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11 September 2024

If you ask Andria Choo about the most challenging part of her work, it would be the ongoing reflection on whether enough has been done to positively impact the lives of those she serves.

As a Senior Social Worker at Fei Yue Community Services, Andria focuses on working with youths-at-risk and their families. These can include youths who face mental health concerns, young offenders who are caught for petty crimes, those at risk of dropping out of school and many more.

Typically falling under the “not in employment, education, or training” category (NEET), these adolescents don’t follow the typical pathway to success and often require alternate opportunities to thrive, explains Andria. This is where her team comes in to develop interest-based programmes that support youths in discovering their strengths, building up their assets.

As an example, Andria shares about a client whom she has worked with for the past 6 years. This client struggled with social anxiety and eventually stopped attending school.

“It was hard in the first three years trying to engage the client, to step out of the house,” she recalls. “We spent quite a lot of time helping the client to discover interests through the various youth programmes that Fei Yue has .”

“Through these programmes, the client learnt skills and tips on how to manage anxiety and gained confidence to step out of the house. Now, the client is taking private studies and is due to complete ‘N’ Levels this year.

“What was most rewarding in this journey is to see how the client had the courage to overcome own challenges and step out of the comfort zone to achieve life goal,” Andria reflects.

It is moments like these that remind the 35-year-old the importance of her role in society.
 

CONTINUOUS ADVANCEMENT TO ADDRESS CHANGING NEEDS

However, Andria also acknowledges that the needs of her clientele are constantly evolving. From attending short courses to pursuing a Masters in Narrative Therapy and Community Work with University of Melbourne, she is always on the lookout for how she can upskill herself to remain relevant and provide better support to the youths and families she serves.

Her latest professional development? A Specialist Diploma in Social Entrepreneurship (SDSE).

A bespoke programme offered by SIM under the Dr Richard K M Eu – SIM Social Entrepreneurship Centre (RESSEC), it aims to equip learners with the necessary abilities to address social challenges and make meaningful contributions towards resolving societal issues within ²ÝÁñÉçÇø.


 

Says Ms Anita Fam, President of National Council of Social Service, during the launch of RESSEC: “The traditional ecosystem of social work in those days were charity, beneficiary and donor. But now when we look at it, it is the role of other players in society who are doing good.”

The social service landscape has dramatically changed over the last two decades, she goes on to explain. For example, businesses are now more inclined to go beyond the ad-hoc corporate social responsibility to align with growing expectations of environmental, social and governance due to a growing awareness of social issues and shifting mindsets of how the younger generation wants to give back to society.

"The confluence of these changes means that the social service sector also needs to change with the times, so that it can continue to attract and develop capable social service professionals able to leverage and optimise resources from the ecosystem.”

And RESSEC hopes to bridge this gap through initiatives like SDSE.
 

IT TAKES A VILLAGE

Social advocates like Andria are positive about the impact that a programme SDSE will bring.

“I've always been curious about exploring how to merge business with social impact,” the scholarship recipient elaborates. “This programme resonated with me as in my years of working in the social service sector, I see the importance of the public and corporates coming in to support the group of beneficiaries that I serve.”

Not only does a long-term partnership provide an avenue for both corporate and agencies to refine and adapt the approaches to meet the evolving needs of the youths so that programmes remain effective and relevant, it also affords a space where youth can continue to thrive in a dynamic environment and are equipped to contribute positively to back to their communities.

Continuing, she says: “Collaboration encourages more innovation, leading to new solutions and strategies that can significantly improve the lives of others, creating a cycle of positive change.”

“By working together, we can empower individuals who have received support to contribute to the well-being of others.”

As part of the course, Andria will be working on a capstone project that integrates youth mental well-being with employment opportunities.

“The goal is to create a supportive environment where NEETs can develop essential skills and gain meaningful work experience,” she expounds.

“I hope the launch of this project can empower youths, increase their confidence and resilience to pursue their life goals.”
 

SYNERGY THROUGH COLLABORATION

Open to learners who are employed or interested in working in the social service sector, SDSE also offers a space for networking and collaboration opportunities.

“It’s a privilege to be able to get connected with many like-minded individuals who are very driven and passionate about the causes they champion,” Andria, who has since started the programme, expresses. “We glean valuable insights from experienced market leaders and classmates, who are at different stages of the social entrepreneurship journey.”

And by working as part of the collective, we can create greater synergy within the sector, enabling us to expand our reach and serve the beneficiaries more effectively, she posits.

Adding on, she says: “The opportunity to learn new knowledge and skills inspires me to adopt innovative approaches and ideas to current solutions.”

“Ultimately, I hope to continue to enhance my work and enable me to better serve the populations I work with.”