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From 18th November, we interned at Make the Change, a social enterprise that empowers the community through creative services and change maker programmes. Here are some of the experiences and takeaways we had. We also participated in a class at the Down Syndrome Association. During the classes, we not only taught them digital art, but we also went through topics relating to media literacy and internet safety. Although each session was no longer than 3 hours, it really touched our hearts when we saw how we could reach out to the community and make the days of the children and adults better while teaching them a new skill :) We could truly see how art can bridge communication between different people, and we certainly had a meaningful and memorable experience! On our very first day of work, we had the chance to familiarise ourselves with Procreate on the iPad Pro, where we created digital drawings. We grasped the basics of Procreate, learning how to use the wide variety of functions on the app. Here are some of our works! We got the chance to apply our new skills when we attended Digital Arts for All (DAFA) sessions, where we went down to a Life Community Community Activity center to help facilitate digital art classes for the children at the center. The classes were very fun and enjoyable, as we could interact with the children and create artworks together with them. We have also been doing research work throughout the internship, to collate contact details of companies and organizations in spreadsheets. For example, we were working on the contact details of women-ran restaurants and cafes in Singapore, to kickstart a partnership to help the beneficiaries of the Young Women’s Christian Association (YWCA). In the second week, we were gathering information about all 185 primary schools in Singapore, which would be used to reach out to these schools to implement programs relating to design, digital art, and marketing. Though research work can be dry at times, we better understood the importance of sourcing for contacts and understanding our target clients, so as to build a foundation for possible collaborations and projects. In addition, we also had the chance to sit in during a meeting with a client. We learned more about how ideas are pitched and how discussions between stakeholders progress. Photography (1st + 3rd week) The first week was filled with many creative opportunities for us. A memorable one was the photography lesson we received. We were taught how to use a digital camera, photography and editing techniques, and had plenty of hands-on experience to get familiar with adjusting shutter speed, exposure and aperture in various settings. At the end of the lesson, we had to take photos of a product of our choice, edit them, and practise pitching the product to our superior (our teacher!). Here are the photos we took of a digital camera :) In addition, we were given opportunities to apply our knowledge in a real-world setting, as we were entrusted with the responsibility of taking photos to cover Giving Week’s Giving Marketplace event at Marina One, where non-profits and social enterprises sold goods to support their cause. Although this was originally daunting since we did not expect to have to cover a real-life event with our amateur photography skills, it quickly turned into a very meaningful experience as we connected with people and came to understand the stories behind the social enterprises and NGOs there. Filming (1st & 2nd week) We were also involved in videography work with our superior, whereby we helped to shoot video messages of some clients. We used several pieces of equipment previously foreign to us, like the tripod stand, lights, and mic. One of us also used a secondary free-moving camera to provide B-roll footage which would have been intercut with the main footage from the fixed camera. Throughout this experience, not only did we learn about post-production processes and camera work, but we also understood the importance of communicating with the client and being professional at all times. Research work (all 3 weeks) We have also been doing research work throughout the internship, to collate contact details of companies and organisations in spreadsheets. For example, we were working on the contact details of women-ran restaurants and cafes in Singapore, to kickstart a partnership to help the beneficiaries of the Young Women’s Christian Association (YWCA). In the second week, we were gathering information about all 185 primary schools in Singapore, which would be used to reach out to these schools to implement programmes relating to design, digital art, and marketing. Though research work can be dry at times, we better understood the importance of sourcing for contacts and understanding our target clients, so as to build a foundation for possible collaborations and projects. In addition, we also had the chance to sit in during a meeting with a client. We learnt more about how ideas are pitched and how discussions between stakeholders progress. All in all, we had an extremely eye-opening experience, where we were exposed to many new opportunities. We acquired new skills, met new people, and gained a better understanding of how social enterprises work :D

