SMU Community Service Booklet

community service handbook

“I cannot believe that the purpose of life is to be happy.

I think the purpose of life is to be useful, to be responsible, to be compassionate. It is, above all to matter, to count, to stand for something, to have made some difference that you lived at all.”

Leo Rosten

Checklist:

�  �  �  � 

Attend Community Service Briefing Sign up via OnTRAC Submit Form: Acknowledgement of Risk and Undertaking Submit Reflection Report (within one month of completing my first 80 hours)

CONTENTS 1.

Community Service and Me 01 2.

Beginning with the End: A Reflective Mind 03 3.

How am I wired up?

- Inspiring Community Service Journeys 05 4.

Embarking on my Community Service 13 5.

Elements of Community Service 17 6.

FAQs 21

Appendix 1

Fund Raising 23 7.

Contact Us 24

Part 1:

Community Service & Me Serving one’s community is a signature of an SMU Degree.

Employers are impressed that SMU graduates have had opportunities to give and show care to society. The community service attachment is part of the university’s 12-week student internship program – a degree requirement and not merely an academic module. This requirement is made up of a minimum of 10 weeks of which students serve with a business organization and the other two weeks or 80 hours with a community, social or civic organization. It is an assurance to all that every SMU student has had the opportunities to engage outside the university in society and industry.

People don’t need to ask whether a graduate of SMU has had the chance to interact outside their studies and projects. They only need to ask what the graduate did with the opportunity.

Why?

Albert Schweitzer, Nobel Peace Prize 1952

ONE THING I KNOW: THE ONLY ONES AMONG YOU WHO WILL BE REALLY HAPPY ARE THOSE WHO WILL HAVE SOUGHT AND FOUND HOW TO SERVE.

Concert organist, theologian, doctor to the poor in Africa, founder of a leprosarium at Lamarene

The Most Desired Characteristics that Employers look for • Communication Skills (4.7/5) • Honesty and Integrity (4.7/5) • Interpersonal Skills (4.5/5) • Work Ethics (4.5/5) • Teamwork (4.5/5) National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) Job Outlook Survey 2005

Community service is integral to the global classroom. These experiences are important in preparing students beyond knowledge. While grades tell of the intellectual capability, discipline and perseverance, employers look for evidence of leadership, initiative, creativity, compassion and passion.

In many ways, serving society gives opportunity to exercise and demonstrate just that. But beyond just demonstrating one’s own capability to someone else, when a student searches and finds an area to serve that is close to one’s own passion and compassion, transformation happens within. Many students, in their reflection of their service, realise that they have become responsible and active citizens, demonstrating compassion, leadership and integrity, advocating and taking action to meet needs for the communities they live and work in.

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Servant leadership

Dare to stand for others

Give of myself Am I Ready?

BE THEIR VOICE I’ll learn from those I serve

Ethical Leaders

People of Compassion

Humble Confidence

Part 2:

Begin with the End: A Reflective Mind Let’s begin with the end. A reflection report marks the closure of the minimum community service period. It covers the service a student has rendered for the first 80 hours of community service. This is an opportunity for each student to reflect upon the experience, asking:

1.How was I impressed and challenged by the community service attachment?

2.What did I learn about myself in the process?

3.How has my outlook on volunteerism been shaped?

Contents of the Report INTRODUCTION • • • • •

My Name, ID, Year of Matriculation Date of service Name of project Name and Address of host organization attached to Period of attachment

BACKGROUND • • •

What were the project goals and concept?

Who were the beneficiaries / target group (if it’s public education and awareness)?

Share an overview of my responsibilities and the activities I undertook

PROJECT AND PERSONAL GOALS • • •

•

What were the needs / problems?

What were the actions taken to meet those needs / solve the problems?

What were the project objectives to be achieved in the course of the service? e.g. to increase student reading comprehension through a weekly reading program with children from low income non-English speaking families; or to meet orphan and elderly destitute needs for love by facilitating orphanage and elder-care home joint projects.

