NIceties Issue 1

8/14/2019 NIceties Issue 1

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ICETIESw w . d on i c e t h i n g s . o r g

IN OUR FIRST ISSUEOur columnists on wh

being nice is not enoug

Our counsellor tells uthe secret to living

YMCA Not just a song

What the heck is sociaentrepreneurism

STEVEN CHIAPrimetime morning hos

and social voluntee

GET CONNECTEDPLUS!

ayHELLOto a younglunteer!

ISSUE ONE


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Im often the earliest to arrive at meetings, so its not unusual for me to grab acuppa at a Starbucks or Gloria Jeans and one of those free magazines to read

as I wait for my friends.

Im sure you know which free magazines Im referring to. Theyre heavy onpictures and ads, and content-lite. Lots of clubbing photos, fashion spreadsmake up the publication that few will spend more than 5 seconds per page.

Not that I have anything against these rags, but I often wish that theres some-thing more substantial. Something that triggers thought, but at the same timenot so erudite that it becomes too burdensome for a casual read.

Amy Walker from Seattle would concur. After all, shesdoing all she can to connect people from various nation-alities through a film, aptly named Connected.

Human connection is also the fuel which drives Simin,our third profile. In fact, her entire campaign can bedistilled into a word we say too many times without anytrue meaning- hello. Read her story to find out what Imean.

We are also proud of our editorial quality. All thirty-twopages of Niceties are written by four people. Each articleis carefully thought through and researched by its writer.

Our two columnists are people unafraid to voice theirthoughts. Whether its about joining a cause on FACE-BOOK or achieving greatness, Im sure youll agree that

they each bring something unique to the table.

We have partnered with Care Corner Singapore for ourIN SESSION section, where a full-time counsellordispenses advice anyone can use. We hope you find ituseful.

So with that I present to you Niceties, your connection tothe world of community involvement. We trust youll likeit as much as we do. NICETIES

GET

CONNECTEDNICETIES tries to fill the gap. Were a freepublication with a clear focus: to encourage

the youth to serve their community.

How do we do that? To be honest, were notsure ourselves. But were doing our home-work. Weve connected with friends to findrole models within our demographic to sharetheir stories. Hopefully youll find them as

inspiring as we do.

The theme for our inaugural issue is GETCONNECTED. To make an informeddecision, we must first be in the know. Thatswhat this issue is about: an introduction towhat may seem like the alien domain of com-

munity involvement.

Our profiles today get that. Steven Chia,whom Im sure you recognise as Prime TimeMornings host, is our cover story this quarter.He tells me that youre always only part ofsomething because someone has brought

you there.

NICETIES |donicethings.org


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CONTENTSEventsH I N D S I G H TA look back at completed social projects

U P C O M I N GReady, set? PARTY!

FeaturesP E O P L EEU SIMIN: She may only be 21, but this bonafide life coach is determined to make the worlda better place.

STEVEN CHIA: One part news anchor; one paphilanthropist, full time father.

AMY WALKER: The Seattle actress is givingyou and I the opportunity to be a movie director

T R E N DSOCIAL ENTREPRENEURISM. Dont knowwhat that means? No worries, well tell you.

V O X P O PNICETIES finds out that despite CIP, we are nomore involved.

O R G A N I S A T I O NYMCA. Find out more about the organisationwhich inspired the song.

rojec

ut this bont s nake the wore o

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STEVEphilanthrl r

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ColumnsT S E H A O G U A N G

So what if youre nice? Thats not enough.

D A R Y L G O HNiceness vs Greatness

U P C O MPReady, see

Inside Back CoverW E A R E D O N I C E T H I N G S . O R G

Our parent organisation isalways watching our back.

what

Y L G O HL Greatnessr s

In SessionI D O N T H AV E A L I F E !

Jean Chen, our counsellor, exploreswhat it means to life

F E !F !

exploresl s

donicethings.org | NICETIES |


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HINDSIGHT

Chinese New Year is a season of festivities: bakwas, sweets, and mandarin

oranges are must haves! However, not everybody can afford a feast worthy of the

season.