Make The Change is delighted to work with Youth Journey — an initiative started by 4 Year 3 students studying Business and Social enterprise at Ngee Ann Polytechnic. They provide marketing skills to youths from low-income families aged between 16 to 21 years old. During the session on 10th December, our team guided the youths through a board game which prompted them to think about their career choices, values and personality in life. Many deep, thought provoking questions were drawn during the game, and the youths had to dive deep into themselves to search for answers and reflect on their choices they have made in their lives. Despite facilitating this game several times with different demographics and individuals, the answer and questions we heard has never failed to surprise and impress us. This session is no exception. The youths showed curiosity and purpose in the questions they asked and the answers given had maturity and deep consideration. One memorable answer we have heard has been etched in our heads ever since the session. The question asked was how you handle stressful situations, and a youth answered “Just do what you love and smile, because you will portray and feel the positive vibes eventually.” This message has served a very strong reminder to us, especially working adults, who are lost in the busy world with many responsibilities and burdens. We sometimes forget to take a break and just do what we like, or even smile. All we need is time for ourselves and as time goes by, we are able to find positivity amongst difficult times. Our team had a blast with Youth Journey. It has been an inspiring and enriching journey with them. They have definitely broadened our perspective by allowing us to take a deeper look into them. We hope the session has been an informative and enlightening one for the youths as well. Make The Change is more than happy to organise more of such sessions with the youths and we definitely welcome Youth Journey back anytime for future collaborations!

We are thankful and appreciative of all schools that have participated in MTC Design For Good Youth Competition 2019. Our judges had a hard time picking out the finalists as we have received so many amazing artworks from the participating schools. On 1 Nov, we invited all these schools to an award ceremony in Enabling Village UOB Ability Hub to recognise the hard work and effort the students put in to create these wonderful artworks. Even though some were not able to make it for the ceremony, we were heartened to see so many students turned up. 3 speakers Kenji Choo (Academic Director of MAD School), Tianshi Han (Media Literacy Council) and Melissa Li (Apple Asia Pacific) were there to welcome the students and give them insightful talks about media and visual literacy. With the awards placed neatly on the table, it was time to announce all the schools that have participated. Photos were snapping away and students were excitedly chattering as they walked down to claim their certificates and plaques. There are bound to be winners in a competition, so here are our finalists! Commendation Award Commendation Award Commendation Award Commendation Award Most Creative Award Best Craft Best of the show Congratulations to all our winners! To all the students that participated, you are winners in our hearts as well. We believe that the process is equally as important as the outcome and we hope that through this competition, students are now more aware about the digital world and what they must do to make the online world a better place.

From the 1st to 7th December, the national giving movement Giving Week was held. It was based on the vision for Singapore to be a City Of Good, whereby both individuals and organisations came together to give back to the community. One of the events held under Giving Week was the Giving Marketplace @ Marina One, which lasted from Monday till Friday. Market booths were set up by social enterprises and non-profits, allowing them to display and sell their unique products and to raise awareness about their causes. There was also a caroling session by the Disability People’s Association (DPA), where their beneficiaries sang Christmas songs. They added to the festive atmosphere of the Giving Marketplace, giving the visitors a memorable and enjoyable experience this Giving Week. Cycling Without Age (CWA) Singapore was one of the many organisations featured at the marketplace. CWA aims to enable the elderly to get back on their bicycles despite their limited mobility. They offer trishaw rides steered by their volunteer trishaw pilots, bringing the elderly out of their homes to enjoy the fresh air and the community around them. At the CWA Singapore booth, visitors can have a hands-on experience of riding the trishaws outdoors, where they can relax and take in Singapore’s beautiful cityscape. TOUCH Community Services also sold original pottery and paintings crafted by persons with intellectual disabilities (PWIDs) at their booth. Under their SpecialCrafts programme, PWIDS are taught to express themselves through art, and sell their works through TOUCH or find employment at sheltered workshops. Their artworks often featured icons of Singapore such as our national flower. As such, this booth also encouraged greater support for the intellectually-disabled in the Singaporean art scene. Additionally, Personalised Love (Plove) sold premium leather products to the public. The catch is, these products are wholly made by special needs artisans who have mild intellectual disabilities, cerebral palsy, or hearing impairments. These artisans had attended Plove’s professional leather training program. Plove, in turn, featured their products at the marketplace to sell. With profits from such sales, Plove turns it into funding for their services such as their employment and apprenticeship programmes. There was also a carolling session by t sold premium leather products to the public. The catch is, these products are wholly made by special needs artisans who have mild intellectual disabilities, cerebral palsy, or hearing impairments. These artisans had attended Plove’s professional leather training program. Plove, in turn, featured their products at the marketplace to sell. With profits from such sales, Plove turns it into funding for its services such as their employment and apprenticeship programmes. The Giving Marketplace certainly shone the spotlight on many social enterprises and non-profit organisations, prompting the public to give back to our community while being made aware of social programmes that empower the underprivileged in Singapore. Make The Change is supporting Giving Week by running a workshop on Friday 6 December on how corporates can start a giving culture, places are still available! Can Register HERE

