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Partners In Action – iShine

Posted by Hsin Ee Chia on June 6, 2020


Hello! Who are you and what do you do?

I am Hidayah, social work assistant from Punggol Family Service Centre (PgFSC). My job scope includes supporting the social workers, handling administrative duties and also facilitating the groupwork that PgFSC runs. I am one of the programme coordinators and facilitators for iShine @ PgFSC. The children who attend iShine, are identified from PgFSC case work where their families may be facing multiple stressors such as financial, marital and emotional issues. As a result, the children may not be exposed to functional coping behaviours which may affect their sense of self and their relationship with others. We were keen to help these children build their sense of self and learn skills to cope with their emotions and relationships.
What happens in the preparation for iShine?

We have a team of 5 who are involved in iShine@PgFSC. At the start of the year, EDIS Cares provided detailed iShine session plans for experiential learning activities under 3 different themes (I Am A Scientist, Junior Masterchef, Art & Nature). We incorporated socio-emotional skills such as communication, problem-solving and emotional regulation skills, with an aim of making it a fun experience for the children. A lot of planning and logistical preparations are required to setup each session. Sometimes it takes up to 2 weeks to source out the logistics required! As a main session facilitator, I also monitor the children’s behaviour and progress through-out the programme, as well as facilitate discussions regarding the socio-emotional learning goals of each session. We also support the mentors teamed up with the children, especially if they need help to manage any child who might get over zealous during the activities.
Which iShine session do you remember best and why?

My most memorable iShine session was the Crime Scene Investigation (CSI) session, under the “I Am a Scientist” theme. The iShine team had to do a short skit, and set up the FSC to look like a crime scene.  Our team learnt to weave in the socioemotional components as seamlessly into EDIS Cares’ experiential activity plan as we could – we were surprised at our own creativity!
At the actual session, the children were very into their roles as investigators. They were scrutinising and taking note of little details that we had tried to hide, brainstorming possibilities and even questioning the suspects beyond the questions we had given them. When I saw how the children enthusiastically responded to the experiential activity and learnt problem-solving skills, I felt a sense of achievement.

 

What do you think is the impact of iShine?

At the end of every iShine session, children will bring back social values and skills that they have learnt. They are able to recall and understand these skills based on the activities they have gone through. I noticed that towards the end of every theme the children begin to practice these skills e.g. they work better in their groups, take turns and better communicate their feelings.

Caregivers have been very supportive and they have shown keen interest to learn more parenting skills in the parallel Shining Series sessions. They shared that they are able to practice what they have learnt and feel encouraged by the results.  During the Shining families activities, there are parents who actively participate with their children so as to build positive memories as they spend quality time together.

 

How is EDIS Cares as a partner?

EDIS Cares has been a very supportive and understanding partner. Having Hsinee and her team behind us and ever ready to support us gave us the confidence to make iShine better! EDIS Cares has been very open towards Punggol FSC making modifications to the activities to weave in socio-emotional skills and knowledge. This has allowed the children to learn important life skills while experiencing activities that they may not have a chance to otherwise! We see this as a valuable partnership and look forward to future years of continued collaboration!

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