"I have a greater understanding of myself and my classmates as well as have become more matured after going through the SEL workshop. There was a time when I made my mum angry and she scolded me. Then I thought back, “Am I wrong?” I realized that I was not a child anymore and I remembered learning from the program that I must be prepared to face life’s challenges. If I made my mother angry, she would be upset. It is so pitiful for my mother.

During the Parent-Teacher Meeting session, my form teacher told my parents that I have been handing in my assignments on time as compared to last time. I have to do important ones (tasks) before not important ones.

Last time, they (classmates) were playful and disturbed me when I am paying attention in class. But now, they understand the importance of paying attention and they pay attention to the class (lesson). They also follow the instruction of the teachers. I have seen the most change in Joshua. Last time he was not participative and forgets to hand-in his homework. Now he remembers to hand-in and brings everything that the teacher asks. I think that the program (SEL workshop) makes us more responsible in all things in our daily lives. This program builds our character and the effort from the teachers lets the students become good in behaviour and character."

"Last year, I had difficulties in controlling my temper and used to get into trouble with the teachers in my primary school. Now, I don’t get into any more trouble. My teacher says I’m different and more mature in my thinking. Through the games and activities, the trainers helped me to reflect on what I can do better. The lessons on Respect in particular were most significant because I learnt to respect others first before expecting to be respected in return.

Without SEL, I think I would not have become aware of my strengths and weaknesses and probably would not have made any effort in changing anything for the better."

"My first volunteering experience with LCCS was a school-based social work programme for Secondary 1 kids. From the time there, I remember a young boy who always kept to himself. His classmates didn't talk with him because they mistook his silence for unfriendliness and as a result reacted negatively to that. I could identify with the boy's rejection because I was in that place once. I am glad that I was able to have the opportunity to serve Taufik (name has been changed) in the time I was in the programme organised by the LCCS.

We need to recognise that the service of a volunteer is a choice whereas for the person that is being served, that service of a volunteer is a need. Volunteering is not about waiting for a sense of pity or sympathy to tug at your emotional heartstrings before you can give something of yourself. It is not about looking at a person's (the one you are volunteering to serve) merits or how deserving he is of your time and service before you help. It's not even about the results of volunteering.

I believe at the end of the day, it is about choosing to avail yourself to meet another person's need because if you were in that person shoes, you would hope for someone to do the same.

LCCS may be able to formulate the most effective programmes. However, it is not programmes that leave footprints in people's life, but people. If we want people to care, then we need to start caring."

Daniel has been volunteering with LCCS since 2006

"I have been doing voluntary work since I was in secondary school. The projects then were often short and I participated in them to fulfill curriculum requirements, rather than out of true “volunteering” and altruistic spirit.

This changed in junior college when I volunteered in a Youth Mentoring/Befriending Programme. During the once-a-week sessions, I helped youths with their school work and talked to them about their lives, school and friends.

Although it was done initially to fulfill school requirement, I continued for almost a year because I truly enjoyed it and wanted to help the youths. There was a great sense of achievement when they could grasp the concepts of subjects that I explained. Through this volunteering experience, I learnt to be more patient and realized my interest in working with youths.

In university, I took up tuition assignments for extra pocket money. Even though there was monetary gain, it never felt as satisfying as when I did it voluntarily. There was constant pressure to deliver and less time to know my tutees better.

I started to look for volunteering opportunities again after returning from an overseas exchange, which reignited my interest to do voluntary work with youths. From Lutheran Community Care Services (LCCS), I came to learn about the Podz Youth Mentoring which I subsequently volunteered for.

I have just started on this voluntary work and so far, every session has been an interesting experience, both in understanding the life of my mentee, as well as in personal development like learning to be a better listener. There are also training sessions in which I learn mentoring skills and meet the other mentors. I am looking forward to the next session and hope that ultimately, both my mentee and I are able to benefit mutually from this programme."

Huang Sipei is a volunteer with LCCS since 2006

Sec 3D - "The Miracle Mind helps me to motivate myself and to inspire me to work toward achieving my dream. I am now able to concentrate more and do better in my tests."

Leena is one of the girls from Singapore Girls’ Home (SGH) who LCCS has been working with since 13 March 2008. She was ordered to SGH because her father lodged a complaint to the Juvenile Court for being Beyond Parental Control.

Recently, Leena was discharged from SGH. Below is a feedback from her:

"Well, the mentor sessions really help me a lot. And I really appreciate my mentor, Natalie. At first, I felt that the sessions were useless for making me to walk on the right path and be a successful person. So, I did not tell much to Natalie as it would be a waste time. When my discharge date was getting close to an end, I became nervous and scared because no one is going to be there to guide me and help me. My mentor who I now call “Jie” was with me throughout my journey of stress after my discharge. She helped me to solve problem and made sure the thing I do will not harmful to myself. She really takes care of me and be there for me whenever I need someone to talk to. And now she really had made me go on the right path. I want to make sure that when one day I become successful person, I want to share it with my mentor, Natalie."

