Themed "Ripples Across Time", the 68th edition of NUSSU RAG & Flag Day saw participants raise more than S$330,000 for over 300 critical programmes and projects supported by Community Chest, benefitting over 94,000 social service users annually. All proceeds go directly towards empowering communities in need through the Community Chest.

Building connections beyond the classroom

In the weeks leading up to NUSSU RAG & Flag Day, NUS freshmen and students visited beneficiaries from 16 social service agencies across Singapore. Through these interactions, they gained first-hand insights into the challenges faced by children with special needs, at-risk youths, persons with disabilities or mental health conditions, and seniors, all while forging friendships with those they sought to support.

Fundraising with purpose

Since 1958, NUSSU RAG & Flag Day has been one of NUS' largest and longest-running student traditions, bringing generations of students together through service, creativity and community spirit.

This year, the fundraising efforts began a month early with an off-campus NUSSU Flag Carnival, a two-day event held on 3 and 4 July at TripleOne Somerset. Featuring 17 flea market-style booths, the carnival allowed participating groups to raise funds for their chosen social service agencies while engaging the public on the causes they support through games, merchandise and interactive activities.

This was followed by two Flag Days on 25 July and 1 August, when close to 2,400 NUS students fanned out across Singapore to collect donations for their chosen beneficiaries.

Over the past 17 years alone, NUS students have raised a cumulative total of almost S$5.2 million through NUSSU RAG & Flag Day.

Celebrating service through creativity

Beyond giving back to society, RAG Day serves as a heartfelt expression of gratitude to donors and the wider public for their generosity.

This year's RAG Day brought the spirit of service, creativity and community to life through 14 performances featuring sustainable handmade costumes, imaginative props and mobile displays. Created by more than 2,000 students over months of planning and collaboration, the performances signalled a vibrant, visual "thank you" to the community.

For many participants, the performances represented far more than artistic expression.

For Andrew Chew, a Year 3 Pharmacy student, his journey with the NUS Pharmaceutical Society (NUSPS) RAG & Flag started three years ago as a freshman "floatee" pushing displays on stage. Today, as Vice President (Special Projects), he continues to shape NUSPS RAG’s float and performance, passing down the vibrant tradition to new students.

"While I am no longer directly involved in planning performances like I did in previous years, it is incredibly heartwarming to see my successors step up. They have given their all to a performance that beautifully weaves together this year's theme "Ripples Across Time", our beneficiary, Life Community Services Society, and our core commitment to sustainability. We take immense pride in our zero-waste efforts—whether it is salvaging cardboard tubes from Chinatown textile shops, manually untying zip ties to reuse them, or building the float’s skeletal structure with old metal L-bars. While it is important to put on a grand and engaging performance and invite donations, we strive to do it in a way that is environmentally responsible," he shared.

Rhea Sharma, a freshman participating as a dancer for the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences RAG, added: "It is all about trying our best together as a group. Performing alongside my newfound friends makes me want to give a thousand per cent. Our combined energy pushes me to do more than I ever could alone—they are all gold in my heart!"

Guest-of-Honour Mr Desmond Lee, Minister for Education and Minister-in-Charge of Social Services Integration, officially launched the celebrations at NUS University Town. He was joined by NUS President Professor Tan Eng Chye and 47th NUSSU President Stephen Chen Zhi Peng.

In his opening address, Professor Aaron Thean, NUS Deputy President (Academic Affairs) and Provost, said, “This year’s theme, “Ripples Across Time”, is a thoughtful reminder that the impact of kindness transcends generations and is built over time. Every hour that is volunteered and every dollar raised creates a ripple that becomes a powerful wave of change for those in need.” He added that these experiences, will help NUS students learn beyond textbooks. He also encouraged them to continue to pursue their passions and purpose, and build friendships that will last a lifetime.

Mr Stephen Chen added, “NUSSU RAG & Flag: Ripples Across Time is all about taking collective action, no matter how small, as a community of people in support of one another. We are deeply grateful to the freshmen and participating bodies who have contributed their time and energy so generously, to all our partners, both internal and external, for their close collaboration and expertise, and certainly for members of the public for their unwavering support throughout the years! With continued support like this, NUSSU RAG & Flag will always remain a cornerstone of the NUS experience and identity."