So on 9 and 10 Jan 2009, DNT played a part in fulfilling that dream. Volunteers

sourced by DNT helped to pack goodie bags in Henderson Community Centre for

the underprivileged.

JANUARY: GOODIEBAG PACKING

FEBRUARY:CNY AT SRI

NARAYANAThe Sri Narayanan Mission Home for the Aged Sick held its annual CNY

celebrations on 7 Feb 2009 with a carnival for its residents.

DNT was on site to help, contributing over 30 volunteers to man game stalls,

guide residents and decorate the area. The event was a success and every-

one, both resident and volunteer, enjoyed himself immensely.

Niceties revisits somesocial projects

donicethings.org has been

involved since our birth.

t e x t T S E H A O G U A N G



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MAY:PROJECT DAY-BREAK MERCY

RELIEF

DNT helped sourced for volunteers in

aid of Project Daybreaks Mercy

Relief Newspaper and ClothesCollection Drive on 2 May 2009.

The Day Breakers and over 200 volunteers

turned up, and over 2 sessions filled up 10

truckloads of recyclables.

APRIL: HELLOCAMPAIGN

More than 500 volunteers turned up on 11 Apr 2009 and took to the streets

with the Hello Campaign. Greeting random passers-by all along Orchard

Road with warm smiles and cheerful hellos, volunteers tried to encourage the

man on the street to open up and spread some cheer. While reserved at first,the unwitting public eventually warmed to the joie de vivre of the campaigners.



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A FACEBOOK SOCIAL GRAPHtracks connections between youand your friends. More lines maymean that you are nicer than

someone who has fewer, but itdoesnt matter if you dont helpothers.


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BEING NICE

ISNT ENOUGHWhile this may look super on paper, the ease at whichwe can do good looks set to breed a new generation ofpeople who care, but it is not enough to make a realdifference. As green issues become more and more

fashionable, being perceived as socially responsible issimilarly in vogue. Sadly, many who jump on the band-wagon are only superficially committed to their goodcauses. Simply being nice isnt enough these days.

C o m m u n i t y S e r v i c e V a c a t i o n s

Take Overseas Community InvolvementProjects (OCIPs). Lots of schools encourage theirstudents to take part in them, and usually subsidizevolunteers. The combination of an exotic holiday duringschool hours, cheap airfare, and friends for company issomething even travel agencies cannot compete with.Wait, wasnt helping others supposed to be the whole

idea?

Another hidden pitfall of OCIP is the ephemerality of itall. Most volunteers go off for two weeks, build a toilet inCambodia, and come back with lots of pictures. Andthats it. The grateful Cambodians will never see theirfriends from Singapore ever again, and next year a newset of faces, DSLR cameras in tow, will come and buildanother toilet.

Yes, yes, OCIP does do good. The Cambodiansdefinitely need their toilets. I have no doubt that theyenjoy the company of the Singaporean visitors and viceversa. But they need more. They need people genu-inely concerned for their long term well-being, who arewilling to be more than nice. The same goes with anyform of community service really. How much is donebecause it is convenient and fun? Because it fills up arequired quota?

C l i c k F o r A C a u s e

If there is something I dislike even more thanrecreational CIP, it is the recent phenomenon of joiningcommunity service groups on Facebook. Im talkingabout you! The thousand over people who accepted arequest to join the DoNiceThings Facebook group. Imsure many support DNT passively. But what DNT andother such groups need is active support. Without it, all

the good intentions and internet lobbying are fornothing. I wonder how many people joined the groupmindlessly. It cant hurt, right? And besides, its for agood cause...

At the click of amouse, we can show

the online world how

against global warm-

ing we are ... ... couch

activism simply

cheapens the

efforts of those

who are truly on fire

for a better world.


I should be more positive. The hordes of members on DNTs FacebookGroup cant all be just for show. Im sure many want to contribute, butdont know how. If you are one of these people, just [email protected] and I will put you to work. Prove mewrong!

T h e B o t t o m L i n e

The fact is that we are not realising the full potential of ourtools. Despite falling airfares and the proliferation of social networks, weremain half-assed about actually doing something to change the lives ofthose that need help.

