Arts Education & Outreach Module Assignment and Programme with Lions Befrienders

3 Feb

What I Did.

During my Service-Learning Programme with Lions Befrienders, I had the chance to design "To a New Year!I created a Chinese New Year-themed arts-based program to promote intergenerational bonding amongst seniors. For my Arts Education, Community, and Outreach Module, the importance of reaching out to the community through the arts was emphasised.

I was involved in the conceptualization of the programme, including sourcing logistics and designing a logo in Adobe Illustrator as part of my role. I organized an event for seniors and student volunteers, where they could create clay art together. Participants made clay art/ models based on the given theme that enabled to express creativity and tell a story.

To get people more involved, we added in many activities, such as karaoke, Chinese New Year playlists, quizzes, and Cai Shen Ye cosplay. We used materials such as air-dry clay to provide an enjoyable experience, along with jam and goodies that the seniors would enjoy! During this program, I focussed on creating an environment where people were comfortable participating and creating things.

What I Learned.

Through this experience, I gained an insight into planning a project. As I coordinated with volunteers and engaged the elderly, communications and proper time-management were very important things I learnt. I learnt how to adapt when certain seniors were unwilling to meet new people due to language barriers and more.

Through an engaging conversation with the seniors, I learnt to connect with them and encourage participation. The feedback I received from Lions Befrienders and the engagement by the seniors showed me how involvement in the arts can help with loneliness and engaging with new people. Through this project, I also learned more as an arts manager; I applied what I had learnt academically to ensure it was a safe space that catered to the needs of the participants.

Goals for Continued Learning.

In the future, I hope to develop my project management and community engagement skills more by finding other opportunities from the community. I would be enrolling in workshops on proper program planning, audience engagement strategies, and working with the different populations group, particularly seniors.

In addition, I want to take on leadership roles for upcoming community projects to improve my ability to coordinate work and mentor full-time volunteers. I want to get more involved with the communities we work with to ensure that their voice is heard. I am committed to creating cultural experiences, and I couldn’t apply what I learnt in this project in future things that I try.