Personal goals: Why did I choose to do THIS service?

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Part 2:

Begin with the End: A Reflective Mind

EVALUATION AND NEXT STEPS • • • • • • •

• •

Were the service goals achieved?

Did I achieve my personal goals?

What skills did I bring to the service, the organization, my team?

Did my presence make a difference?

What did I see during the community service that excited, impressed, challenged and frustrated me?

What did I learn from my beneficiaries?

How has this experience helped me learn more about myself - my values, my self-esteem, self-confidence, willingness / unwillingness to be involved in service to others?

How will this affect my future - attitude / behaviour / career?

What can I do about the situation I’ve seen? – My next steps …

APPENDICES •

Photos, pictures or newspaper cuttings can be added here

LENGTH OF REPORT

It should be between two to four pages, excluding appendices.

For consistency, use the following format: • Times New Roman / Arial • 12 points • Single line-spacing

DATE OF SUBMISSION

Submit the report in Microsoft Word 2003 format through the SMU OnTRAC within one month after completing your 80-hour community service. For attachments in more than one organization, you may consolidate your experiences and reflect them in one report.

If you are consolidating projects to make up the 80 hours, senior students have found it helpful to write a report immediately after each attachment experience.

(Consolidating and submitting up to three service reflections at the end). A student who allocates time to experiential reflection benefits the most from this report.

EVALUATION AND GRADING

You will be graded based on your written report and the performance appraisal form submitted by the host organization at the end of your attachment(s). It is a “Pass / Fail” grade and will be reflected in your degree transcript. You can check your Community Service grades in OnTRAC at the end of the semester that you have submitted both your reflection report and have received the final appraisal.

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Part Part3:3:

How am I wired up?

Inspiring Community Service Journeys

The projects featured in the following pages are examples of the community service engagements your seniors have done. Be inspired, push the boundaries, and continue pushing to the next level of engagement.

At SMU, we encourage you to begin your community service early. If you don’t already have an organization to serve with, senior students organize large scale Community Service opportunities during Matriculation where you can explore opportunities to begin your community service hours before the academic term begins. In fact, some have made good friends and even completed their 80 hours before the term begins. What’s inspiring is that many students continue into volunteering beyond that!!

Part 3:

How am I wired up?

Environment & Wildlife Project Surin 2

World Wildlife Fund’s Youth Volunteer Program Manora Leneveu embarked on a selfinitiated overseas community service with World Wildlife Fund’s (WWF) Youth Volunteer Program (YVP). The YVP is the fruit of WWF’s efforts towards giving youths the opportunity to volunteer for environmental conservation projects.

The program involved the Management of the Vondrozo Forest Corridor Project in Madagascar.

It consists of a 3 months field service which volunteers had to do: 1. Awareness raising campaigns 2. Zoning 3. Forest Inventory 4. Social survey 06

After the service, volunteers are expected to return to their home countries to execute awareness raising initiatives through writing on the YVP website and by giving presentations.

Project Surin 2, a Marine Coral Reef Survey around the Surin Islands in the Andaman Sea, was the first major youth marine environmental survey led by SMU students.

In partnership with the Marine Department of Chulalongkorn University, 3 Thai graduate students were also attached to the 21-member team. They had a marine biologist onboard to train the team members in data collection methods and to ensure scientific integrity of the survey findings: It was 3 months of theory lessons, field sessions locally & in Malaysia, with facilitated discussion forums for the team to gain greater understanding of the environmental issues impacting the world. The data gathered in 2004, became an important reference for the Thai Universities in managing the reefs of Western Thailand.

Part 3:

How am I wired up?

Poverty, Society and Community Building

Project Pangarap 2008 Gawad Kalinga

Gawad Kalinga (GK) means hope. GK is a nation building effort that had its beginnings in the Philippines and is exciting partners and people from all over the world. The main work is to build communities, give dignity back to people, and empower communities to look towards positive living in their villages.