Recognising collective contributions to campus sustainability

The RAG Zero Waste Award was introduced last year by University Campus Infrastructure to encourage Participating Bodies (PBs) to minimise their environmental impact through the way they design and build their floats. Supported by NUS SAVE, the PBs sourced cardboard and other discarded materials from across campus, adopting circular practices to give these items a second life.

This year, the Zero Waste Best Effort Award was awarded to NUS Pharmaceutical Society for the second consecutive year. They were the first PB to source all their cardboard from a campus bin centre, an effort that inspired most PBs to follow suit this year. The team continued to demonstrate circularity and frugality by carefully storing reusable materials and building components, including wheels, hinges, metal bars and paint, for future builds.

In addition, two PBs received the Zero Waste Effort Award. KRaSHeares sourced discarded materials from nearby renovation works and creatively incorporated them into its float, giving overlooked materials a valuable second life. Raffles Hall carefully retained leftover materials from the previous year’s RAG and repurposed them in this year’s build, extending their useful lifespan across successive events.

Collectively, these efforts demonstrate how thoughtful sourcing, material stewardship and creative repurposing can reduce event waste and promote a culture of sustainability on campus.

Beyond the main stage, visitors enjoyed the lively Flag Carnival, featuring games, food and handicraft booths run by NUS faculty clubs and residential communities, alongside live acts by NUS student groups.

As NUSSU RAG & Flag Day came to a close, participants left with more than memories of performances and fundraising milestones. They took with them new friendships, a deeper appreciation of the communities they had served and a shared belief that every act of kindness, no matter how small, can create ripples of positive change.

Highlights from RAG & Flag 2026

Overall RAG & Flag winner:

• Faculty of Dentistry

Zero Waste Best Effort Award

• NUS Pharmaceutical Society

Zero Waste Effort Award

• KRaSHeares
• Raffles Hall

Best Beneficiary Engagement award

• Tembusu College

Most Improved Flag Award:

• Eusoff Hall

RAG Gold:

• Faculty of Dentistry
• Faculty of Law
• Faculty of Science
• School of Computing
• Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine

RAG Silver:

• King Edward VII Hall X Pioneer House
• KRaSHeares
• Raffles Hall
• School of Business
• Temasek Hall

RAG Bronze:

• College of Design and Engineering
• Eusoff Hall
• Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences
• NUS Pharmaceutical Society

Flag Gold

• Business School
• Faculty of Dentistry
• Faculty of Law
• Residential College 4
• Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine

Flag Silver

• Acacia College
• Faculty of Science
• King Edwards VII Hall
• NUS Pharmaceutical Society
• School of Computing
• Sheares Hall
• Tembusu College

Flag Bronze

• College of Alice and Peter Tan
• College of Design & Engineering
• Eusoff Hall
• Faculty of Arts & Social Sciences
• Helix House
• Kent Ridge Hall
• Light House
• Pioneer House
• Raffles Hall
• Ridge View Residential College
• Temasek Hall
• Valour House

See event press release here.

A milestone built on ordinary afternoons

Teach SG was piloted in January 2021 to address a gap in access to educational support, sharpened by the high costs of private tuition. It mobilises NUS students to provide sustained mentoring and enrichment for children and youths who may not otherwise have access to such opportunities.

In his welcome address, Senior Vice Provost (Undergraduate Education) Professor Bernard Tan situated Teach SG within NUS’ long-standing tradition of service to the community, outlining the University’s earliest days through student-driven efforts like RAG and Flag, to the present-day Communities and Engagement Pillar of General Education.

He described mentoring as something deeper than academic help. “Mentoring under Teach SG is about helping youths to envision a future that is possible for them and empowering them to take the next step forward.”

That forward motion, he emphasised, is powered by a collective effort of NUS student mentors who commit their time, community partners who anchor the work on the ground, and NUS staff who provide training and support so that mentoring is not just well-intentioned, but consistent and values-driven.

“Be the mentor you once needed”

If there was a single phrase that threaded through the afternoon, it was one that Senior Parliamentary Secretary Dr Syed Harun Alhabsyi highlighted in his speech – something he had noticed at the Teach SG exhibition at the event.

“On one of the panels, it said, ‘be the mentor you once needed’”, he recalled, reflecting on how many in the room had benefitted, at some point, from a teacher or mentor who made a difference.