It cant be that we lack the resources or are too young. Look at WilliamKamkwamba from Malawi. When he was 14, he used junk and scrapmaterial to build a windmill to provide electricity for his family. And helearned how through reading books at his local library. He has sincegone on to build windmills all across his country. His book, The Boy whoHarnessed the Wind, comes out at the end of September.

Nope, we lack for nothing except the drive and the guts. Ultimately,instead of changing society, we are too concerned with trying to fit intoit. Instead of looking to do real good, we satisfy our consciences bymerely fulfilling CIP quotas. Its not easy to break out of the comfortableboundaries of being nice. I gotta admit though, as a writer Im probablynot doing enough either.

Time to stop typing and start doing! NICETIES

Theres even a Facebookapplication called Causes.At the click of a mouse, wecan show the online world

how against global warmingwe are, and how much wewant to fight poverty andhunger. For those whorecycle and drive electriccars, or perhaps lobby forprogressive taxes, its agreat way to spread theword. For those who donteven turn off the waterwhile brushing their teeth,well, their couch activismsimply cheapens the effortsof those who are truly on

fire for a better world.

The world marches to the beat of progress, and this is usually a good thing. Advances in

transport and technology have made selflessness almost effortless. Now, any philanthropist

can wire funds to social advancement groups halfway across the world in an instant. Students

looking for ways to contribute can log in to internet portals that host community involvement

projects.



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SOCIALENTREPRENEURISM

A new direction in

social involvement...

The term was coined in the 1950s but today, social entrepreneurism seems to be

the way to go when it comes to social work and charity.

Microsoft legend Bill Gates and eBay founder Pierre Omidyar have been lauded as social

entrepreneurs when they channelled millions of their companies profits into bettering the

lives of the underprivileged.

Steve Jobs, who brought us the iPod, has been condemned for giving a grand total of 0%

of his wealth to charity.

Its also the main reason why Muhammad Yunus, founder of Grameen Bank which

provides small loans to budding entrepreneurs too poor to qualify for bank loans, won the

2006 Nobel Peace Prize.

In Singapore, Citibank and the YMCA are hoping to inject some social entrepreneurism

into the blood-streams of social work and volunteerism here with Youth for Causes.

With all the rage over social entrepreneurism, NICETIES gives you the low down on what

the term means.

W h a t i s S o c i a l E n t r e p r e n e u r i s m ?

According to Wikipedia, social entrepreneurs are people who recognise social problems

and use entrepreneurial principles to organise, create, and manage a venture to make

social change. So positive impact, not profit, is key. That said, not all of them are

non-profits. Many prefer the term more-than-profit, and blend profit-making and social

change when they operate.

H o w d i d S o c i a l E n t r e p r e n e u r i s m c o m e a b o u t ?

Although the phrase is only about half-a-century old, historians have pointed to figuresfrom the past as social entrepreneurs. Take Florence Nightingale for example; she

revolutionised the entire medical industry with her modern nursing practices when she

started the worlds first nursing school.

H o w c a n I b e p a r t o f t h i s p h e n o m e n o n ?

Its not that difficult. If youre the boss, you can start small: ensure that all the waste paper

go to the recycling plant, not down the rubbish chute for instance. Or give a percentage

of your profit to a charity of your choice. Starbucks often donates a penny or two per cup

sold to poor kids in Africa.

If youre a young and want in on the action, thats not a problem too. Consider being part

of the Citibank-YMCA joint project, Youth for Causes. They give seed money to viableprojects and provide mentoring to sharpen your skills as both entrepreneur and

do-gooder. NICETIES

t e x t J A S O N L I



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Today, the YMCA has established itself in over 120 countries and has a total of 45 million members. The Singaporechapter of the Association was inaugurated in 1902. During World War II, the YMCA building at Stamford Road wafamously taken over by the Kempeitai and used as its Singapore headquarters. The National Heritage Board has sincdeclared the building a World War II Heritage Site.

The torture and bloodshed of the past have since given way to community building and enrichment. In fact, after thewar another branch of the YMCA was formed to cater to Chinese speaking youths who could not identify with the English organisation. Today, the Metropolitan YMCA continues to reach out to the Chinese speaking population.

