All About Active Community Leaders

[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.

[dorisp]

:thankyou:


Dear timtim, thank you very much for enlightening us the work of RC volunteers. I have benefited from your many kind advices so far and am sure there are many other parents here who now know more about the work at RC and are able to make informed decision on whether to join or not.

I can feel your passion and committment for the work you have done at the GRC/RC from your post. And I highly respect that. It even enticed me to join despite maybe being too late for P2B as it is afterall serving our own community, the chance to improve our living environment and also can positively influence my child the merits of doing volunteer work.

A big thank you, timtim, and here's wishing you yet another fruitful year at work and at home.

:celebrate:

[jangoh]

Timtim,


Truly inspirational. I’m hoping to hear from them soon so I may start observing & helping.

Cheers
Janice

[timtim]

dorisp:

:thankyou:


Dear timtim, thank you very much for enlightening us the work of RC volunteers. I have benefited from your many kind advices so far and am sure there are many other parents here who now know more about the work at RC and are able to make informed decision on whether to join or not.

I can feel your passion and committment for the work you have done at the GRC/RC from your post. And I highly respect that. It even enticed me to join despite maybe being too late for P2B as it is afterall serving our own community, the chance to improve our living environment and also can positively influence my child the merits of doing volunteer work.

A big thank you, timtim, and here's wishing you yet another fruitful year at work and at home.

:celebrate:

I am only sharing my experience and hope would-be members get a sense of what it is like to volunteer in RC. Of course every RC is different and it's best to experience it yourself. I am glad to hear that you have the spirit and motivation to even want to try it out. If you have further queries, I can share with you over PM. Thanks for your compliments and well wishes. I hope you have an fruitful and enjoyable time volunteering in RC/NC and school. Cheers!

[timtim]

jangoh:

Timtim,


Truly inspirational. I'm hoping to hear from them soon so I may start observing & helping.

Cheers
Janice

Thanks Janice. Hope you can start volunteering soon and experience yourself the real meaning of RC and its work. There may be disillusionment or setback at times while volunteering in RC (as in any organisation runs by people), but I hope you press on and persevere. It will only get better. Cheers.

[dada]

timtim:

dada:

Does anybody know when will we receive the letter for grassroot leaders for the 2012 P1 registeration ?

If you're already an EM, PA will notify you (via email or GRO's Chairman) in early May to go online to submit application. If you meet the criteria (e.g. 12 mths as EM), you should receive the letter within about 2-3 weeks. During P2B, you bring this letter along with other documents to the school of your choice. Hope this clarifies. Do note that you must attain EM status prior to 30 Jun 2010 to qualify. Cheers!

thanks timtim ! do you know what is the difference between a CCC member and a RC member. Is there any priority in term of the P1 registeration.

[timtim]

dada:

thanks timtim ! do you know what is the difference between a CCC member and a RC member. Is there any priority in term of the P1 registeration.

Hi dada, there is no difference in priority between CCC and RC members in P2B. They are all considered community leaders or GRL and qualify for the P2B privilege for P1 registration, once in P2B, it has nothing to do with their GRL status, but subject to MOE's criteria which apply for all who qualify for P2B (GRL, PV, affiliation etc).

[greenbean2011]

during cny visiting, met up with my cousin.

she shared with me her own personal experience … how primary schools do allocate certain number of seats to rc.

she shared with me – both she and her husband not from ex ACS Barker, nor from ex SCGS. However, yet they still managed to get their son into ACS and their girl into SCGS. How ? via rc.

she said she was very thankful for rc!
they don’t wish to base their two children’s future education - on balloting luck on draw lot day itself ! She said if not for rc, there is absolutely no way her two kids can get into such fine, good schools!

she joined a community club via rc.
she offered rc work, for 3 long solid years !

it happen that both ACS Barker and SCGS - both under Tanjong Pagar GRC. If you join rc, you can choose any school within that GRC you desire!

pv is different.
pV is tied only to a particular school – clocking either 40 hrs or 80 hrs, depending on that school. rc work is longer - 3 long years !

she said every year - primary schools allocate a certain no. of places to rc, perhaps around 20.

in that particular year when she registered her girl for Pri 1, happen that SCGS - allocated 19 places to rc. But then, not many parents aware. In the end, only 16 kids applied via rc. So, all the 16 kids got in happily, joyfully ! Remaining 3 seats were left. That was how her girl got in SCGS, although my cousin was not ex-SCGS girl.

she said she heard some parents do pv so very hard.
but very sad - in the end, some still cannot get in.
because balloting is all about luck.
whether got luck or no luck, on that particular special draw lot day!
they end up so frustrated, cried so sadly!
can fully understand the pain and emotional trauma they went through.
cousin said pv doesn’t guarantee a place - in the event demand exceeds supply. But rc yes, higher chance !

now, her girl in affliated SCGS Secondary, Sec 2.

using the same method - via rc, she enrolled her son into ACS Barker primary, the same way. Her son got in successfully, Pri 5 this year.

i asked her – so, what kind of work do you do at rc?
she replied - visited old folks’ nursing home.
sometimes help out in kitchen assist cut / chop vegetables, look after old folks, assist to bathe them, talk to them so that they don’t feel lonely, help to feed them when not enough nursing aid available, help to nurse their wound. Then during Christmas, help to wrap up presents.


which GRC does - NYPS, RGPS, MGS, PHPS fall under ?
Holland Bukit Timah GRC !

can find out:-
last year, how many seats were allocated for rc, in each of these schools ?
what happens - if demand exceeds supply for rc ?
is rc given higher priority than pv ?
even though both fall under the same phase 2b?

click here, can check which primary school falls under which GRC ?

http://www.moe.gov.sg/education/admissions/primary-one-registration/listing-by-grc/

to play safe, to increase chance - perhaps one spouse do rc, the other spouse do pv ?

[hamster]

Hi


I agreed what greenbean2011 has mentioned via RC do stand a higher chance to register popular schools within the RC zone. However if you called the RC tell them you want to join the RC member, they will tell you is not that easy to be a member now compare to previous years. You have to be actively served the public for min 2 years before you are eligible to receive the letter for school registration.

You have to be very active in taking part of their activities, plus many meetings to attend.

If you have the time rc route is another alternative to be considered.