In Project Pangarap 2008, SMU students worked with GK in the Philippines in a village setting to empower and rebuild the lives and dignity of the people starting by building houses with them. To have Singapore university undergraduates willing to learn humbly from their hosts is a good start to rebuilding dignity! And of course, learning humility is sweeter than knowledge

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Part 3:

How am I wired up?

Poverty, Society and Community Building

starringSMU

starringSMU is one of the largest projects undertaken by SMU where students partner with the Holland-Bt Timah – Bt Panjang GRC to rally community solidarity, giving and fun. The sense of community giving is tremendous! Funds are raised for the elderly in the community as students and community volunteers work together.

“… it was a very humbling experience because [contrary to my initial expectation] those with little gave as much as they could afford. This behaviour humbled me greatly and from now, I will seek not to belittle the efforts of those who appear to have little means, if anything they are more sensitive to the needs of those around them and thus want to help out more. … This community project has … made me more sensitive to those around me.”

Ng Wei Sheng, Project RICE II, 2009.

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Part 3:

How am I wired up?

Education, Children and the Next Generation Summer on Sands

Summer on Sands is one of SMU’s larger CSPs that engages children. They’ve worked with the children from the Chen Su Lan Methodist Children’s Home and En Community Services Society. These undergraduates empower and inspire the children who need love and encouragement to press on in life despite the lessons from the school of hard knocks. The undergraduates in turn learn resilience from these children.

The team looks for creative metaphors to facilitate the visualizing of dreams and abilities. Astounding sandcastles were in the heatwave in 2008!

My First Break

An alternative education project: SMU students worked in partnership with South East Community Development Council. They ran training sessions for secondary school-aged children who were not academically inclined but were interested in the possibilities of learning business startup skills.

Along with the training, the children with their SMU mentors also visited business startups in Singapore, Taiwan and Vietnam for inspiration and learning.

Financial Education Program for Youth

SMU students worked with the South East Community Development Council to equip young people with financial literacy. To do this, the team developed a board game that had current real world issues. The results went into production and when companies saw the product, they were excited about supporting it as they saw the potential of the learning value!

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Part 3:

How am I wired up?

Special Needs and the Elderly

Trilympics

SMU students came together to rally support for the Singapore Paralympics participants. They highlighted the importance to support Singapore’s Paralympic atheletes and the areas need to get ahead. This is one of the mega projects open to SMU Freshmen during Matriculation.

Inspirar

Project Inspirar highlighted a new area of sport – Handcycling. Working with Student Volunteer Corps, SMU students brought the joy and fun of handcycling to a higher profile in Singapore. In 2008, Inspirar focused on raising awareness of people who are wheelchair-bound and yet strive for fullness of living. In 2009, Inspirar looks to raising awareness of people suffering from muscular dystrophy, and yet still able to lead healthy lifestyles and social fun through sports.

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“Their determination and stage spirit left a deep impression on me. Not compromising and giving 100% despite their disabilities could be clearly seen from their performances.

I learnt about determination to do something where your passion lies from them and not giving up in the face of difficulties.”

Ernest Ferdian – Melodies from the Heart – an exchange program of disabled children from Singapore and Malang, Indonesia.

“Before doing my community service, I held the view that community service is something that idiots would do. It is totally voluntary, meaning that you put a great deal of time and effort only in exchange for nothing back.

However, during the twenty eight days (serving), my view of volunteerism gradually changed. …And after completing my attachment, I have totally switched to an opposite opinion. … It changed my perspective of life … having a long-lasting and profound effect on me and I will continue doing other social service in the future.”

Qi Huining, serving back home in the Beijing Jin Meng Yuan Elderly Centre.

Part 3:

How am I wired up?

