Community Service Iniative

COMMUNITY SERVICE INITIATIVES

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Chapter 1: Perspective.

When we were given this project, our immediate thought was to search for a centre that we could contribute to, such as the old folks home and the orphanage. As we carry out our research to find for an appropriate home, we came to a realization that most of the homes we found has received constant help from the volunteers, because they were everyone’s immediate response when it comes to community service. Thus, we’ve decided to change an approach.

We changed our target users to a residential community, contributing to a community that are also in need of help and improvement, but hidden in the shadows, without being noticed. We ended up choosing PJS 7’s low cost flat as our chosen community, specifically the public park.

Chapter 2: Repellent.

The first time we step foot into the playground, we clearly felt how uncomfortable the place was. There was only a court, a swing and a see-saw found in the park. The park was filled with trash, such as plastic wraps, packet drinks, shattered glass bottles, decaying food and also overgrown grass. We observe some residents that uses the park as a transitional space to another side, with children playing out of the compound of the park, instead of being in it. The lack of awareness towards their living environment was really apparent among the community. The park causes a repelling effect in the community, it gave the impression of such coldness in the community.

That moment, my team and I knew that we had to deal with all the existing issues and hopefully, create something that helps the current situation.

Chapter 3: Presence.

There are a few things that come to mind, things that we want to achieve. The whole idea is to make the park into a more friendly environment, becomes not only a transitional space, but a place where interaction and joy can be manifested. The park was a strategic location to bring the community together, but in order to fulfill that goal, the environment plays an important role in shaping the quality of the space, the interaction between one another. Thus, our mission was to:

Reform, Revive and Reciprocate.

Reform

With the act of carrying out a cleaning spree, to bring awareness and involvement in the community, to show importance of its living environment, reform the space and the preconceive ideas of an optimum living environment.

Revive

With the addition of an attraction, such as a vibrant playscape or paintings, that draws the community and revitalize the space, ignite the hearts of the community, spreading warmth among its community.

Reciprocate

With the act of kindness, that bring an indirect awareness towards the community, establish the interaction between the community and the park, emphasizing the idea of how the interactions among the community shapes the environment, and how its environment is able to shape the liveliness of its community.

Chapter 4: Deceived.

The day we started the cleaning process, there weren’t any of the community members came to help despite announcing our activity in advance to the community. Adults and kids were just passer by. They stared but unwilling to help with the cleaning process. We felt foreign to them, and we felt the isolation of the community between one another. We approached and engaged with the community, and the children were inactive and given minimum respond.

Chapter 5: Journey.

As our visit became more frequent, our presence and efforts were noticed by the community. We carried out multiple times of cleaning spree in the park, and each time there are little improvement in terms of the community’s respond towards our activity. The children gradually grown interest towards the work we did, and participated in our work in reforming the park.

Conversations start to expand, as we get to understand their background a little more, and most importantly knowing how they perceived the park. The children wanted more play elements in the park, that they could interact with. The park needed repackaging, to change the children’s perception towards the park. My team and I came out with proposals, possibilities that could be done to use the park to its full advantage. The park was properly shaded by three enormous tress, complement by the grass land beneath and the court. Visualizing how it would be, it excites us as well.

After a few discussions, we’ve decided to create a colored tyre walls, which attracts the children and enhances their activeness in the park, tyre stumps as an additional play elements, extending the existing mural painting with more graphical animations, and goal post, fulfilling a more wholesome experience for the children.

The whole period of production, we were able to acknowledge the transformation of the park, and the children in the neighborhood. The biggest take away from this whole project is realizing how our contribution towards a place can impact the community. From the beginning, we had the intention to bring the community together, and revealing the essence of the park, to connect the people with the place through our creation. The addition of tyre walls and tyre stump has played a huge role in increasing the vibrancy of its place, turning the whole place into a friendly environment.

The children in the community was our biggest motivation. The moment when the children started believing in our cause, and attempt to actualize our visions, at the same time giving them hope, it gave so much meaning to the things we were doing. The completion of our work, had an immediate reaction, whereby children started utilizing the space in the park, and encouraging social interactions.

As a whole, we managed to achieve our initial intentions, fulfilling our mission and vision towards this whole project. The satisfaction and joy seen in the faces of the children, seeing how the addition of our work enhances its environment, it was rewarding, it was unveiling a warmth that was always kept within.