He noted that since 2021, Teach SG has deployed more than 4,000 mentors, reached around 9,000 beneficiaries, and worked with more than 120 community partners. Beyond its scale, Dr Syed focused on what scale enables – a consistent presence in a young person’s life, delivered through partnerships that make after-school spaces safer, more enriching, and more hopeful.

Addressing student mentors directly, Dr Syed added, “The value of your education … is only realised when you contribute it to others. If you keep it to yourself, then it just stops at your door.”

The power of the unplanned

As the programme shifted to reflections on mentoring practice, Mr Woody Yee, a course tutor for GEN2050 Teach SG, spoke about the importance of unstructured interactions in building trust. Some of the most meaningful moments, he noted, happen outside planned activities, through casual conversations that may appear trivial but often deepen relationships and create space for genuine openness.

That idea echoed in the two mentor presentations that followed, where mentors spoke about breakthrough moments often rooted not in perfectly executed lesson plans but in small, human connections.

Finding purpose and meaning

For Xavier Lee Yiheng, a Year 2 Information Systems undergraduate, mentoring through Teach SG was an experience of coming full circle.

Initially viewing the Communities and Engagement course as “just another graduation requirement”, his perspective shifted after returning to his alma mater, Radin Mas Primary School, as a mentor. “It was an opportunity to finally give back,” he said.

Mentoring also reshaped how he understood students’ experiences. Having once navigated school with relative ease, he realised he had been “oblivious” to the fear many students carry – the fear that struggling academically means they are “not good enough”.

Zyon Aaronel Wee Zhun Wei, a Year 3 Computer Science student, offered the audience a deeply personal reflection.

Formerly a youth-at-risk student, he told the room how his family’s circumstances changed after his mother suffered an injury, forcing both parents to stop running their hawker stall. As a secondary school student back then, he felt pressure to hold things together.

Through Teach SG, he not only found a way to give back, but also learned frameworks for engaging and supporting students. His mentoring work at Yishun Primary School centred on building confidence and curiosity among students who, he said, reminded him of himself.

What made his story resonate was his empathy for the students and the ability to understand his mentees’ mindset from lived experience.

The exhibits, the proof of work

The anniversary event also featured a public exhibition that showcased the programme’s milestones, stories from mentors and community partners, and a donor recognition wall.

Mentor-led projects―captured through photos, artefacts and reflections―offered tangible evidence of relationships built over time and outcomes of sustained engagement between mentors and mentees.

By NUS Office of Student Affairs

Find out more about Teach SG at their roving exhibition from now through 30 April 2026 at the Education Resource Centre Courtyard at NUS University Town (above Starbucks). The exhibition continues from 1 May to 12 June 2026 at UTown (Outside Flavours) and from 13 June to 31 October at NUS Yusof Ishak House Level 2.

Held on 27 September 2025, the Symposium brought together more than 130 attendees, to reflect on the theme: The Idea of ‘Home’ @SG60.

Perspectives on belonging

The event opened with a panel discussion moderated by CTPCLC Director Associate Professor Chng Huang Hoon, featuring Guest-of-Honour Mr David Neo, Acting Minister for Culture, Community and Youth and Senior Minister of State for Education; Ms Chua Weiling, Director of Philanthropy at Chua Foundation and CEO of One Hill Capital Pte Ltd; and CTPCLC alumnus Mr Cheng Tian Wei.

Mr Neo emphasised the importance of balancing individual and collective responsibility in fostering a sense of belonging, noting the symbiotic relationship between the individual and the community. "The 'Me' succeeds because of the 'We', and willingly gives back to the 'We'. Policies and programmes may set the foundation but everyone must work together to build connections, strengthen trust and shape our collective future." he said.

Building on the emphasis on collective responsibility, Ms Chua highlighted that philanthropy should begin at home, noting that individuals can make their impact felt by giving back to Singapore before looking further afield. “If you want to start something, start from home,” she said. Echoing this ground-up ethos, Mr Cheng shared how everyday neighbourliness forms the bedrock of cohesion. He said, “With everyone looking out for their neighbours, and the people around them, we can build a kinder, more compassionate society.”

Together, their perspectives traced a clear vision of “home”, enabled by national structures, nurtured within families and communities, and sustained through compassionate community practice.

From kampung to cloud

Offering a contemporary twist, CTPCLC alumnus and 2023 Outstanding Young Alumni Award recipient, Mr Khoo Yi Feng, delivered a keynote address titled From Kampung to Cloud: Rethinking Home in an Age of Movement and Memory.