Livelihood & Social Enterprise

Goat micro-credit system

SMU students worked with the guidance of a NonGovernment Organization in Cebu, Philippines – Sharea-Child Movement, Inc. This livelihood project has its principles in providing sustainable income for a participating family so that it can ensure that the children of the family has access to funds and other resources needed to start, continue, and complete schooling. Goats are herded, multiplied and then either the gains from the sale, or reproduction of kids are passed to new families so that the process is continued and multiplied. Goats are hardy pastoral animals and this enables them to grow quickly, and the meat and by-products are relatively lucrative.

Consulting for Cause

SMU students working through Youth Challenge serve Non-Profit Organisations (NPOs) that are facing challenges in their social enterprise and other management issues. Supported and trained by a team of experienced advisors from industry, the students study the situation the NPOs are in and make recommendations for improvements. This has been carried out with NPOs in Laos and in Singapore.

Elephant Nature Park SMU students worked with the communities in the Elephant Nature Park in Northern Thailand around the Chiangmai / Chiangrai area. The students produced a documentary at which casts light upon issues that the elephants and community face.

This reach is global. This has enabled more donation and support to come into the community and for the elephants.

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Part 3:

How am I wired up?

Healthcare and Medical Youth Advolution for Health - YAH

The word “advolution” is coined from the words “Advocate” and “Revolution”. YAH hopes that youth in this programme would serve as advocates for a healthy lifestyle among their peers and be inspired to create revolutionary and creative ways to promote health among youth.

YAH advocates a radical change of lifestyle for the better: Healthy input, healthy process and healthy outcome. Advocates spearhead change through public education, programmes, workshops, and are supported by the Health Promotion Board.

The programme is the first in Singapore that seeks to tap on the influence of peer-led projects to bring about positive changes in the youths’ intentions and behaviors on health issues. Each team is given a YAH Grant of $1000 to advocate healthy lifestyle issues.

Issues that youth can look into encouraging are: * a healthier eating behavior * regular physical activities lifestyle * a smoke-free lifestyle * taking care of their mental well-being. * raising awareness and debunking myths of STIs / HIV

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Part 4:

Embarking on My Community Service Parable:

A young man decided to sit for an examination that he studied but did not register for. During the marking, the examiner came to the man’s paper, the examiner could not find his name in the corresponding exam register. So the paper was put aside unmarked. When the results were released, the young man did not bother about checking it even though other students did. Two years after, he approached the registrar to ask about the results of the exam he sat for. There was no record. He then explained that he did not register for the examination but merely sat for it. He asked if his effort could be considered as part of his degree. The registrar looked at him and replied that “Given your actions, do you think you are worthy to be considered a graduate of the university in the first place?”

There are systems and processes everywhere; likewise, systems have been setup to administer community service as a degree requirement in SMU. We hope that the following points will help you navigate the system so that you will not be one like the young fool in the parable above.

Checklist:

�  �  �  � 

Attend Community Service Briefing Sign up via OnTRAC Submit Form: Acknowledgement of Risk and Undertaking1 Submit Reflection Report (within one month of completing my first 80 hours)

COMMUNITY SERVICE BRIEFING Before you begin your community service attachment, you must attend a briefing on community service. This briefing sets the tone for community service as an SMU degree requirement; without which the community service will not be acknowledged as part of the degree requirement. These talks are organized at every matriculation exercise and regularly throughout the year.

Sign up for one in OnTRAC now!

1 For students matriculated on or before 2008, and for applicants of higher risk projects such as adventure and overseas community service projects, enquire with the OCS CS unit if unsure.

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Part 4:

Embarking on My Community Service SOURCING FOR COMMUNITY SERVICE ATTACHMENTS SMU has a network of Non-Profit Organisations who regularly upload their volunteer opportunities onto the OnTRAC. You can either source for a community service attachment from this OnTRAC list or from your own network of organizations in the people sector. All students must serve through nationally registered organizations and will be subjected to approval. All applications (submitted via OnTRAC) and Acknowledgement of Risk and Undertaking Forms2 must be submitted for approval at least:

1 week for local organizations / projects, or 1 month for overseas organizations / projects.