The YMCA is a pretty all-encompassing organisation with a multitude of initiatives geared specifically to different partof the community.

The YMCA-Tan Chin Tuan Community Service Programmes help to enrich the lives of the physically and mentallychallenged, while the YMCA Financial Assistance cum Capability for Employment Scheme provides financial aidemployment training and work attachments at YMCA for those in need.

Youths are not left out, either. Uni-Y is YMCAs effort to engage university-level youths and facilitate their developmentCurrently, it has a presence in SMU and NUS, but plans are afoot to set up a branch in NTU and extend its scope tothe Junior College level with Hi-Y (High School YMCA).

YMCA

The YMCA Board of Director


The Young Mens Christian Association (YMCA) was founded in London at the heightof the Industrial Revolution in 1844. George Williams, a drapers clerk, was horrified athe poor living conditions that he and his contemporaries had to endure. Together withother young drapers, he formed the YMCA to help other young men preserve theirmoral integrity.



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ROSEHASHORNS

text JASON LI

When you meet her for the first

time, Eu Simin strikes you as

little more than a pretty girl. Her

petite frame (shes 1.6 m at her

maximum with 4-inch stilts) andeasy smile (two dimples flank it)

belie her energetic passion,

which only indicator are her

incandescent eyes that

accompany a firm handshake.


THE


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She had just finished psyching up her 500 troops for the HelloCampaign when I first met her. The event saw these volunteerslined up along the Orchard stretch saying Hello to Saturdayshoppers. It is part of a bigger strategy to encourage Singaporeans to be friendlier and increase pledges for the SingaporeKindness Movement.

Simin reminded me of a worker bee as she flitted --in her yellowSKM tee and her black hair loosely bundled into a chignon-- frompoint to point to manage her volunteers. Most of them tower oveher. If shes fazed, it certainly doesnt show. She exudes aconfidence thats somewhat incongruous with her build.

I managed a short chat with her but shes obviously too busy foanything more so we arranged a separate interview for thisprofile.

--

The tte--tte takes place on a lazy Thursday afternoon at anice-cream parlour footsteps from where the Hello Campaign was

held. I am punctual, but shes early; I apologise for making hewait. Shes smiling in a diaphanous black dress, hair in a bunmore neatly arranged now.

Even though Im the interviewer, Simin shoots the first questionsin rapid-fire motion. Whats this for? Can you tell me what youpublication is about? When will it be out? How long will it take?she asks, barely giving me enough time to answer between eachquery.

Sensing shes one to cut to the chase, I plonked my notebookdown on the table to begin.

I n n o v a t i v e C o m m u n i t y S e r v i c e

Although shes 21, Simin has three community campaigns undeher belt. Prior to spearheading the Hello Campaign, she wasintegral in the Pick Me Up and Health In Your Hand campaigns.

The 2008 Pick Me Up Campaign saw youths write an anthologyof their personal triumphs within 24 hours. The final product wasfeatured in the news media and reached an international readership. Part of the proceeds went to Make-A-Wish Foundationswhich fulfils dreams of terminally ill children.

The Health In Your Hands Campaign is another innovative driveearlier this year to educate Singaporeans on the benefits o

hand reflexology. Volunteers went around teaching the publicsimple massages to relieve various minor ailments.

But the Hello Campaign is particularly special to Simin, so muchso that she calls it her baby. She birthed the idea after a brainstorming session with her team and personally sought out fundsand official endorsement of her plan.

While she was prepared to give as much as it took to ensure thecampaigns success, she admits to not being totally preparedShe is piqued at the barrage of prank calls shes been receivingsince the event; she had listed her personal contact on thescores of publicity flyers.

There have been a lot of random calls and messages, shecomplains. The most annoying are the times when


CONT>>


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e callers dont even say anything. She isconsidering getting a private number.

