This sponsored blog post has been brought to you by Harrow International School Beijing
Community service could be said to have something of an image problem these days. Associated in many parts of the world with a response to petty crime and high visibility overalls, it is surprisingly easy for young people to dismiss the idea of serving the community without properly thinking about the potential benefits. This is probably especially true in the privileged world of international schools, where adults and teenagers can often come to feel like they are living in a sort of bubble – a closed community where everyone knows everyone else, most come from similar social backgrounds if different countries, and even Saturday jobs are a rarity for young people. However, when taken on in the right way, popping this bubble and getting involved in community projects can have a transformative effect on the way young people think about and engage with the world around them and help them to understand that their actions have the power to make a real impact on those around them.
In Harrow International School Beijing, contributing positively to community is one of the six central strands at the heart of its leadership curriculum. It begins with the central idea of recognition, explains Alasdair Macrae, Head of Upper School, something that is reflected by much learning that goes on in the classroom: “In order to properly engage with any kind of service, the first thing you need is a sense of perspective, and an understanding of the world as bigger than yourself – something you need to fit into and have the capacity to help to shape. In that sense, a lot of the learning about the world that goes on in school, should ultimately be moving children into a position where they can give something back to their communities.”
Outside the classroom, there is a huge feel good factor to be experienced: young people often make great gains in confidence and satisfaction by getting involved with community service, as well as meeting new people from a wealth of different backgrounds and developing their sense of perspective. It is really worth encouraging them past any initial reluctance, and trying to set up a culture where students feel confident to initiate and take part in activities which provide a service to others. “We are now at a stage where our students can initiate and develop their own community projects by looking around them and identifying what they think needs to be done ,” says teacher Ben Davies, who has been spearheading a new initiative to encourage students to form self-governing committees to improve life at school. “When they can do this independently, that’s the most satisfying thing to see as a teacher I think.”
Below, some of Harrow International School Beijing’s share their experiences working on community projects
1. Support Our Students:
Student leader – Mariya Yanishevskaya: Y13 student
Can you briefly describe what you have been working on?
SOS (Support Our Students) is a student support team who’s the main objective is to obtain listening and communicating skills in order to be able to provide student counseling sessions and settle new students who arrive throughout the year into Harrow.
Every Thursday activity time we learn about and practise listening skills with Mr Heywood (the school counselor). Each week, our members also go to the lower school playground to engage in therapeutic games with the children.
What was the most difficult part of getting your group off the ground?
Without having absolutely clear objectives at first and being entirely student lead, it was a little difficult to get people to join us and know about us. But now we have eight excellent members, and hopefully more people know about us and what we do, even though this is still a challenge…
What have you enjoyed most about being part of this group?
As well as positively contributing to the community, I’ve learnt a lot of cool things about human behavior and how to effectively listen and talk to people which are skills useful for life!
What have you found most challenging?
To get people to understand that it’s SUPPORT Our Students NOT SAVE Our Students!
Helping to settle new students has also been a difficult objective to start achieving, but we are working on this.
What do you see as the benefits of working on a community project?
Through helping others, you become a better person, and no matter what other kinds of benefits you get, like having it on your record, this is the most significant and satisfying of all.
What have you learnt from getting involved?
Things never go exactly as planned, so I learnt how to adapt to new situations.
What advice would you give to someone wanting to get involved in this kind of project?
If you want to start a project like this, you just have to go for it! And even when things look like they aren’t working out, don’t lose hope, because the only way to accomplish something is to really believe in it.
Staff support:
Mike Heywood, school counsellor:
Can you briefly describe the project you have been working on?
I am leading an LiA teaching students how to listen to people effectively. This has evolved into a student-led support group which offers peer-counselling to students as well as play therapy to pre-prep children.
We call the group SOS (Support our Students).
How did it get started?
I originally set up a similar scheme at Dulwich College, Beijing several years ago called ‘Friendly Faces’. This is still running and I felt Harrow had similarly emotional mature students who could develop a similar programme.
What have you enjoyed most about working with teens on this project?
Their humour, energy and enthusiasm. I also think it’s a rare teenager who has the ability to engage in this type of work; it requires vulnerability, a deep self-knowledge and emotional resilience.