Mr Khoo noted that in today’s world, belonging extends beyond physical spaces. “As networked individuals, we fulfil our needs in multiple online communities. This challenges community leaders to design, cultivate and steward virtual spaces. The feeling of ‘home’ doesn’t just happen and is no longer just a physical place.”

Drawing on his experiences with mental health advocacy, he urged students, educators, and partners to co-create spaces—physical and virtual—where people feel safe, seen, supported, and empowered to “make good trouble”.

Diverse pathways to community impact

A highlight of the Symposium was a showcase of four student-led community projects, where NUS students applied classroom learning to tackle real-world social issues.

• Identifying the aftercare needs of families in their post-home ownership journey

CTPCLC students Mavis Chin Jun Qi (Arts and Social Sciences ’25) and Freddy Ow Yong Zhi Long (Arts and Social Sciences ’25) presented a study in partnership with the South Central Community Family Service Centre, to examine the aftercare needs of low-income families who completed the Keystart Home Ownership Programme. Using semi-structured interviews and focus group discussions, the team developed a three-phase aftercare model that focuses on strengthening financial literacy, building home maintenance skills, and deepening social connectedness to support families’ stability beyond the point of purchase.

• Negotiating memory and modernity: A stakeholder-centric redevelopment of Esplanade Park

A team from NUS Ridge View Residential College (RVRC), represented by Hazel Tio (Science ’26), investigated the urban tension between heritage preservation and modern development through the lens of the development of the Padang and Esplanade Park. Grounded in multi-layered historical analysis and the site’s recent national recognition and potential UNESCO status, the study proposed a stakeholder-driven, collaborative placemaking approach for Esplanade Park. By integrating the site’s history, context, and redevelopment needs with interactive installations and curated cultural experiences, the team outlined a path to revitalise the park, renewing civic identity while harmonising memory and modernity.

• Coming home empty: Perspectives of empty nesters who find renewed purpose in art

Partnering with Mama on Palette (MoP), a community supporting mothers’ artistic expression, CTPCLC students Chomel Chan (Arts and Social Sciences ’25), Shannon Foo Shao Wei (Business ’26), Denise Leong En Hui (Arts and Social Sciences ’25), Angie Lim Tze Yii (Arts and Social Sciences ’25) and Isabel Lui Yisha (Arts and Social Sciences ’25) explored the expected and lived experiences of female empty nesters in Singapore. Through semi-structured interviews with eight mothers, the research surfaced themes including spousal relationships, phases of transition, and self-fulfilment. This project highlighted how MoP fosters community and empowerment and pointed to opportunities to deepen support for current and future empty nesters. Recommendations included buddy systems, bonding programmes, and regular collaborative art projects—underscoring the role of artistic engagement in ensuring wellbeing and resilience.

• Nourishing rough sleepers in Singapore

  NUS College student Keicia Seek En-Ting (Arts and Social Sciences ’27) addressed food insecurity among rough sleepers, as part of her team’s Impact Experience project by working with Homeless Hearts of Singapore and food charities to co-develop a sustainable food distribution system. Guided by a needs assessment conducted directly with rough sleepers, the project aims to provide regular, nutritious meals that alleviate financial pressures and improve physical and mental well-being. A key outcome is a replicable distribution model designed to respond to community-identified needs and enable longer-term support.

Recognising achievement and community spirit

The symposium also celebrated the Class of 2025 graduates who completed the Certificate or Minor Degree in Community Development and Leadership. In her valedictory address, Isabel Lui (Arts and Social Sciences ’25) thanked professors, peers, and families for anchoring the cohort’s journey, and urged her classmates to carry that sense of belonging into every space—serving, collaborating, and building communities where others feel they belong. The event concluded with a networking lunch, where students, alumni, partners, and guests renewed connections and exchanged ideas to make the world a little more like home.

The 2025 symposium marked another key milestone in CTPCLC’s ongoing work to cultivate youth leaders who can bridge sectors, mobilise communities, and co-create solutions. With sustained support from the Chua Foundation and strong partnerships across NUS and the wider community, CTPCLC continues to empower students to play an active role in building an inclusive, resilient society, and contribute meaningfully to Singapore and beyond.

