks that may pop up.

How it works: What seems like a staggering mountain of workload is broken down into smaller, manageable tasks over a longer period. Having a clearer end goal in view can give you a much-needed boost, to spur you on to perform well for your various assignments.

Source:http://fortune.com/2015/03//30/10-ways-to-increase-your-efficiency-at-work/

Tip No. 6 - No man is an island; Remember that you are not alone What you can do: When you are feeling bogged down by stress, confiding in your closer friends or family members may help. Stress can cloud your judgement and hinder your thoughts, but a reassuring voice can put everything into perspective and may even help you find a solution to your problems.

How it works: Chatting and sharing about how you feel, can distract you from your stress and release some of your tension. The social bonding can thus improve your mood and make you feel good.

Image Credit: https://pixabay.com/en/girls-lying-classic-car-young-1209321/

Source: https://www.rd.com/health/wellness/how-friends-relieve-stressand-help-us-cope/

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By: Chin Wei Lu It is disheartening that according to the World Health Organisation, more than 300 million people around the world are afflicted with depression today.

It is a common misconception that depression simply consists of feeling the blues. Someone with depression is consumed by overwhelming feelings of hopelessness, misery, guilt, and sense of worthlessness, for weeks, months, and even years. Sometimes, people with depression may be unable to fathom the cause of these feelings.

They lose interest in activities they used to enjoy, and find their moods both stubbornly immune to 30 27

external circumstances, such as not being cheered up even at joyous occasions. This could interfere with their ability to cope with daily life.

It is one thing to know about the symptoms and effects of depression, but another to understand and empathise with people who are battling depression. Many have shared about how others demand that they ‘just snap out of it’, and how they face alienation for being unable to ‘keep up with things like normal people’. In this sometimes unforgiving environment, music can be a solace. shaken nerves can find some calm. Music speaks not only to people, but also for people.

Thoughtful lyrics and soulful melodies express perfectly, the emotional burden society expects people to keep to themselves, and transports them to an alternate universe where their frazzled and shaken nerves can find some calm. Music speaks not only to people, but also for people.

In this article, we introduce five English songs that can hopefully serve up some much-needed encouragement for those who have felt or still feel themselves falling apart inside. Hold on tight, for there’s always light at the end of the tunnel.

Image Credit: http://alltimelowstore.com/music/future-hearts-cd. html 2) “Missing You” by All Time Low “Now don’t lose your fight, kid; it only takes a little push to pull on through.

With so much left to do, you’ll be missing out, And we’ll be missing you.”

The song speaks to everyone who feels lost and is trying to find their place in the world, making an appeal to them to dig deep for an inner strength they possess — which may be dormant but is certainly not absent.

Image Credit: https://tidal.com/browse/album/35128639

Older songs by the band, such as “Kids in the Dark”, similarly resonate among, and give hope to teenagers who feel like they have been left alone in the dark. In “Missing You”, the band encourages listeners to “hold on tight” for the wild ride that life is, and not give up.

1) “Why” by Rascal Flatts “’Cause it’s not like you to walk away in the middle of your beautiful song.”

The song speaks of the regret of someone who had not been aware that their loved one had been depressed, until it was too late. Depression can be all-consuming, and people who are depressed may isolate themselves in their suffering.

The song serves as a timely reminder to listeners that they matter to their loved ones, and that they should not have to mask their pain and go through their struggles alone.

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Image Credit: https://www.discogs.com/Matchbox-Twenty-MoreThan-You-Think-You-Are/release/6364437 3) “Unwell” by Matchbox Twenty “I’m just a little impaired, I know, right now, you don’t care.

But soon enough you’re gonna think of me And how I used to be…”

Whether you’re going through a bad day or a rough patch, this inspirational anthem, with its soaring lyrics and invigorating beats, will reignite the fire in your belly, giving you the strength to carry on, with the hope that everything will be alright in the end, as it had been for Platten.

Against an easy-listening, banjo-tinged melody, “Unwell” describes the loneliness and feelings of denial that people with depression usually face, as they try to reconcile their emotions with societal stigma. The song also offers hope, reassuring listeners that trying times are but a phase, and that a return to one’s happier self is possible.

Image Credit: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/People_Like_Us_ (Kelly_Clarkson_song) 5) “People Like Us” by Kelly Clarkson “We are all ‘misfits’ living in a world on fire.”

Regrettably, depression is still viewed today in some quarters through a stigmatising lens.

Image Credit: https://www.amazon.com/Fight-Song-Rachel-Platten/dp/B00YNJGXY6 4) “Fight Song” by Rachel Platten “‘Cause I’ve still got a lot of fight left in me.”