APPLYING FOR AN OnTRAC-LISTED COMMUNITY SERVICE ATTACHMENT If you find an OnTRAC-listed community service project that interests you, liaise with the contact person in the host organization. Confirm the details of the attachment such as the purpose, who the beneficiaries are, what your role is, and how your contribution will make a difference. Also ensure that you will complete what you have set out to do. Check your timing and schedule. Once agreed submit your application via OnTRAC.

2

Submitted to OCS in hardcopy during term time. OCS will accept scanned and faxed copies during summer and winter breaks. For students matriculated on or before 2008, and for applicants of higher risk projects such as adventure and overseas community service projects, enquire with the OCS CS unit if unsure.

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Part 4:

Embarking on My Community Service APPLYING FOR AN UNLISTED COMMUNITY SERVICE ATTACHMENTS If you find a community service attachment in a non-profit organization that is not listed in OnTRAC, you can also embark on it. This is also known as a self-sourced project.

Discuss with the staff from the CS Unit and then Login to OnTRAC to submit your proposal.

Apply through SMU OnTRAC

Start of Community Service Project

Discuss Proposal with OCS

Liaise with contact person

Appraisal by Organisation

Submit Commuinty Service Report within 1 month of project completion

Submit Risks and Undertaking Form to OCS

Approval by OCS for projects

When submitting, check if the proposed organization is on the existing list by clicking on the “Submit new CS Attachment with an Existing Organisation” button and scroll through the organisation drop-down menu:

•

If the organisation is in the list, select “Submit new CS Attachment with an Existing Organisation”.

•

If it is not in the list, go back a step and select “Submit New CS Attachment with a new Organisation”.

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Part 4:

Embarking on My Community Service

SUBMIT YOUR ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF RISKS AND UNDERTAKING FORM Once your application is submitted, download the Acknowledgement of Risks & Undertaking form (click on the link) and submit it to the CS Unit, Office of Career Services. The application for the project will be approved via OnTRAC only when the Acknowledgement of Risks and Undertaking form is received3.

NOTE:

1.

All Community Service attachments will be subjected to the approval process and

activated based on the minimum time of application required (1 week / 1 month), even

if a student might have already started a service. Eg. If you have already started a 40-hour

service and only sought approval after serving 15 hours, approval will be given one week

after the day you sought approval and you will only receive recognition of service time

AFTER approval is granted – 25 hours or less (depending on whether you had served any

time during the week when approval is processed).

2.

A new form has to be submitted for every community service attachment.

KEEPING TRACK OF YOUR COMMUNITY SERVICE HOURS Keep track of your own community service hours. Do remind the organisation to submit your performance appraisal once you have completed your community service.

SUBMISSION OF COMMUNITY SERVICE REPORT You are required to submit a written report through OnTRAC within one month after having completed your 80 hours attachment. (Refer to Part 2 for details on the reflection report.)

3 For students matriculated on or before 2008, and for applicants of higher risk projects such as adventure and overseas community service projects, enquire with the OCS CS unit if unsure.

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Part 5:

Elements of Community Service This handbook does not aim to cover the following areas in detail. Books and workshops are available to equip students for the tasks. Keep a lookout for workshops conducted or facilitated by the SMU Community Service Unit and our partners.

BENEFICIARIES Your beneficiaries are the most important people. SMU students sometimes forget the beneficiaries in the midst of the operations. They are the purpose of your doing what you are doing. The reason the issue exists. Keep them constantly in focus and establish meaningful friendships so that you understand their lives and situation well.

LEADERSHIP A university student can use the opportunities in community service to hone one’s leadership qualities in many ways. Seize the opportunity to read up, learn and exercise leadership skills through community service.

RESOURCES & CHALLENGES The resources are often limited. Challenges are continually posed to us in the real world. Students often apply the knowledge they have learnt in university or in the past to execute a meaningful life-impacting project.