My first thought was that the Helloampaign must work. If that means givingy number, so be it. But it doesnt help thaty number is so damn easy to remember.

ot all people were as convinced as Siminas about her strategy. On Hellos Face-

ook Events page, Dan Dan wrote: I thinke middle-age group and the elderly arery sceptical about talking to strangers.most thinking that every stranger musthave a BAD motive for talking to them. :/

ang Ying expressed his scepticism morerectly: What difference can you make just

by saying hello?

min minces no words for such cynics.rudely, I would say that the Hello

ampaign is for people like that, shetorts. This sort of irritation is one that Ive

en often: in people who do not sufferols. You get a sense that shes certain ofer convictions and sometimes fails tomprehend why not everyone shares

them.

here are subsequent steps you need toke after saying hello, she sighs, weary ofs oft-asked question. Hello is about

bout encouraging people to take the firstep, to initiate conversation. But you need

follow through with that, because [a]relationship is not a one-off thing.

L i f e C h a n g e s

Todays Eu Simin tells me she wasnt always so determined, certain and incharge. She describes her former self as an aimless pathetic woman. Thatsjust three years ago.

I was idealistic, yes, but I didnt know how to get where I wanted to, she recalls.But now, its about making what I want happen. And its never about tryinganymore; its about making it happen no matter what.

A coaching program marked the turning point in her life. She registered for anExecutive Coach International (ECI) programme called The Courage to Change,which she testifies for with an almost religious fervour. Shes not looked back andhas been working on [her] evolutionary journey since.

I can say that a lot of areas in my life changed, she attests. Social life haschanged; relational life has changed; resource [management] has changed. Thethree main areas of my life have changed.

She indulges in the moment as she shares how her personal relationship with hermother has improved. Even though theyd always been close, Simin says thatthere was an invisible barrier between them they could not cross.

Middle-child syndrome, jokes the second of three sisters, before turningserious.

It might be culture, she wonders aloud. Asian families dont really sharepersonal sensitive stuff with parents. I would put on a brave front when somethinghappened. She added that what resulted was a lack of understanding between

mother and daughter.

Coaching, she says, has helped overcome the gap between the two. By improv-ing her communication skills, Simin realised that she can now click with hermother at a friend-friend level. At a recent trip to the mall, they talked and joked(I was joking that since my mom knew me so well, she should match-make meso I dont have to be a nun.) freely about Simins relationship issues; somethingthat hadnt happened before.

I n T h e D r i v e r s S e a t

Coming a long way, Simin is now ECIs youngest life coach. She introduces meto Sabrina, whom she mentors. Sabrina, a designer, has a nice smile and hidesbehind her bangs.

Even though Sabrina is three years older, Simin talks about her with mom-likepride: She used to be so shy, but now she can say hello to anyone and strike aconversation. Sabrina blushes slightly, pleased with the compliment. CONT>>

The Hello Team

LEFT: Simin with her volunteers.Shes the girl in the green dress.BELOW: Hello Campaign covered by local media.

donicethings.org | NICETIES | 1


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Its Simin who steers the interviews direction, deftlychanging the topic when the questions become too personal and calculating

what anecdotes are safe to tell (must protect my familys privacy.) Shesalso quick to correct my misperceptions, emphasising to me that coachingand motivational programs are different, and throws in jargon like neuro-linguistic programmes and grayline marketing.

Shes politically correct most of the time, although the aforementioned mixedtone of irritation and resignation sometimes seeps through, especially whenshe weighs in on policy.

Its not about dangling a carrot in front of the students. So what if theres CIPhours? It doesnt make people feel connected to the things they do, she saysabout the government incorporation of community service into the educationsystem.

But since they asked me to give CIP hours, I give.

She opines about the way a certain non-profit organisation is run: Im notcriticising [the charity] but they collect money and make one child happy.Whats the point? But what if we can take the money and impact the world?Thats what Im after: Impact.

Shes big plans for her brainchild. Were exploring the [possibility] of anon-profit organisation, she reveals. And a talk-show. The Hello Talk-show.It hopes to eradicate prejudices, whether its racial or because a disabilityexists. Those are definitely some of our milestones.

As she dreams, her fiery eyes melt to uncover a soft, starry quality. Doesntmatter that shes not sure how exactly shell get there yet; shell do her

research and seek out the right people. For Simin, what matters is knowingher goal.

