00:00Slime making was like one of my favourite childhood activities
00:03and I'm very very happy to be able to like share my joy with like the residents.
00:13Hi everyone!
00:17We are all from the same class.
00:20Because we're here to like serve AWA and like try to help the residents here
00:23put in like planned activities for them.
00:26We were actually researching on different types of beneficiaries
00:29that we were interested in.
00:30And eventually after we got together right,
00:32we found AWA and we found that their course was very interesting.
00:35So we decided to volunteer here.
00:37When we first started of course we were a bit hesitant and nervous
00:40because you know we don't usually interact with these people with disabilities.
00:43But now it's been three months and we're even more passionate
00:45because we realised that oh they're just regular people like us.
00:52We come here every Saturday from 2 to 4 pm to engage with the residents.
00:59What AWA does is that it helps people with disabilities ranging from mild to severe
01:08physical and mental disabilities.
01:11So we hope to plan fun and engaging activities to help them during Saturdays.
01:19Hello!
01:21Do you remember us?
01:22I'm Xu Tian.
01:23I have pet fishes at home.
01:27It's me!
01:29Remember me?
01:29Cara and Cara.
01:30Yeah.
01:31Yeah then you open it.
01:34Okay then you'll fall into another triangle.
01:38Then you push down.
01:41So you'll form this like mini square that has flaps at the side.
01:50You open one of the flaps and then you push it down.
01:54Rach, is it okay if you show me?
01:57What is square?
01:58I don't know why I can't focus.
01:59You do the same on both sides.
02:03Based on what we find out about AWA, then we plan our activities
02:06and we have to get it approved by our school.
02:09And we also came over to talk to Natasha about the residents.
02:18No, it's okay.
02:18It's all part of the process.
02:21Now after three months, I actually am friends with a lot of them.
02:23They recognise us when we come in.
02:25So it used to be at the start I was very nervous
02:27but now I actually look forward to Saturday
02:29and taking the one hour MRT ride from my house to come here
02:33and hang out with the residents.
02:36So it's been very fun and it's been increasingly meaningful
02:39as you know you get to know them personally
02:41and I form friendships with them.
02:48We had a lava lamp, we had slime making,
02:51activities that are like science-based.
02:53Inside the contact lens solution right,
02:55got the boric acid to react with the baking soda and the glue.
03:01Okay, so we just add a bit at a time okay.
03:08Most of the residents enjoy playing slime together
03:11and it's definitely quite like helpful as a therapy
03:14because it's very sensory activity.
03:16And today we are making the butter slime
03:18so it's supposed to be like smooth and spreadable.
03:20We should help them to relax and enjoy.
03:22Then sometimes we also plan to make things like floam slime
03:25so there will be like beads inside
03:27which will like have those crunchy texture
03:29and also very satisfying sounds.
03:31It's also a lot easier than other types of activities.
03:36One aspect that we definitely help is the social inclusion part.
03:39Some of them might feel left out
03:40because they feel like they have some disability
03:42which might hinder their abilities to do some of these things.
03:45So what we plan to do is that we plan to assist them in these activities
03:48and help them realise that they can actually complete these activities
03:52just like any of us
03:53and definitely help them to build self-confidence in themselves.
03:56It goes a long way in building their self-esteem
03:58and improving their overall character.
04:01So because of the amount of time we spend together right
04:04we really thought about like everything.
04:10So after this project we became a lot closer than we were.
04:15And I think after the six-month period that you know we've agreed to do this
04:18I'll still come back as regularly as I can
04:21because I feel like I've actually forged real connections with them.
04:25Bye bye.
04:27What we have to give up is definitely our time
04:29and we have to be committed to this
04:31but actually what we receive is more than what we give.
04:33So for instance we forge many valuable friendships with the beneficiaries
04:38with the residents there
04:39and we also make many new friends there
04:41for example with the other volunteers there.
04:46I feel like for volunteers who want to volunteer right
04:48taking the first step would be the hardest
04:49but the time to start is like right now.
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