PEOPLE Rallying people to join you is often a challenge. It shows your ability to influence.

Build up the people who share your vision, starting with those close to you, then work outwards – exco, Sub-committee, DayVolunteers.

There are many books on leadership. Take the opportunities to learn and exercise what you’ve read.

FINANCE Fund Raising is a recurring area. Be it in fund raising to execute a project, or fund raising as a principle activity on behalf of a Non-Profit Organisation. (See Appendix 1) 17

PUBLICITY How would you rally support from people who don’t know the issue you are advocating? Public Awareness, Public Support, Public Rallying Space and Place – Where? Most impact, concentrated, decentralized, roving teams, …

RISK MANAGEMENT Risks are either real or perceived. The balance of the two enables a meaningful project. Ensure that when you organise an activity, you exercise Duty of Care as the organizer. Build in Emergency Management Systems to ensure that in event of anything going wrong, you have action steps to take because you have already thought through the processes. Ensure you have sufficient Insurance coverage for the activity you have planned and are involved in. The Office of Student Life has awarded a tender to an insurance broker to provide competitive insurance coverage for different situations.

Talk to them. It is mandatory that SMU student buy from this company as SMU will only work with a single point of contact to handle insurance issues in the midst of Crisis Management.

WORKING WITH PARTNERS Partnership is critical to achieving success.

Ensure that you and the community partner agree on the scope of the project and following through till the end.

CORPORATE COMMUNICATIONS Ensure that the people who have supported you are acknowledged. When representing organisations and SMU, talk to the people in Corporate Communications for more advise.

Do not be oblivious to SMU’s Corporate Communications conventions and regulations.

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ENVIRONMENTAL RESPONSIBILITY It’s important to consider social and environmental costs and not short-termed savings when organising events. Examples of responsible action can be reiterated in the use of recycled paper when printing collaterals, biodegradable utensils (or better still, members will bring their own permanent utensils while invited people use biodegradable cutlery), segregated wastes, and the list goes on. More information can be founds in the Singapore Environmental Council’s website (www.sec.org.sg).

SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY Social responsibility can be seen when students organise events. They can purchase and support Social Enterprises and business arms of Non-Profit Organisation. For instance, when organizing conferences, instead of using standard folders for submitted papers and other materials, the organizers might choose to purchase handwoven cloth pocket folders from Cambodia made by women who have been saved from human trafficking and abuse. The prices are often similar or differ minimally, but the impact is far-reaching.

Working in counterpart with companies and their staff in a shared Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) vision in conjunction with your internship attachment is also a powerful learning and working approach.

Companies need not always be approached for funding only.

Part 5:

Elements of Community Service International Volunteerism: Serving Communities Overseas In a globalised world, overseas community service offers a golden opportunity for exposure and invaluable experience. It will also hone individuals in their perspective of others, adaptability, resourcefulness, resilience and many other qualities that the familiar environment of one’s homeland cannot give. This will stand the individual in good stead for preparation of future overseas postings/assignments.

PROCEDURE FOR OVERSEAS COMMUNITY SERVICE APPLICATIONS The application for overseas community service projects is similar to that of a local community service application. However, as the issues relating to international volunteerism are more intricate, please contact the CS Unit staff for a discussion.

OVERSEAS COMMUNITY SERVICE COMPUTATION* Serving communities overseas bears many variable elements such as international and domestic travel, location and counterpart orientation and familiarization, service preparations, etc. The OCS will compute service overseas based on the national benchmark set through the experience of the National Youth Council’s Youth Expedition Project. With more than 800 projects from 2000 to 2009, the basis works on the number of DAYS IN DIRECT SERVICE as verified by the host organisation. The basis works on an average of an 8-hour day, and a substantially meaningful service of 10 full SERVICE DAYS in order to share, learn and develop a working relationship with the host counterpart. To enable 10 full service days, a team of people will generally require 14 in-country days.