Hello! We are Gladys and Xin Hui from Zhenghua Secondary School. We took part in the one-week internship at Make The Change during the November Holidays. Our goal is to understand more about what social enterprise is about. We also want to gain skills such as marketing, creative services, advertising, and designing. We also wanted to get a glimpse into the insights of the Co-founder/Manager, Mr. Pedro Aguirre. During these few days, we attended meetings with different clients of different needs. During the meeting, we also contributed out opinions and ideas to the clients. We learned that we should be fully prepared with resources and answers to the questions they will likely ask. We should also research on the client’s company on what they do and their needs. By doing this, we can show that we are confident and can handle their needs well, then they will trust us and would be willing to work and cooperate with us. We learned how to draw using an Apple pencil on an iPad . We had to familiarise ourselves with the tools and functions in the app, Procreate, as we are going to be assisting the team in carrying out the workshop for the children later on. The workshop is for primary and secondary school students in low-income families . We taught them how to use the app and draw using an Apple pencil. This created an opportunity for them to be exposed to such technology. We had fun interacting with the children at the community center and also helped to untangle their doubts. We took photos of the graduates during the PWDs Graduation Ceremony using a digital camera. We also learned how to use a digital camera in different lighting, then adjusting to its appropriate setting. We helped to edit the pictures taken during the Graduation Ceremony using the app, Lightroom. We were taught how to edit photos using different types of settings. We researched the different types of packaging and their prices on various websites to assist us with our task. We found the average price of each different type of packaging and can then suggest a suitable price range for the clients to sell their products in Singapore. We are very fortunate to be able to be mentored by the team. They were very helpful and approachable which made us feel comfortable. We really appreciate their efforts in guiding us throughout our internship journey. Make The Change is really impressive as they are very hardworking and diligent in their work. They put in the finest effort to help guide their clients to a favorable outcome. Make The Change all share a common principle in giving back to the society which includes maximizing social impacts like upgrading their skills which could be useful in the different aspects of the workforce and would be easier for them to find a job.

How do you envision the Future of Us? Is it a greener world? Is it a more harmonised world or is it just the same as the present? On 14 September, we had a mind-changing session. Themed ‘Future of Us’, TedxYouth @ Singapore has brought together home-grown speakers from all walks of life to share their ideas, perspectives and talents, in the hope of inspiring our future generation, the youths, to understand important issues that are prevalent in Singapore society. And our founder, Michelle, was invited by them to share her last 25 years journey and the key takeaways she has gotten from them. Michelle believes in building an authentic relationship with oneself and in her talk, she shared the formula which has guided her in the last 25 years journey and that is Formula ONE; Taking Ownership, Embracing New Perspectives and Be Enterprising. In her teen years, Michelle has envisioned herself to be a prominent banker, as most would call the dream job, and to be a millionaire by the age of 30. With her determination to turn her dream into reality, she took the first step, packed her bags and traveled across the Causeway to pursue her education. As a foreign student, she struggled to adjust herself to the unfamiliar environment; the language barrier, the judgmental stares from her classmates and to the occasional thoughts of home on the lonely nights. She had a big dream and she took ownership of it. However, this dream of hers took a 180-degree turn on her very first day as a banker. What was in front of her was definitely not what she has fantasized of her entire teen years. Burned out colleagues, unhealthy break habits and mercenary (money-orientated) work culture was none of the things she had worked so hard for. Everything she had in mind since she was a 17 years old girl was just a naive imagination which reality had struck hard upon. At that moment, she knew this new life wasn’t for her. And she quit. She had to embrace new perspectives. It was really a matter of all or nothing. She was jobless and all she had was her fresh degree. But something in her sparked; her newfound passion, her passion to make a change in the world. The road in front of her was daunting yet she saw the opportunities to learn, to grow and to make a change. And so begins her serial entrepreneurship journey. Today, we celebrate the 6th anniversary of Make The Change and the 16th anniversary of M.A.D. School. She had to be enterprising and she did. Formula ONE; If your life journey is a drive, what kind of driver would you be and why? Thank you TedxYouth @ Singapore for the amazing opportunity! It has been an enriching session for us all and we really appreciate all the time and effort put into the show.