What have you found most challenging?
A fondness for videos over actual listening practice. I find myself repeating the same phrase over and over – "Empathy is like a muscle…to make it bigger we have it exercise it."
I also find teaching this class quite challenging as I’m not trained as a teacher – I keep struggling to make it interesting enough.
What do you see as the benefits of working on a community project?
Benefits to me – I feel connected to the students personally, through a playful approach to the teaching of the project matter.
Students –“I have seen genuine enthusiasm for what we’re doing – a real desire to be of use and to learn. An active deepening.”
Community –“Wider benefit of the care we show rippling out into school beyond our practice.”
What have you learnt from getting involved?
That students self-select and are drawn to the places in the river that they feel comfortable swimming in. The participants in SOS are emotionally adventurous and take to the white water readily.
What advice would you give to someone wanting to get students involved in this kind of project?
Have a love and passion for the scheme or project you are undertaking. Believe in it’s usefulness – see if this conviction is bone-deep in you. If so, your enthusiasm will be infectious and encourage others to follow
2. House Charities:
Student leader:
Nina Yang, Curie Charity rep, Y11
Can you briefly describe what you have been working on?
From my point of view, house charity consists of two main factors:
1. Fundraising — People have to come up with plans and ideas about how to sell as much product as possible.
2. Being aware of the real world around us — We go and visit our House charity regularly during the year.
For our recent charity week, we have been mainly fundraising. I make a plan for what Curie is going to sell and how we were going to sell it.
What was the most difficult part of getting your group off the ground?
Not everyone follows my instructions, and sometimes don’t seem to believe what I have said. Sometimes people don’t think house is very important which can be frustrating.
My problem is that I find it hard to inspire people.
What have you enjoyed most about being part of this group?
My house leader trusts me, supports me and lets me do it on my own.
What have you found most challenging?
Making the team follow my plan, and asking them to do what I want them to do.
What do you see as the benefits of working on a community project?
Practice my teamwork and leadership skills, get to know what people would like to do and have a better idea of how to communicate with younger people.
What have you learnt from getting involved?
These are the three most important things to do. 1. Being on time. 2. Planning before doing. 3. Being confident with what I am doing.
What advice would you give to someone wanting to get involved in this kind of project?
1. Being patient. 2. Be flexible but not too much. 3. Trust yourself.
Staff Support: Darryl Evans, Head of Kongzi House:
Can you briefly describe the project you have been working on?
Raising money for Blue Sky Healing Home, which is an organisation that takes care of young children who are awaiting life changing medical operations. The money that we have raised goes into helping to improve the facilities or/and towards a child’s operation.
How did it get started?
When I was first appointed Head of Kongzi, I wanted the House to raise money for a local charity, preferably one that was connected to young children. After talking to some of my colleagues I eventually came across Blue Sky Healing Home. The rest as they say is history.
What have you enjoyed most about working with teens on this project?
Giving the students a sense of ownership and empowerment. They have organised the various charity events. They have led their peers. My role has been to guide them through out the process.
What have you found most challenging?
Sometimes you have to let students make mistakes when organising events. You’ll be tempted to jump in and immediately change things. Don’t .Trust your students. Then at the end of each charity event, sit down and review it in a positive and constructive manner. As a result, you’ll find that you have a much stronger group of students because you trusted them.
What do you see as the benefits of working on a community project?
Firstly, from a personal perspective, you genuinely feel as though you are making a difference. Secondly, the students feel a sense of accomplishment as they are able to see the true value of their efforts, especially when they go and visit their House Charity at the end of each term/year. Thirdly, I do feel that as people who come from relatively privileged backgrounds, we have a moral obligation to give something back to our local community and to help those that are less fortunate than ourselves.
What have you learnt from getting involved?
That people care about each other. People will always support you provided they can see where their money is going.
What advice would you give to someone wanting to get students involved in this kind of project?
It’s about two things. Ownership and trust. If you trust your students and give them a sense of ownership, they will continue to surpass your expectations. Many of our better ideas have come from the collaborative efforts of the students, so never underestimate them. Furthermore, try to involve your local community as much as possible. Whether its a school or a town, people will always support you.
