First Community Guiding Programme in the South West District to help girls develop leadership and life skills

The Community Guiding Programme, a collaboration between South West Community Development Council (CDC) and Girl Guides Singapore (GGS), engages young girls to develop their leadership and life skills through a series of workshops in themes such as environment, personal and social development, as well as social service. On 29 May 2022, the girls aged 11 to 14 years old who completed the pilot programme will be receiving completion certificates from Ms Low Yen Ling, Mayor of South West District and Mrs Koh-Teh Yi Wen, Chief Commissioner of GGS at the Community Guiding Programme Graduation Ceremony.

2        The pilot programme ran from September to December 2021 at Bukit Gombak division under the mentorship and guidance from volunteers from GGS and covered workshops on bento making, storytelling, craft activities, gardening, body confidence and elderly befriending. It will be rolled out to divisions in the South West District after the pilot run. The programme will be opened to girls aged 9-11 living in the South West District.

3            On the partnership between the South West CDC and GGS, Ms Low Yen Ling, Mayor of South West District, said, “This inaugural Community Guiding Programme reflects our shared goal to provide girls who are non-Guides in the South West district with the chance to discover and develop their potential beyond their current school and home environment. The community offers vibrant and diverse learning opportunities for the girls to gain life skills and values, and to interact with people from different walks of life. We hope that this programme will not only expand the relevance and reach of Guiding in the community, it will also spur our young ladies with poise and confidence to be the change they want to see in the future.” 

4        Mdm Suhana Rahmat, mother of 12-year-old A’eesyah Bte Muhamad Zaid and 14-year-old Aneesah Bte Muhamad Zaid, is thankful to have her two girls attend the Community Guiding Programme. One of the workshops her daughters attended was the bento making workshop where they learnt how to make panda-shaped rice and bake brownie. Prior to the bento making session, Mdm Suhana was always afraid of allowing her girls in the kitchen, and the girls do not know how to cook any food. However, through the session, the girls garnered the courage to hold a knife to slice onion, turn on the stove to stir fry the canned meat as well as using the rice cooker to cook rice.

5        “I am so surprised at what my girls can do now after attending the workshop. Before this bento making workshop, I tried to keep them away from the kitchen as I feel that it would be faster and safer for me to cook the food myself. The workshop gave me an opportunity to supervise their cooking and allow them the space to learn. I am so proud that they are more confident now and have taken a liking to cooking. They can cook rice, fry eggs and even cook instant noodles now, which are important life skills to have,” said Mdm Suhana Rahmat. 

6        12-year-old A’eesyah Bte Muhamad Zaid shared, “It was a very fun experience as I got to try things that I have never had the chance to try before, such as cooking and planting vegetables.”

7        Another pair of siblings, 12-year-old Chin Xuan Ning and 15-year-old Chin Xuan Tien will also graduate from the Community Guiding Programme this Sunday. They attended a series of workshops such as bento making, gardening and volunteering virtually at an elderly home.

8        “The volunteering session was an eye-opening experience as we got to see situations that other people are living in, like the elderly who were living alone. It was meaningful to me that we got to put a smile on the faces of these elderlies who may feel lonely as they live alone. I also learnt useful tips such as making cake out of oranges which is an eco-friendlier way. I would like to learn more ways to make food in an eco-friendly manner,” shared Xuan Ning.

9        “Partnering South West CDC to bring our time-tested, customized girl-development Guiding programme to Bukit Gombak has given Girl Guides Singapore the opportunity to impact girls in the community. Through our programme, we hope more girls will develop confidence, self-assurance, leadership skills, practical life skills and be on their way to reaching their fullest potential as they prepare for life,” said Dr Seetha Subbiah, President of Girl Guides Singapore. 

10       The experience was equally meaningful for the volunteers. “It was enriching to be able to plan activities for non-Guides in a wider community. I was encouraged that they benefitted by learning valuable life lessons and skills,” shared 21-year-old Ms Hazel Tan, Young Adult (lead and facilitator), Girl Guides Singapore.