*Please note that the explanation is communicated in the spirit of clarifying a guideline. We do not expect students to discuss the micro-computation of hours with the OCS to merely fulfill the minimum 80 pre-requisite hours for the mere purpose of fulfilling one’s degree requirement. Doing so would only demonstrate insincerity and an attitude that requires more service opportunities before a student can be seen to be worthy of upholding the values of an SMU student. Many students serve more than the minimum 80 hours.

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Part 5:

Elements of Community Service The OCS will award 8-hour days to each working day overseas. Planning days may not be included into the computation until after 10 full working days have been served and verified by the host organisation.

Examples 1. A 3-day service project with Habitat for Humanity in Batam with an in-country time of five days computes as 24 community service hours.

2.

A 10-day service project with the Mirror Foundation in North Thailand with an in-country time of 14 days computed as 80 hours. The team may now also include team-building and planning days (72 hours) into the computation of the total time spent. The Total time computes as 152 hours.

USEFUL RESOURCES As you consider an overseas community project, there are a number of useful resources for overseas community service available on the Internet. We’d like to recommend two resources that have been tailored for Singaporeans: Youth Expedition Project: www.yep.sg International Volunteerism Association: www.iva.org.sg

B

There is an excellent online book known as The Guerilla Guide to Expeditions written by a few YEP alumni. It can be found in the Yahoo Group Expedition SG: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ ExpeditionSG/. It’s a very user-friendly resource. There are also many very useful resources in the Expedition SG groups.

Highly recommended!

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Part 6:

FAQs

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1. I’m in a CCA club as an excomember. I heard that excomembers’ efforts will not be recognized as part of the SMU degree requirement when we organize a community service engagement activity to serve the needy and advocate for a cause.

Is that true?

Good news! No longer! We are improving the community service engagement to encourage CCA clubs to serve the needy people in society in the area of their passion. In the past, exco-members would not be able to get recognition if the community service is run as part of their club. From 17 August 2009 onwards, exco members will have their community service hours count from the 81st hour of the service project onwards. In other words, the members will get 80 hours more than the exco-member.

Eg: If the service with the Non-Profit Organisation is more than 190 hours, a club member involved would receive 190 hour while the exco-member will receive recognition of 110 hours.

Leadership is a position of service and sacrifice. Honour comes with a cost. But we have improved the situation for excomembers from AY 2009/2010.

2. I’m serving in the SMU Patron’s Day, can I get my efforts acknowledged as my community service requirements?

The SMU’s Community Service is part of the overall internship experience. In this case, it is with the social sector, to encourage students to understand the challenges in the social sector and find their place and purpose in society where their skills and talents are most appreciated. OCS encourages students to serve the SMU community and see it as a joy to do so. However, serving the SMU community is serving ourselves and is not congruent to the aim and purpose of community service.

However, because we understand that the service to SMU communities entails a lot of time and effort, OCS and OSL have agreed to acknowledge no more than 20-hours in total, irrespective of the number of the five following events that a student might have served in: Arts Festival, Convocation, Patron’s Day, Freshman Team Building, and Vivacé

3. If I embark on a community service project without submitting my OnTRAC application or without submitting my Acknowledgement of Risk and Undertaking form, can I get my efforts recognized?

We encourage volunteerism. Many students volunteer outside the Community Service requisites of the degree. Not submitting the application or undertaking forms simply means that the person chose to serve without wanting it to count in their degree requirement. We have no objection to the service. It will merely mean that it will not be acknowledged in the degree requirement as no approval under the degree has been given prior to the service.

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Part 6:

FAQs 4. I have begun serving in an organization and have just realized that I forgot to apply for the service to be approved in OnTRAC and/or forgot to submit my Acknowledgement of Risk and Undertaking form. What happens now? What can I do?