By NUS Chua Thian Poh Community Leadership Centre

The NUS Chua Thian Poh Community Leadership Centre offers both a Certificate and a Minor Degree in Community Development and Leadership. To date, 370 students have been awarded the Certificate in Community Development and Leadership and 59 of these students also received a Minor Degree in Community Development and Leadership.

The group distributed grocery hampers to over 200 beneficiaries in Ang Mo Kio, with each hamper containing biscuits, instant coffee, Milo packets, a 5kg pack of rice, and other non-perishable foods.

The effort was part of The Boys’ Brigade (BB) annual Share-a-Gift project, which was launched in 1988 to promote the spirit of caring and sharing during the holiday season.

Among the many NUS students, staff, alumni and their family members who volunteered was 20-year-old student Subhashree Panneer, who is also the NUS Students’ Union Student Welfare Secretary.

“I am more appreciative of what I have. I realised that even though I might have my own struggles, there are always people struggling more than I am,” she said.

This was the first time the NUS community was involved in the Share-a-Gift programme, a result of the mobilisation effort by NUS Cares that called for staff, student and alumni participation.   

Mr Ho Jun Yi (Law & Public Policy ’11), Chairman of the NUS Cares Steering Committee, noted that the event was in line with the movement’s broader goals. “As with all activities supported by NUS Cares, the aim is to rally the NUS community to this meaningful activity and seed participants’ future and deeper involvement in this or similar activities in the future.” 

The NUS team, along with another 40 BB Boys, Primers, and Officers worked in groups of five to deliver the hampers to the beneficiaries, who were identified through social service agencies, government-funded initiatives such as ComCare and ComLink, and KidSTART – a non-profit organisation that provides support to low-income young families.

The recipients had been given the option of either receiving two grocery hampers or specific items they had requested in advance, all of which were either donated by the public and corporate donors or bought with funds raised by The Boys’ Brigade or partners such as FairPrice.

Professor Aaron Thean, NUS Provost and Deputy President (Academic Affairs), noted that in any community there are two groups of people: those who need help, and those with the capacity to help. “Creating opportunities for volunteerism is a good way to connect these two groups of people,” he said.

His favourite moment was waving off the volunteers – seeing the smiles on their faces and how passionate they were about lending a hand. “That kind of excitement was contagious,” he said.

Giving is receiving

While the volunteers were there to give back to the community, they received just as much from the experience.

Subhashree recalled an encounter with an elderly man battling cancer, who was at a nearby food court when the group visited his home. Despite his legs being weak from chemotherapy, he rushed back to meet them.

“It felt rewarding to help him, even with this small gesture,” said the second-year Data Science Analytics and Business double major. “I am grateful to have had the honour of helping him and learning about his life and struggles.”

Prof Thean added that even though the elderly man was in pain, there were no signs of it on his face. “He just had an expression of gratitude and happiness.”

For Chin Hui Ling, a fourth-year Business Administration student, it was seeing NUS alumni come together to make a positive impact on the community that made an impression on her.

She said, “It is a nice community and I look forward to being part of it after I graduate.”

Among the alumni who volunteered was 51-year-old Trevor Chee Chang Kiong (Engineering ‘97). “Even though I only helped a few people, I am going away knowing that I did some good this morning,” said the educator.

His advice for those on the fence about giving up their time to volunteer is simple. He quipped: “Don’t think too much. It’s not that difficult.”

NUS Deputy President (Administration) Clarence Ti echoed this, stating that “Life is about making memories. When we look back on our lives, we remember special experiences. [Spending a Saturday volunteering is] much better than going shopping.”

NUS Chief Alumni Officer Ovidia Lim-Rajaram, who was among the volunteers, points out that alumni have always featured prominently in NUS Cares efforts.

She said, “The contribution of our alumni volunteers is immeasurable as they not only make a difference to these families; their involvement also fosters a sense of community and belonging to the University.”

Under the two courses  –  GEN2060 Reconnect SeniorsSG and GEN2061 Support Healthy AgeingSG  – students will first pick up skills such as empathetic communication and active listening to help them connect with seniors through a structured academic programme overseen by the Department of Social Work at NUS Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Thereafter, they will be sent out to the community to engage with seniors through AIC’s Senior Befriending and Silver Generation Ambassador (SGA) programmes.  

Students Ashley Gue, Navaraj Rajendran and Kevin Wong are among some 900 students who have served as befrienders or Silver Generation Ambassadors to seniors under the service-learning courses which launched in August 2022. They share how the courses made them more aware of the needs of seniors and why the experience has been both humbling and fulfilling.