Physics Teacher, Jurong Secondary School - "I began to realise that there is a way around difficult classes. I began to try to catch them doing right. I began to come into class not trying to be stern, but trying to be approachable and enthusiastic. No immediate effect here, but trying to catch them doing right meant that each day I would have a smile on my face. Now that alone is worth it!

I went about walking through the class more, seeing the students as individuals. Lo and behold, they did ask me a lot of pointed and good questions which was my pleasure to answer. I began to move away from talking to them as a whole class to doing more work in small groups. Indeed, the more interested students did benefit more as they had their doubts answered. The less interested at least had some smiles and close attention from me.

When they asked questions, I would not answer but 'throw' the question back at them. When they answered briefly I would catch what was right about their answer and from there work towards the final solution. It was a joy doing that. I could see them thinking and learning.

In all, I used to have 0-5% of the class enjoying and learning from the lesson (yes, it was that bad!) to now I would safely say 70% of the class at least showing portions of learning."

Discipline Master, Ngee Ann Secondary School - "Daniel was clear in guiding our discipline committee through the use of the Solution-Focused techniques and the adoption of the Restorative Practice approach towards managing challenging students.

Our approaches, strategies and successes in managing our students have been greatly enhanced with the additions of these two techniques.

Our students have also responded positively to the techniques and there are noticeable improvements to behaviour, maturity and discipline.

We strongly recommend our fellow educators to learn more about these approaches towards managing discipline in their schools."

Discipline Master, Jurong Secondary School - "We were introduced to the solution focused approach by Mr. Daniel Ang in July 2007. I was a bit skeptical about how it can help me as a discipline master especially when the approach is predominantly used by counsellors. But I was surprised at how effective the approach is.

The solution focused approach emphasised a lot on relationship of the teacher and the students or showing of concern by the teachers for the students. It focuses on the positivity instead of negativity, something that we as Asians often lacked in.

In general, the few teachers that undergo the workshop were quite impressed by it. We were so impressed we wanted the whole school to know about it. So we are able to arrange Dr Linda Metcalf, the expert in the area of solution focused approach, to have a half day workshop for all the teachers in the school.

This incident further enhanced my belief in this approach. So many a times as a DM, I am caught up in trying to find the root of the problem, as I thought it will give me answers to solve it. But in this approach, the students are made to find the answers for themselves (they are the expert in their own life) and we facilitate. As such, there will be more ownership by them to carry out their promises."

Teacher, Jurong Secondary School - "A Secondary three boy who failed all the subjects in the mid-year examinations and was beyond his mother’s control was referred to me through the school counsellor. He seemed to be very negative in all his comments so I decided to use Solution Focused techniques on him, to focus on the positive things during our discussion and ignore all his negative comments.

He was referred to me in Term 3, Week 7. To date, the following outcomes have been achieved. He has completed all the topics in the 10-year series covered this year independently without requiring any chasing from teachers, he has asked relevant questions for each topic which shows that he is learning, the feedback from his form teacher is that he has improved and he is better able to concentrate in class as well as he is more serious in Mathematics and showing an overall improve in grades. The feedback from other teachers is that he is a much more confident person now.

He is confident that he will pass his Physics and he even commented "It’s so easy ah! Really that easy meh? But I do well in Physics only 50%, my chemistry very bad..." I took this opportunity to get him to work on his chemistry. He was not willing... so I used SF on him again focusing on how he has succeeded in Physics. So we are now working on Chemistry."

HOD Pupil Welfare, Jurong Sec School - "The ER programme had taught the students to be more self aware of own strengths and weaknesses and this set them to be more focused. The students had enjoyed the sessions… Teachers had found the programme beneficial as through the programme, they get a better knowledge of the students’ character and learning style and use different teaching strategies to achieve better results."

When I was in primary school, I would skip class whenever I felt lazy or tired. Since I came to Jurong Secondary School (JSS), I enjoy going to school. Even when I do not feel like going to school, I will force myself to attend. From the SEL lesson, which is my favourite lesson, I learnt to be more responsible and I have not skipped any school since I came to JSS. The SEL is one period every Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. I enjoy the SEL lesson because it is fun and the things we do are quite different from other lessons.

I also like the journals as it allows me to think on what I have learnt through the activities during the SEL lesson. One quote I remember from the trainers: "Strike to do your best for what you want". The trainers who are from LCCS are so kind, sweet and encouraging. When I get into Secondary two, I hope I won’t be able to forget all the things they have done for us! I hope that there will be SEL lessons in Secondary two. I LOVE SEL!!!