Before finding success with her breakthrough hit, Rachel Platten was an artist struggling to make ends meet with cover gigs for small audiences in New York City that came only intermittently. “I wrote the song when I was going through such a hard time and I needed to remember to believe in myself,” says Platten, who has actually been in the music industry for nearly a decade. “I wrote it ‘cause I needed hope.”

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“People Like Us” exhorts anyone who has experienced discrimination — or anyone who feels like they cannot fit in society — to take pride in who they are, and also gives comfort that there are others like them. Amid encouragements that bad times never last, the song reassures listeners that they can— and should— still be their own persons nevertheless, and that they should love themselves for who they are. ** Which songs get you through the toughest of days? Share them with us @ntuwsc on Facebook and Instagram! :)

Film Commentary: Silver Linings Playbook By: Chiang Hui Ping Charis

Film Facts Released: 2012 Running Time: 122 minutes Genre: Comedy, Drama and Romance Director: David O. Russell Cast: Bradley Cooper, Jennifer Lawrence, Robert De Niro, Jacki Weaver “Every cloud has a silver lining” — if you have never felt encouraged by this phrase, “Silver Linings Playbook” is a must-watch on your movie list.

Protagonist Patrizio “Pat” Solitano Jr (Pat Jr.), played by Bradley Cooper, underlines the essence of the film in one of the most memorable quotes from the movie: “You have to do everything you can, you have to work your hardest, and if you do, you have a shot at a silver lining.”

The film, directed by David O. Russell, opens with Pat’s release

from a mental health facility, following an eight-month stay for bipolar disorder after the latter had assaulted a man whom he had caught his wife in the shower with. Undeterred by the restraining order his wife Nikki had obtained against him, he moves in with his parents in Philadelphia in a bid to reconcile with her.

While in Philadelphia, he meets Tiffany (played by Jennifer Lawrence), who offers to help him on his mission to get back together with his wife — on the condition that he participate in a dance competition with her.

He ends up developing an unexpected bond with Tiffany, who is also coping with her own loss, after her husband had passed away in a car accident.

Blunt and unrelenting, Pat Jr. embodies his life motto, “excelsior”, which translates to “ever upward”. Throughout the movie, viewers can see how Pat Jr.’s intense determination is both admirable, but also uncalled for at times. His constant obsession with reconciling with his estranged wife is further complicated by his condition — characterised in the film by

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violent outbursts and delusional thoughts — which, coupled with his abrasive attitude, results in negative consequences, such as aggressive behaviour and the constant onset of depressive thoughts. However, his new resolve to see the silver lining in everything that happens, enables him to persevere through the difficulties he faces.

The stigmatisation of mental illnesses has been skilfully woven into Pat Jr.’s interactions with others. An example would be how, following Pat Jr.’s release from the mental health facility, the principal of the school at which he had once taught, is evidently afraid of him. However, through following the journey of Pat Jr., we come to see that his life is, in many ways, similar to our own.

At the heart of the film is the emphasis on the commonality that all of us share as humans, and that everyone, regardless of how their life may appear to others, has their own emotional and mental troubles to work through.

For instance, Pat Jr’s friend, Ronnie, may be well-off, but he struggles with the pressure from his work and family.

When asked by Pat Jr. about his personal happiness, he simply responds that he “has no choice but to do his best”. Ronnie’s casual comment illuminates how the pressing demands of life often take precedence over an individual’s wellbeing.

The film also delves into Pat Jr.’s relationship with his own family. Aside from showing signs of

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being obsessive-compulsive and being addicted to gambling, Pat Sr. (played by Robert De Niro) is also superstitious, and has anger management issues. The latter tries to mend his turbulent relationship with his son by bonding over football matches, but with both father and son being hard-headed, attempts at reconciliation often end in altercations.

Despite all the drama and arguments that Pat Jr. finds himself

in, perhaps the main lesson one could learn, would be that every metaphorical storm in life that we encounter has a “silver lining”. Even the relationship between Pat Jr. and Tiffany, which had been clouded by misunderstandings and arguments, evolves into a more positive one, as the two learn and adapt from their prior experiences, to having what may be the most important kinds of reconciliation — with the past, and with themselves.

WSC Bonding Day: Creating Memories for Future #Throwback By: Wendy Han Wen Li

With the addition of WSC’s newest portfolio, RSP MH, the annual WSC Bonding Day has become an even bigger affair this year. Themed “#Throwback”, the event, held on 12 December 2017, very aptly brought me back to the orientation programme I had attended as a freshman four years ago.

Unexpectedly, the initial awkwardness in the air, as some 200 participants across all 18 WSC portfolios gathered at Sports Recreation Centre for the annual bonding event, soon

transmuted into a cacophony of laughter and playful taunt.