Serving as senior befrienders

Third-year NUS Life Sciences undergraduate Ashley Gue is one of the 400 students who signed up to be a senior befriender under the ‘Reconnect SeniorsSG’ course. Through weekly visits to meet the seniors, accompanying them for activities in their neighbourhoods, or helping them run errands, the initiative aims to encourage seniors to remain active and connected to society so that they can age healthily. Over 400 NUS students are currently serving as senior befrienders and the number is expected to increase to 900 next year.

Beyond building a rapport with her senior during their weekly engagement sessions, Ashley and her buddy went the extra mile by bringing their wheelchair-bound senior to different hawker centres after discovering that he was a big foodie!

“When we visited hawker centres, you could tell that he was very happy about it. He would share about how this particular stall was still around, or which stall had good food. So, the trips (to the hawker centres) were always very memorable and I enjoyed it a lot,” Ashley recalls.

Becoming a Silver Generation Ambassador

Despite having a close relationship with his grandmother, third-year NUS Life Sciences undergraduate Navaraj Rajendran signed up to be a SGA as he wanted to learn how to better engage seniors, and in turn, provide better care for his grandmother.

Working with AIC’s Silver Generation Office, students who participate in the ‘Support Healthy AgeingSG’ course are trained to engage seniors in their homes to share relevant government schemes and policies, as well as activities and services that are available in the vicinity. Through these interactions, the volunteers can better understand the seniors’ aspirations and needs, and provide them with the appropriate assistance. So far, more than 500 NUS students have been trained as SGAs and another 1,200 will be trained next year.

When asked to describe his experience in one word, Kevin Wong, a third-year NUS Economics undergraduate shared that it was humbling as it opened his eyes to the bigger picture – that life is more than just grades and academics. As an introvert, he had to make a conscious effort to push himself out of his comfort zone to initiate genuine conversations with the seniors. “When the ‘Support Healthy AgeingSG’ course was made available, I saw it as an opportunity to give back…to do something for the seniors facing challenges – be it in the areas of healthcare or social isolation.”

For Navaraj, the experience was so fulfilling that he chose to continue volunteering with AIC even after completing the course. “Although less frequently than before, since it’s no longer part of the academic programme, I want to continue serving.”

Spending time to befriend seniors, accompanying them for walks, or even sharing information about the relevant Government schemes may seem insignificant to the average person. For the seniors, however, these seemingly small gestures are acts of kindness that go a long way. Through these two courses, students are given a valuable opportunity to think deeper about societal issues, take constructive actions and be a part of the change to build a more caring society in Singapore.

Read the press release here.

Students Nityasree D/O Rajendran, Ng Wesley and Darren Chua Han Yong are among the 430 NUS students who have been trained and matched with ComLink families since the course was piloted in Academic Year 2022/2023. They shared their experiences of building meaningful relationships with their assigned families, understanding the families’ needs and aspirations and partnering with the families on their journey towards social mobility.

Nityasree D/O Rajendran (Nitya): Inspiring young minds

Every fortnight, Nitya, a Year 3 undergraduate student at NUS Business School, together with another befriender Shawn, meet 12-year-old E (pseudonym) at the void deck of E’s rental flat to tutor her in preparation for the upcoming Primary School Leaving Examination.

“We have our tutoring sessions at the void deck, which is more conducive, away from the busyness of the house which E shares with her mother and four older siblings. We typically do homework and assessment papers but sometimes we also do art jamming sessions to inject some fun and bond with E,” said Nitya, whose newfound joy is learning art techniques that she can then teach E.

With continuous encouragement over these sessions, Nitya witnessed as E demonstrated a growing interest in her studies. Now E is attentive in school and motivated to progress on to secondary school where she wants to continue doing sports and arts.

E is not the only family member the befrienders have touched. They have also assisted E’s mother, who has been unemployed, in her job search so that she can better support her family. With the help of Nitya and Shawn, E’s mother was able to polish up her resume and already has an interview lined up for a customer service job.

Having done many community projects in the past, Nitya found this particular experience especially rewarding and eye-opening. “I learnt that every child and situation is unique, so what works for me may not work for them. Instead of imposing my own solutions, I learnt to be open to their ideas first, then provide my thoughts and motivate them along the way. I’ve also seen firsthand how a little empathy and care can motivate someone to improve their circumstances. I guess sometimes all they need is to know that someone cares,” said Nitya.

