Many international schools in Singapore offer service learning opportunities and community work projects where compassion and selflessness are taught, practised and ingrained. From working with local NGOs to teaching the less privileged, we hear from students about the meaningful community projects they’ve been involved with.
Dulwich College (Singapore) – service learning at all ages
A key focus at Dulwich College (Singapore) is a commitment to raising future generations with compassion, connection and a commitment to social, environmental and global justice. The team says that service learning is central to understanding world issues; accordingly, Dulwich students are encouraged to proactively make informed choices and decisions throughout their lives so they can have a positive impact on people and the planet. Students are involved in service-learning programmes at all ages; these allow them to develop the skills to eventually lead projects in areas they’re most passionate about. Senior School students have the opportunity to increase their involvement through cocurricular activities, the DCSG Changemakers programme, the International Award, and through Creativity, Activity and Service projects.
A student shares….
“Service learning enables me to gain insight into different perspectives, which helps me see concepts from different viewpoints. As part of the Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Society, I started the Culture of the Month programme to raise awareness about different cultures. Doing this, I’ve learned about so many interesting cultures and cultural events, such as Tết. The main challenge we faced was ensuring we didn’t further propagate any stereotypes or misinformation, so we decided to create video interviews with people from the culture!” – Monique, Year 13
71 Bukit Batok West Avenue 8
6890 1003 | singapore.dulwich.org
Tanglin Trust School – local & global community projects
Tanglin nurtures a sense of service in children from age three, developing understanding of local and global issues and how everyone can make a difference. There are many opportunities for meaningful engagement with the local community and beyond. By Senior School, charities and organisations are not only supported through year group, class and student-led initiatives, but also through the International Duke of Edinburgh (DoE) and Creativity, Activity and Service (CAS) projects.
A student shares….
“I really enjoyed Tanglin’s Creativity, Activity, Service project this year; hearing from Caring for Cambodia that over 1,800 books were purchased for the schools in Cambodia was really fulfilling. I realised that the result of our work made a real impact and would help children for years to come. The project also helped with my confidence. As the head of communications, I had discussions with a variety of different people I’d never met before. It was intimidating at the beginning but I became more confident by the day. I also had to learn how to delegate, which was difficult for me as I was used to doing everything myself. I know these invaluable experiences and skills will be really helpful to me as I go to university and in my professional life later on.” – Hannah, Year 13
95 Portsdown Road
6778 0771 | tts.edu.sg
St Joseph’s Institution International – learning through community work
St. Joseph’s Institution International aims to create opportunities for students to take their learning outside the classroom. As such, it promotes engaging with communities meaningfully in ways that deepen students’ understanding of local and global issues, while developing skills that equip them to be positive contributors. Connections are made with partners both within and beyond Singapore’s borders. These partnerships range from organisations tackling universal access to clean water and sanitation to inclusive schools for disadvantaged children and groups committed to conservation and sustainable living.
Students share….
“While COVID-19 has presented some challenges for us, we have been finding solutions to work around restrictions. This has taught many of us teamwork, perseverance, commitment and organisation skills. I believe that through the continued efforts of dedicated student advocates, we will be able to reach our goal of providing clean water and sanitation for those who need it most, as well as educating and empowering our future learners of tomorrow.” – Kae Li, Grade 11
490 Thomson Road
6353 9383 | sji-international.com.sg
International Community School (Singapore) – service learning that benefits the community
Service is in the DNA of International Community School; it’s an integral part of the ICS experience. From the Elementary School students who are taught to recognise the contributions of others and express appreciation through small acts of service, to the High Schoolers who are tasked with larger community projects and confront real world issues head-on, service learning is impact-in-action.
A student shares….
“I’m immensely grateful for the many opportunities I’ve been given to serve communities on and off campus. These include helping lead extracurricular activities, organising external, student-led initiatives and participating in the annual Week Without Walls service trip. The latter has always been close to my heart. For example, in ninth grade I travelled to Penang with other students to help the homeless by providing food and improving the conditions of temporary shelters. Despite the language barrier, we were able to carry out community work that really made an impact and benefited the community.” – Isabelle Mangindaan, Grade 12
27A Jubilee Road
6776 7435 | ics.edu.sg
Singapore American School – student-led service learning
At Singapore American School, there are many opportunities for service for students, from kindergarten through to Grade 12, both at school and in the community. Many student-led initiatives have flourished over the years and new ones are constantly being created in response to local and global needs. Students are empowered to make a difference in their communities and develop a commitment to be a responsible global citizen from a young age.
A student shares….
“Over the past few years, I‘ve had the opportunity to work on the Executive Service Council, Singapore American School’s student government counterpart for service. It hasn’t been easy for service club officers with fluctuating regulations. Nevertheless, our service community emerged with innovative and creative solutions. This year, SAS took part in leading the IASAS Service Convention, a service-learning conference led by APAC regions schools and focused on reconnection and transformation during the pandemic. SAS’s Masks for SG, Code for All and Gawad Kalinga service initiatives all lead their own workshops. This conference is being instituted as an annual event, furthering the tenets of meaningful service and, in turn, inspiring the next generation of leaders.” – Ashley Entwistle, Grade 12
40 Woodlands Street 41
6363 3403 | sas.edu.sg
United World College SEA – weekly service learning with local partners
Service learning allows every UWCSEA student from four to 18 years to engage in real-world issues, both locally and globally, and provide opportunities to actively contribute in age appropriate ways. According to the school, this helps them to deepen their understanding of why social and environmental problems exist, take informed and purposeful action, and connect with others while tackling issues that are important to the students. The service programme enables students develop their skills as communicators who can connect with different audiences while developing their self-identity as global citizens with agency and the ability to enact meaningful change in the world. UWCSEA students join a service activity linked with their partners to volunteer once a week after school. The school has long-standing partnerships with many Singapore-based community organisations such as MINDS, Riding for the Disabled, ACRES, APEX Harmony Lodge, Beyond Services, HOME and Transient Workers Count Too.
A student shares…
“I was keen to use my art and design skills to do something meaningful in the Singapore community – we created empathy challenge cards as well as social media posts on the stories about foreign domestic workers (FDWs) to raise awareness about the difficulties that they face. I was astounded by how few people are aware of that. I believe it’s critical to share their stories, which we hope can break down biases against and misconceptions of the FDWs. We hope that by doing what we can, we can turn people’s sympathy into empathy.“ – Ivy, Grade 11
Dover Campus: 1207 Dover Road, 6775 5344
East Campus: 1 Tampines Street 73, 6305 5344
uwcsea.edu.sg
Read more about living in Singapore and here’s our big guide to international schools in Singapore.
Patricea Chow
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