A two-day camp sees volunteers establish their purpose in serving the elderly.
Contributed By Rachel Tjahjadi
The JOY Crew revisited their purpose and vision in their work among the elderly. PHOTO COURTESY OF CHCSA.
The House of JOY (the word “JOY” being an acronym for Joining the Old and the Young) was opened recently in August to serve as a place for the elderly to pass their time and enjoy the activities organized by City Harvest Community Services Association.
It was also the campsite for 15 House of JOY volunteers who were part of a two-day JOY Crew Unified Camp held on Sep. 10 and 11. The purpose of the camp was to strengthen the relationship among the volunteers, also known as the JOY Crew, and instill in them a sense of purpose in their volunteer work among the elderly.
Sticking closely to its objectives, the camp’s activities required the participants to use teamwork and coordination to complete several tasks. The food trail, for example, required the teams to source for food items from all over Singapore late at night, in a given time frame. This activity required strategizing and camaraderie among team members.
Volunteers took part in games such as “All About You!” and “Three Truths and One Lie,” both of which required them to share information about themselves, thus getting to know one another better.
The “JOY Crew Got Talent” segment had the teams put together short but creative performances showcasing their respective talents. Despite a shortage of time, the volunteers put up a rousing performance which brought the house down.
One of the highlights of the camp was the goal and vision-setting session, which was part of the camp’s objectives.
The JOY Crew came together to share their reasons for becoming volunteers and what they hoped to see as volunteers for the elderly. The vision sharing helped to establish a clearer understanding of the vision of the House of JOY among the volunteers.
Wendy Fong, 23, an administrative executive in CHCSA and organizer of the camp, summed it up, saying, “Through the JOY Crew Unified Camp, strong bonding and deeper relationships were built among the volunteers. This camp has helped to enlarge the visions and goals of the volunteers as they set out to serve the community.”