There was never a dull moment, with mini-games prepared for the interim periods as well. However, entertainment was not the sole factor the organising committee had put thought into, when planning the programme. Many of the games were meticulously designed to reflect the challenges and elements unique to each portfolio, so as to instill a deeper understanding and

appreciation of how beneficiaries have triumphed over them on a day-to-day basis.

One such instance would be “Pick my Pills!”. Participants, in pairs, had to complete five rounds of an elephant spin before heading towards the checkpoint, where they would have to each retrieve one pill, each containing a rolled paper strip, from a bowl of red beans. What made the task even more challenging is that participants had to do this, while donning a pair of thick,

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There were many memories created during the WSC #Throwback, for 200 members across all 18 portfolios.

woollen gloves plastered with tapes.

When they have retrieved all 16 pills, the participants would have to string the words on the paper strips into a sentence related to the elderly. This relay game highlighted, and allowed participants to better understand the lack of touch sensitivity the elderly may experience.

I had joined Team KwayChap — a group which shared my little enthusiasm for cheers — as an undercover journalist in the guise of a freshman participant.

In what could be said to be a literally “Pretty Genius” move, we left the game masters and the rest of the teams speechless at our cheer, which comprised of only the two aforementioned words. However, it was later my teammates’ turn to be stunned when it was revealed that I was actually a final-year student.

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For someone who had sworn off large-scale bonding events, the WSC Bonding Day has left me with a memory that would stay with me, even beyond my undergraduate days.

The event, however, had not been without its challenges, according to Koh Kai Kheck, Jewelle, the Chairperson of Internal Relations.

“It was just last year when I was a group leader (GL), leading a group of around 20 participants. Then, it had been with the micro aim of establishing memorable and meaningful relationships amongst members from various portfolios,” she shared.

“This time, it’s a different feeling, having to adopt a macro view as the overall organizer.

Besides making sure that the event runs smoothly in terms

of programme flow and execution, I also had to empower my own IR members to take charge and hone their leadership skills”.

It was the first WSC Bonding Day experience for Justin Yeo, a freshman from GO!, but it was one that he would not forget.

“Everything was memorable,” he remarked. “I thought the event would be rather dull and awkward, but it turned out way differently from my expectations.”

CREDITS Chairperson Cheng Hui Jie Vice-Chairpersons Lim Gu Ying Jaslin Lim Yong Fang Editors Delia Chew Qing Hui Jesleen Soh May Yi Michelle Tan Public Relations Officer Wendy Han Wen Li Lai Jue Hao Digital Imaging Officers Ng Zi Xuan Yeo Yai Wen Ong Kai Xun Teo Zhe Wei Welfare Officer Wilson Tong Wei Jie Design Officer Tan Shu Yun Cover Page Design Tracy Goh Yi Fang

Writers Chiang Hui Ping Charis . Chin Wei Lu . Chen Jiaxin Ivy. Jesleen Soh . Jothinee D Amurdalingam . Julian Choo .

Lai Jue Hao . Natasha Ganesan . Nelvin Quek .

Ong Shi Man . Toh Jun Yong . Wendy Han Wen Li Layout Designers Chan Zhi Qing . Chen Huan Huan . Chua Yu Hui .

Elizabeth . Khaw June Ming .Koh Yi Qian Leticia . Song Pei Wei . Tan Shu Yun . Tan Yan Zhao Justin .

Tracy Goh Yi Fang Photographers Casey Kwokdinata . Chan Kin Seng . Chew Jing Wei . Frederick Hubert Chenardy . Gilbert Kwek . Ivan Lam Sheng Rui .

Jonathan Ng Shen You . Kevin Lee Yong Jie . Khoo Wan Xin .

Koh Jit Woon . Lau Kai Ching . Liang Qian Hong . Lim Gu Ying Jaslin . Muhammad Hanif Bin Abd Latif . Ng JiaQi Eugene . Ng Yong Shin . Ng Zi Xuan . Nicholas Lee Guo Feng . Sin Jia Hui .

Tan Boon Wee . Tay Guang Yuan . Teng Guang Way . Wilson Tong Wei Jie 37

B $ 1,500 UP TO $5,000

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B

COLAB

GOOD FUND

for community projects led by at least two students.

UP TO

for community projects led by at least two student organisations.

WHAT CAN IT COVER??

EVENT COST CATERING SUPPLIES/LOGISTICS

T-SHIRTS PERSONAL TRANSPORT SPEAKER/PERFORMER FEE

SINGAPORE- BASED PROJECTS ONLY

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DFUND TINYURL.COM/COLAB GOtoOямБnd out more!

QUESTIONS? Printed on environmentall friendly paper with soy ink