You should IMMEDIATELY apply in OnTRAC and/or submit your Acknowledgement of Risk and Undertaking form3. OCS would require time to respond and approve your service. The record of your service will commence according to the minimum timeline set after your submission (1 week for local attachments, 1 month for overseas attachments).

handed through proxy. OCS encourages students to hand the forms in themselves.

6. I’ve registered for a service in OnTRAC but did not embark on the service. What can I do about my record, especially because we are limited to three organizations in our first 80 hours?

Send an email to commsvcs@smu.edu.sg to explain the situation so that the staff can assist you with your problem.

5. I was involved in a project that the leader said that s/he will consolidate the Acknowledgement of Risk and Undertaking forms for all the participants and submit them to OCS on our behalf.

The project is over but my OnTRAC application is yet to be approved. What happened?

The ultimate responsibility to submit the Acknowledgement of Risk and Undertaking form4 lies with the student him/herself.

S/he bears the responsibility even if it was

3 4

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matriculated on or earlier than 2008, and/or am involved in a higher risk or overseas project. matriculated on or earlier than 2008, and/or am involved in a higher risk or overseas project.

Appendix 1

Fund raising (FR) is a common activity in the people and non-profit sector. It can be as simple as seeking for donations among family and friends to a nationwide FR campaign with multiple approaches and target groups.

The basic principle of fund raising is – know your beneficiary well FIRST. Know their situation, their plight, their needs, the day-in-a-life, their stories, the challenges, their strengths – know them as friends. Once you have them in your heart, there is little you need in terms of being convinced about their situation. You might be surprised how your articulation of their situation would be!

EXTERNAL FUND RAISING There are two key avenues. From government funds (eg Youth

Expedition Project [YEP] funding) and Corporate sponsorship.

YEP and other government funding: Depending on the scope of the project, either OCS or the Office of Student Life will endorse the project. For an OCS endorsed project, OCS will get an internal order code allocated to the project. Once approved by the National Youth Council (NYC) for YEP funding, NYC will disburse the funds to SMU’s Finance Department.

The leader will receive the money through OCS. After the completion of the project, the receipts need to be collated with a Statement of Account and verified by OCS. This is submitted to NYC for the final disbursement and SMU will disburse the balance to the team.

Corporate fund raising needs to be communicated to OCS, while also notifying the Office of Alumni and Advancement (OAA). A list of organisations is given to OAA for approval.

The OAA will then give approval to organisations that the team might seek funding from.

Students need to also be particularly careful of the ethics and principles in fund raising, governance, and even the acceptance of money from questionable sources. The OCS will be organising workshops on these issues.

There are generally three categories of Fund Raising activities that SMU students are involved in:

The “House-to-House and Street Collection” Permit is applied for by the NPO to the Police.

2. OVERSEAS COMMUNITY SERVICE PROJECT FUND RAISING

A Facilities Usage Form is endorsed

by OCS and submitted to the Office of Facilities Management. After approval, the international volunteers can fund raise during the period approved for.

FUND RAISING

1. NON-PROFIT ORGANISATION (NPO) COVERED AND LICENCED The students partner an NPO, see the needs and purpose or work with the NPO. The project or the sub-project is initiated, planned and executed by SMU students.

INTERNAL FUND-RAISING Students who are involved in international volunteerism need to seek permission from OCS to fund raise WITHIN the campus.

23

Community Service Unit Contacts Main Email: commsvcs@smu.edu.sg

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Esther Ong

estherong@smu.edu.sg

/ 68280796

Tan Gek Cheng

gctan@smu.edu.sg

/ 68280320

Emily Hogan

emilyhogan@smu.edu.sg / 68280331

Theodore Teo

theodoreteo@smu.edu.sg / 68280161

My Community Service Journey Plan and Notes

THE COMMUNITY SERVICE UNIT Office of Career Services Singapore Management University 7th Floor, Administration Building 81 Victoria Street Singapore 188065

“We can do no great things, only small things with great love.�

Mother Theresa

This community service handbook has been printed from cyclus print recycled paper.