Growing up in Singapore, you may have heard of ‘IMH’ (Institute of Mental Health) and varying opinions on what ‘Mental Health’ entail.
Regardless of your family background, I am pretty sure you may have learnt of certain negative stereotypes commonly associated with mental-health beneficiaries- ‘slow’, ‘different’ and maybe even, ‘outcasts’.
But, 11 volunteers from Raffles Institution (RI) chose to believe otherwise, and I had the opportunity to see this first hand.
Weekly Devotion
In late July 2016, these volunteers embarked on a journey of ‘Friendship’ with a group of mental-health beneficiaries. This journey was known to them as “Lifeline”. Twice a week, they would partake in fun-filled activities to help the beneficiaries unwind. It was a simple yet meaningful way of learning more about the beneficiaries – no, not of their special needs per se – but their interests as human beings. I was lucky enough to attend one of their sessions in November. In particular, a ‘Dance’ session.
Institute of Mental Health, Indoor Sports Hall – Where Friendships Blossomed
Institute of Mental Health, Indoor Sports Hall (Stage)
I still remember how the 25 beneficiaries were lined up in rows facing the stage during the ‘Dance’ session. Among them, were 10 volunteers swaying to the soundtrack being played. “Right arm – double – left arm – double – right arm – single – left arm – single” was the unanimous chant. Their newfound friends followed along with beaming faces. With this, I witnessed the joy of volunteerism.
“Lifeline”
This project, “Lifeline”, is one of the three community-service factions in RI’s Community Advocates, where young volunteers aim to establish friendly ties with the beneficiaries while at the same time learning more about mental-health issues. It made me curious to find out why these youths willingly do what they do.
Chen Yi Ting, one of the volunteers from Lifeline, shared: “Earlier on, I learnt about ‘Muscular Dystrophy’ through a voluntary event conducted by our alumni and I felt good whenever the beneficiaries smiled or laughed when I interacted with them” explaining that it was through her previous voluntary experience that helped develop an interest for ‘Lifeline’. “This inspired me to work with IMH beneficiaries. It’s great to see everyone so happy”.
Goh Xin Hui, another volunteer, was motivated to join ‘Lifeline’ to combat the undeserving stigma faced by these beneficiaries. She said, “[They] are unable to express themselves well and I think that it is not fair for us to judge them based off that. They are humans after all.”
Shifting Perspectives On Mental-Health
From this experience, I was not only heartened to see the beneficiaries swaying their hands to the rhythm of the music (a sign of silent affirmation that they enjoyed dancing with the volunteers), but was also inspired by the volunteers’ dedication.
I approached one of the volunteers, Ze Lun Bryan, to find out the impact this journey had on him and his perspectives. “I guess it’s not their fault that their mentality is that of the minority and not socially accepted by society. The rest of us are just lucky that our mentalities are that of the majority, and hence we are labelled as ‘normal’.” He added with conviction, “I think that puts us in the position to care more and empathise with them.”
Let’s All Be More Accepting
From left: Sonu Muskan, Goh Xin Hui, Chen Yi Ting, Xiong Hanqi, Valary Lim Wan Qian, Tho Zhe Lun, Bryan – One with the Team!
When asked, the volunteers agreed unanimously that the smiles on the beneficiaries’ faces were a true testament to the value of their service.
This experience definitely changed my perspectives not just on mental-health, but on youth volunteerism as well. I am encouraged to see how so many of my peers willingly take time off their busy schedules to make a difference to the life of others. I was also in awe of their confidence in combating existing social prejudices against mental-health beneficiaries.
I hope this story inspires you to make a difference, just like how it did for me. Let’s create a more inclusive society together!
The first step towards volunteerism is to learn more about it, so why not head on to www.youthcorps.sg to find out how you can change lives!
Author: Sonu Muskan, student from Raffles Institution who volunteered as a writer during one of the voluntary sessions organised by RI.
