All About Active Community Leaders

[timtim]

dorisp:

Hi timtim, daddy2007


Appreciate your help to advice:

After we have attained EM status, the eligible P2B schools are:

A) from the list of schools from the whole GRC where we stay/serve or

b) from the list of the schools from the NC/Division we stay/serve?

Thank you.

Pls see earlier post. Your P2B is eligible for all schools within the GRC/SMC. However, do note that distance from home to school plays a part. So you have to access your chances even if you're eligible to apply under P2B.

[mummy of 3]

jangoh:

thank you daddy2007.


My son was born 2006, due for P1 registration in 2012. I'm keen to help out in grassroots, but may not have enough time to get EM one year before registration. Thus I may need to volunteer at school as well.

any thoughts on this? Thanks again.

You r too late to be grassroot

[timtim]

jangoh:

thank you daddy2007.


My son was born 2006, due for P1 registration in 2012. I'm keen to help out in grassroots, but may not have enough time to get EM one year before registration. Thus I may need to volunteer at school as well.

any thoughts on this? Thanks again.

Like Mummy of 3 said, it's too late but still I think no harm trying (it's always good to serve your own community). However, if you also PV, maybe very stretch for you. It's quite a lot of commitment, do not underestimate it. Hope the best for you.

[jangoh]

mummy of 3 & timtim, thanks for the advice. appreciate it.

[jangoh]

timtim:

jangoh:

thank you daddy2007.


My son was born 2006, due for P1 registration in 2012. I'm keen to help out in grassroots, but may not have enough time to get EM one year before registration. Thus I may need to volunteer at school as well.

any thoughts on this? Thanks again.

Like Mummy of 3 said, it's too late but still I think no harm trying (it's always good to serve your own community). However, if you also PV, maybe very stretch for you. It's quite a lot of commitment, do not underestimate it. Hope the best for you.

i agree about serving the community. that is what i intend to do. thanks!

[dorisp]

timtim:

dorisp:

Hi timtim, daddy2007


Appreciate your help to advice:

After we have attained EM status, the eligible P2B schools are:

A) from the list of schools from the whole GRC where we stay/serve or

b) from the list of the schools from the NC/Division we stay/serve?

Thank you.

Pls see earlier post. Your P2B is eligible for all schools within the GRC/SMC. However, do note that distance from home to school plays a part. So you have to access your chances even if you're eligible to apply under P2B.

:thankyou:

Thanks again, timtim.

[daddy2007]

One might have to think twice if joining grassroot just for P2B registration. It is a time consuming job and might not worth the effort.


There are meetings to attend every month, help out in the bi-weekly Meet-the-People sessions, weekend activities to help out/attend that are organised by the PA, your Constituency or your community centre. So it is not just for activities purely in your own RC.

Also taking into the consideration of the works in your RC such as organising major festive celebrations (probably about 4 a year), Block or Floor parties, social activities for the residents, be part of the Special Interest Groups etc. At times have to go door-to-door selling tickets. All these activities can clock hundred of hours each year and typically weekends are burnt for community works. As the organiser of these activities, you will be expected to arrive early for the setting up & the last few to leave after the event for clearing up.

All these activities are the KPI (Key Performance Indicator) set by the RC to PA. So activities each year can’t be too less

If the purpose is mainly for P2B, taking the PV route might be easier. Just complete the 40 hours for that year and job done. The PV term is only 1 year. You served your hours, get your child into that school and case close.

Whereas for the grassroot path, from joining as an observer till as an EM, one will have to be on the ball for probably at least the 1st 2-3 years, involving or volunteer in those tasks assigned to you. As a newbie, you can’t reject those requests/tasks assigned to you by the chairman. Even after your P1 registration, you probably can’t just resign like that. Once you are in the RC, you will probably have to serve a few terms (of 2 years each). You can go Missing-In-Action (MIA) but it is not nice as you will tend to bounce into those RC members, whom you have worked with for few years, frequently around your area. Probably have to give excuses (e.g got to work, got meeting, got family committment etc) everytime you bounced into them and they asked you why you didn’t turn up for this or that

Got to explain the life of a grassroot so that one will know what he/she is in for and life there is not so rosy.

[jangoh]

thank you daddy2007. appreciate the advice and sharing.

[dorisp]

:thankyou:


daddy2007.

[timtim]

Hi, maybe let me put some of those things daddy2007 mentioned in perspective if we’re talking about RC alone.


First of all, minimally, we would expect all members/observers to attend the monthly meeting, which is only ONCE-A-MONTH and lasts at most 2 hours. This meeting is also good channel if you have any burning issues that you want to feedback to police or town council directly as they are present during the meeting.

For observers or new EM, we would also expect them to at least help out or organise some RC events. We also try to involve observers and new members more to give them more exposures and chance to meet other leaders and MP (it’s better later if you become a familiar face in the community). Noted there are many events, and it depends on how "on" is the RC in getting the number of stars each year, it could be well managed by proper tasks assignment among the members/observers. Hence, not all members need to be involved in every events. There are many skills which one can acquire in organising events (look beyond your sacrifices), such as leadership, planning and coordinating events with members and other org/gov agencies. Seeing the successful execution of the event and residents enjoying it will also give one great satisfaction, at least for myself.

We also welcome member’s family participation - they will better understand what you have been busy with, better support your work and sacrifices, and also build a community and voluntary spirit, especially for your kids. It’s more fun and more motivated for the members if their families also participate.

Ultimately, we can’t force anyone and if you meet minimum requirements in a committed mindset (we can tell, trust me), there is no reason why we don’t confirm any observers to be EM. Most important of all, as we are all volunteers, we understand we have other priorities too, like family. We always telll our members that family commitment is higher than RC’s commitment, not the other way. We don’t want the family to be affected in any way just because members "over-committed" in grassroots work.

Lastly, as RC members, we need not involve in the Meet-The-People (MPS) as this is a political activity and RC is apolitical. MPS is a separate voluntary job and usually if you are interested in serving the residents directly or joining the party. In fact, MPS is not part of RC’s KPI. If Chairman keep pushing members to help out at MPS, something is not right. Likely he/she is an active party member.

Ultimately you must have some level of commitment and passion for community work, else you won’t have the drive to continue. Hence, objective is different from serving as PV in school. I always tell new observers and members, the more you get yourself involved, the more it is easier for you to integrate into the RC family and the kind of work we do once you bond with the other members and become friends. It’s always difficult at the start, but you got to push youself a bit. This is my personal experience and advice to you.