Ng Wesley: Helping families achieve their dreams

To Wesley, a Year 3 undergraduate student at NUS Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, the ComLink Befrienders course is a wonderful way to do something meaningful in the community and find respite from the hustle and bustle of school life.

“I’ve always been passionate about causes that support the vulnerable in our community and what I like about this course is that we interact with the same families throughout our service-learning journey. I think it is important because it allows us to really understand the family’s unique circumstances, and see trade-offs through their eyes. We get to navigate real-world complexities alongside them,” said Wesley.

One of the families Wesley befriends aspires to own a flat one day. This dream had to take a backseat when the father suffered a stroke. As a result, his doctor has currently deemed him medically unfit to resume his job as a private-hire driver, putting significant strain on the family’s finances. Determined to do what he can for his family, the father has approached Wesley and his ComLink supervisor about finding suitable employment during his recovery.

“Even though he is struggling with the side-effects of his medication, it is heartwarming to see his determination to contribute to the family’s finances so that they can realise their dream of owning a home someday soon. He also takes such a keen interest in his children’s education, and they are doing very well in school,” said Wesley.

Not only has his befriending experience been emotionally and mentally rewarding, it has also helped the Political Science major in his coursework. “This semester I’m taking a course called Singapore Politics in Comparative Perspective and one of the assignments is to write a policy proposal on a contemporary Singapore policy issue, including issues relating to Singapore’s social service landscape. So, I’m able to directly apply what I have learnt to better shape my policy proposal,” he shared.

While he will be embarking on an overseas exchange next semester, Wesley looks forward to continuing the journey he started with these families once he is back.

Darren Chua Han Yong: In it for the long-haul

A Year 4 undergraduate student from NUS School of Computing, Darren believes that every child deserves a safe and nurturing environment to grow up in. Being able to make a direct and tangible difference in the circumstances of the families and their children is what got him interested in the ComLink Befrienders course.

“Not every volunteer opportunity allows you to work directly with the families,” he shared. “Through this course, we work with the families to come up with realistic action plans that support the families’ goals. For example, another befriender and I are involved in supporting two families take off their home-based food businesses. We created their business logos, designed promotional material and managed their social media accounts. We also meet often to sample their food and plan how to procure ingredients with the vouchers they are given. In October, the families participated in an event to promote some of their dishes. If the businesses successfully take off, it will be a huge step toward the families becoming self-reliant”.

Darren has befriended four families to-date under ComLink. While nurturing these relationships and joining group outings with ComLink families often take up his weekends or evenings, he enjoys the process, especially because he is doing it with two other friends. “It is nice that we still get to hang out with each other and do good at the same time,” he said. When Darren feels pressed for time juggling school work, co-curricular activities and volunteering, he reminds himself why he chose to become a befriender. Seeing the joy on children’s faces when they get to try McDonalds for the first time – a simple meal some may take for granted – or visit places like Sentosa motivates him to keep going.

The experience has also been enriching in ways he didn’t expect. Darren has learned to appreciate and respect cultural nuances that influence or shape people’s behavior and perspectives. He also has a deeper understanding of the various government support systems available – knowledge that will be invaluable as he continues his journey as a public ComLink befriender after he wraps up the course this year.

Making a positive impact through experiential learning

The GEN2070 ComLink Befrienders service-learning course is offered in partnership with Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF), as part of the Communities and Engagement Pillar of the NUS General Education curriculum.

“What sets GEN2070 apart is that our students undergo training and reflective learning, on top of training conducted by MSF or a Social Service Officer. This helps to instill skills and values such as empathetic communication, civic consciousness as they embark on their befriending journey.

Our course tutors have also developed additional tools that students can use – for example activities such as Read Aloud and Draw and Count to guide them in helping children prepare for primary school; and we work closely with them to plan excursions with the families to interesting places. Through this, we hope to stimulate community action and do our part to strengthen the resilience for our nation,” said Pamela Yeh, Course Lead (Communities and Engagement), Department of Social Work at NUS Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences.

To-date, NUS students form the largest group of volunteer befrienders from any organisation. In future, the University aims to grow this volunteer pool to 1,000 students every year, providing more opportunity for experiential learning through impactful work that positively influences the community.

To watch the GEN2070 course trailer, click here.