It was heartening to witness how the students’ efforts had come to life. During Nostalgic Night, smiles from across all ages could be seen as both the young and old participated actively in the activities that were planned meticulously by the students. During Nostalgic Night, smiles from all ages could be seen as both the young and old participated actively in the activities that were planned meticulously by the students. Not only that, there were also plenty of interactions between the students and residents which highlighted the success of the event, given that ‘connection’ was one of the main goals of the event.

Post-event, the team at SMFSC has also been reaping the rewards of Nostalgic Night; relationships that were built then had grown beyond the event itself!

MINDS has been welcoming NYP social work students for job shadowing and experiential learning since 2019. With opportunities to engage our clients and their caregivers, students gain a better understanding of what working with persons with disabilities and their families encompasses.  It has been an equally rewarding experience for me as I witnessed the students challenge their preconceptions and gradually develop their passion for the disability sector. I'm confident that these future social work associates will be champions for inclusion and empowerment, co-creating a vibrant ecosystem that supports our community of persons with disabilities.

The collaboration with NYP SHSS Social Work staff and students throughout the years has been nothing but positive. The staff put in great effort and were supportive of our needs while the students demonstrated creativity, adaptability and sensitivity in their planning of the activities for our clients.

As part of their project work in Programme Development, Implementation and Evaluation, the students were meticulous and thorough in their planning and execution of activities for our Sports Day/Fun Day. Not only were the activities planned mentally stimulating and meaningful, they were also fun and engaging. The participants always enjoyed themselves and had nothing but praise. Some past commendations include:  “Event is interesting as there are many exciting activities throughout”; “Something new I learnt about myself—that I can be resourceful when the need arises”; and “I liked the activities that were planned as it got us to move about physically and think critically”.

What is even more commendable than their work ethics, is the students’ attitude towards our clients. They were positive and encouraging which greatly benefited our clients, and we believe it even helped boost our clients’ confidence. In the words of Winston Churchill: “attitude is the ‘little’ thing that makes a big difference”—and to me, NYP SHSS Social Work students have made a difference to our programme and also in helping to destigmatize mental illness. We look forward to our continual collaboration.

I appreciate that the Diploma in Social work curriculum adequately covers the  foundational competencies of social work in casework, groupwork, community work, programme development and ethical practice. There is balance in impartation of knowledge, skills and attitudes with a strong emphasis on transfer of learning via community projects and field placements. The latter will provide learners with greater assurance about their goodness-of-fit with the sector and necessary experience to perform their role as Social Work Associates.