Community & Citizenship Education

Raffles Institution  sees service-learning as an important pedagogical approach to raise student awareness of and commitment to community and nation.

RIEL develops the pedagogy and programmes that  provide students space for clarification of personal values,  critical analysis of community issues and personal commitment to community change.  RIEL also seeks to improve school-community partnerships and move away from charity-based projects towards responsible social advocacy.

Local Service-Learning CORE Programmes

  1. Academic Service-Learning (ASL) - Diversity
  2. Service-Learning (Community Advocates)

Local Service-Learning ELECTIVE Programmes

  1. Foundations of Service-Learning (FOSL)
  2. Service-Learning Facilitation Skills (SLF)
  3. Service-Learning Leadership
  4. Raffles Community Leaders Forum (RCLF)

International Service-Learning Programme

  1. International Service-Learning Electives (ISLEs)
    "World As Family"

External Programmes

We have conducted and continue to conduct service-learning courses for academic staff from the National Institute of Education, In-Service Teachers (in collaboration with NIE), MOE HQ staff, and teachers from junior colleges and secondary schools.

We provide standard or customised courses for teachers and student leaders in service-learning and Youth Expedition Project (YEP) leadership training.

Local Service-Learning CORE Programmes

1.         Academic Service-Learning (ASL)

ASL is a project-based programme that aims to augment critical analysis with affective engagement through real and direct interaction with the community. Designed for the high-performing students, ASL aims to help students develop collaborative and independent learning, understand group dynamics, improve communication skills and manage information. This advocacy-based Service-Learning programme uses information as the primary basis for service. Students will develop a personal connection with the community, explore the meaning of social responsibility in a society driven by meritocracy and enhance student’s appreciation of diversity.

Duration:
1 year.    2 hours of classroom time per week.   About 30 hours of service time.

No of Students: 
100

2.         Community Advocates (CA)

:::podium.jpgCA is an issue-based programme that seeks to nurture a new generation of lifelong advocates with a passion to serve and lend a voice to the voiceless in society. Beyond simply helping the less privileged members of society to overcome the challenges they face, CA prepares students to be responsible youth advocates, daring to push for change by discussing pertinent societal issues within and beyond Raffles Institution.

This is achieved through             
  • Leading in the development of solutions for societal problems by encouraging constant discussion and activism
  • Inculcating a spirit of advocacy among youths
  • Creating a network of youth advocates
  • Initiating successful and sustainable advocacy projects
  • Establishing strong and effective partnerships with Voluntary Welfare Organisations (VWOs)

Duration:
1½  years.  2½ hours of classroom time per week. About 30 hours of service time.

No of Students:
Maximum of 20 per Core Module 

Children

:::grp3.jpg Children are especially vulnerable to physical, emotional and psychological injury. It has therefore been recognised that providing them with a safe, comfortable and nurturing environment in which to grow up is of paramount importance. Today’s children, however, face threats and pressures from new sources, and are exposed to an even greater range of dangers as a result of their easy access to information. Tackling existing problems alongside emerging ones, students will better understand the circumstances in which our next generation is brought up, and propose and implement innovative strategies to improve the welfare of children in need.

Youth :::carwash.jpg

Recalcitrant youths, as well as youths from broken homes and less privileged circumstances often have a hard time gelling with the rest of society, and face emotional stress from the many problems that they face. By interacting with their peers, students can gain a deeper understanding of the situational and social contexts of their disadvantaged peers and approach the most effective solutions that will open up new opportunities for them and help them to come out of their shell.

Elderly

What are the real problems our elderly face in our modernised society? Are we doing enough for them? Are the financial schemes, support facilities and health care services for the elderly sufficient at the moment? Filial piety in our society has become a topic of much debate in recent times, as increasing numbers of youths grow up with no sense of gratitude, caught up with their future career prospects while relegating their parents to old folks’ homes and the like. Students thus have to connect to both their peers as well as the elderly in society to garner both points of views on this subject, and brainstorm on the most effective ways of helping the elderly feel comfortable in our society.

People with Disabilities

What are the challenges and obstacles that people with both physical and intellectual disabilities face in Singapore? What are the misconceptions that society has about them? How can we help to create an inclusive atmosphere for them? Students seek to find answers for these tough questions by interacting with their physically or intellectually disabled peers. By empathizing with them, students can re-evaluate the privileged circumstances they are blessed with as they speak up for the less able members of society and try to put an end to any discrimination they may face.

:::carwash.jpg

 

Local Service-Learning ELECTIVE Programmes

1. Foundations of  Service-Learning (FOSL)

“Community as Partner”

This course is for students who want to organize community service projects.  It focuses on sustainable community partnership, service and learning design, and ethics of community engagement.   A values-based approach to Service-Learning is emphasized.

Duration: 1 day

2. Service-Learning Facilitation Skills (SLF)

“Facilitation as Dialogue”

This peer facilitator course introduces basic skills of facilitation for student leaders – an “adaptive” approach is adopted.  Students also learn about project and group management skills.

Duration: 1 day

3. Service-Learning Leadership

This is a course that prepares students for leadership in their respective issue-based engagements as they lead their peers in championing their causes.     Participants will cover topics like Project Management, Community Asset Mapping, Group Management and leadership.

4. Raffles Community Leaders Forum (RCLF)

This Forum is a student-organised event which provides platforms for youth to discuss social issues facing their countries. Participants focus on a particular issue and set out to provide feedback and recommendations for social change within their communities.

Please visit our RCLF website at www.rafflesclf.com to find out more and register.

International Service-Learning Programme

International Service-Learning Electives (ISLEs)
“World As Family”

As a firm believer of global education, Raffles Institution sends about 6 – 10 teams of students on overseas community service or Youth Expedition Projects (YEP) every year. In 2007, to better tap the educational potential of YEP , RIEL developed the year-long ISLEs programme which includes 30 hours of classroom sessions.  ISLEs provides for better preparation, focuses on social issues rather than charity, and helps students have a deeper understanding of community development issues, governance and society.   Selected student leaders will accompany staff on feasibility study trip before the actual project.  The inaugural ISLEs programme started in February 2007.

Duration: 1 year

Requirement: After covering the foundations of service-learning through the Local Service-Learning ELECTIVE Programmes, students choose one of the following issues to focus on:

  • Education - education for orphans and/or children from poor and/or broken families, child trafficking, poverty, at-risk youths
  • Disability - mental health and rehabilitation for intellectually challenged children, training and re-integration into society, social perspectives, exposure and acceptance
  • Marginalised Communities - refugee and migrant issues, nationalism, identity, sense of belonging, livelihood; women empowerment and employment, caste system, social advocacy
  • Water and Environment - necessity of water, health and hygiene, environmental needs, uses and damage