3. Independent student charity work
Sherry Wang, Y13 student
Can you briefly describe what you have been working on?
I have been supporting the Fengtai Charity since year 11 with 5 of my other friends. This is a charity that some of the school teachers have been supporting and this is how we got to know them. We started fundraising by selling snacks every Wednesday break time in school.
What was the most difficult part of getting your group off the ground?
We only had 600RMB to start with and this was the first time that we ever had to plan everything independently.
What have you enjoyed most about being part of this group?
After we gave our money for the first time to the charity, they sent back an email with a photo of the baby whose surgery we had partially helped to fund, and we felt like we were actually making a difference.
What have you found most challenging?
We had exams to worry about but we also had to spent time during the weekend planning and buying snacks. This sounds like a easy process but we had to try out what were the best sellers and adjust it according to seasonal changes (hot chocolate just doesn’t work in summertime).
What do you see as the benefits of working on a community project?
A lot- to get to know more people, to learn new skills, to make a difference, or just to gain personal satisfaction. It feels really good when you know what you are doing is helping, and all the hard work will worth it.
What have you learnt from getting involved?
Mainly business skills- budgeting, bulk-buying and how to promote sales.
What advice would you give to someone wanting to get involved in this kind of project?
Find a group of people who are willing to participate regularly, and delegate the work. If you are in an environment where people are fully aware of the benefit of the charity, it is easier; but be patient if they don’t: a detailed explanation of your purpose is always helpful.
4. Peer Mentoring:
Ivy Shen, Y13
Since yr12, I have helped English and EAL department to set up an English peer-montoring program. The program aims to help lower years students to improve their English. The most challenging part of setting up this program was to find suitable student tutors and tutees: it was hard to know whether tutors would be responsible and it was hard to connect with them directly before setting up the program and starting the training sessions. Although there are many challenges, I enjoy this very much, because I can see the improvements in my communication and leadership skills, which can further help my future career. Since I want to be engaged in hospitality, this has been a great opportunity in setting up and training a team from scratch. By setting up this program, I learned that there is never a perfect plan before the program starts to run; you can only improve it during the program and there are many alternatives you need to face. Taking part in any community service adds value to people partly just by experiencing the process, the experiences you get by contributing can help you to become a good leader in the future. Being involved in any such project, you definitely have to responsible and not afraid of talking to strangers; and you need to learn how to point out the problems you identify without hurting anyone’s feelings.
5. Science Fair for Heqiao migrant school:
Can you briefly describe what you have been working on?
This year I led the coordination of the Science Fair, a relatively new project launched by the Science department that involves more and more people each year. This year we had 71 people participating in the Science Fair including the teachers, and the whole of HeiQiao migrant school participated.
The main objective of the Science Fair is to explain the wonders of science to children that do not have the fortune to come to a school like Harrow and just maybe give them enough curiosity to pursue the a science career.
What was the most difficult part of getting your group off the ground?
It was a really broad group with loads of different minds, but nothing was really difficult because a lot of sixth form science superstars volunteered to help the younger students.
What have you enjoyed most about being part of this group?
Probably the sense of organizing such an event and see everyone enjoying themselves.
What have you found most challenging?
Designing the Science fair t-shirt because I am really bad at art and only 1 person responded to the e-mail I sent to request help, but the story does not finish there then I had to convince the marketing department to pay for 71 customized t-shirts (1600RMB). In the end all went well except that every t-shirt had a mistake in the date of the science fair, it said "Science Fair 2014" instead of "Science Fair 2013."
What do you see as the benefits of working on a community project?
It develops your leadership skills as well as your time managing skills and perseverance during hard times. Almost no support at all in t-shirt matter.
What have you learnt from getting involved?
All the events carried out in the school, no matter how short it is or how annoying it is for us has the blood, sweat and tears of the people behind the scene.
What advice would you give to someone wanting to get involved in this kind of project?
Instead doing your best you should aim to do 150% of your best because the results from that are just extraordinary.
This sponsored blog post has been brought to you by Harrow International School Beijing
Photos courtesy of Harrow Beijing