Her volunteers may betaller than her, but an un-fazed Simin takes the lead

in the Hello Campaign.

CONT>>



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TOUGH COOKIE:Simin takes on the guys on theirterms in a drinking game

A R o s e , T h o r n s a n d A l l

I recall her mothers worry about Simin being left on the shelf. Itsunderstandable: such steel in a lady might drive away potentialsuitors. But Sabrina laughs away the concern: She has two sides; herbusiness side may scare guys away. But her personal side is nice.

Simin is sure of the one thing she cannot stand in men - the lack ofself-improvement. If he doesnt want to work on his life then he cansay bye-bye. I dont think Ill even talk to him, she states, deadpanand serious. Ouch.

Roses are one of Simins favourite flowers. And its not a stretch to seethe similarity between the two. Both have definite beauty. And whilethe rose has its thorns, Simin has gumption. NICETIES



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Hitler wielded great influence in his time, but hewasnt very nice. Look a

where that got him


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DO

GREATTHINGS

t e x t D A R Y L G O H

After all, if Im going to expound on the virtues of doing nice things, I might as well make agreat effort at it. This column will thus be your launch pad to achieve greatness with everynice thing you do. A tall order? Well, it really is easier than it sounds.

You may be wondering what is the relation between doing nice things and being great. Are

people who do nice things necessarily great and do great people get where they are fromtheir good deeds? Not always. Hitler was a great politician, but he wasnt nice. Accordingly,you may encounter nice people everyday but it would be a bit of a stretch to consider all ofthem great. Great people strive with purpose to be the best at what they do; and beingexceptionally good at doing nice things is not just easy but extremely fulfilling as well.

Start with small deeds, like holding doors open for people, giving way on the sidewalk, orgiving up your seat to the pregnant lady on public transport. A little graciousness goes a longway, more than ever in a society like ours where courtesy and friendliness have no placeduring rush hour.

A tip to inoculate yourself against the dreariness of mingling with the rush hour crowd: learnto take a step back (or two), slow your pace and your blood pressure might follow suit.

Granted, the above might not always be easy. One morning, I was tempted to smack aslow-moving elderly couple at the MRT station and berate them for their ill courtesy inmoving so slowly. I almost felt mean enough to point out that their combined girth was thespan of three average people.

One morning I was

tempted to smack a

slow-moving elderly

couple at the MRT station

and berate them for their

ill courtesy in moving so

slowly... Their combined

girth was the span of

three average people.

If I did any or all of the above Id find myself on the front page of STOMP, so thankfully I did theright thing and ignored them. Only later did I consider I was being rather selfish to feel that way.In any case, I was rushing to be on time for a job I dont really like. Whats the point? Better to takea break and save myself the stress.

Inaction as shown above is one thing, but taking proactive steps towards niceness is a littleharder.

Singaporeans harbour great inertia when asked to give back to society. Often they will complainthat society has left them with little time: the struggle of the daily humdrum saps most of their

energy already. However, what most of us fail to grasp, or refuse to see, is that there are manywho are living worse lives than the working professionals you see shuffling down Shenton Way.

Think of the elderly who subsist on collecting cardboard, or those who have given up on makinga living altogether to suffer the indignity of being housed in old-folks homes.

If our golden generation doesnt strike a chord with you, then think about disadvantaged children,the ones with mental or physical impairments that rob them of some of the basic skills that we takefor granted. If you were in their shoes, surely some concern and nice goodwill would go a longway towards making you feel like a part of society, instead of being second-class citizens unableto contribute at the customary breakneck pace.

Again, you might ask how does doing all this make me great? The answer is simple. Once peoplerecognise that in our society, they exist not as individuals but as a collective, they can realise that

anything which positively affects the welfare of people can by extension be good for all. Doingnice things breeds qualities like compassion and empathy, concepts not readily found intextbooks, but essential to living a fulfilling life. Work upwards from the small things, and I prom-ise, you will be on your way to achieving much greater rewards in future. NICETIES


Originally, this was going to be a column about

nothing. Unfortunately (or fortunately, for the

readers) I was persuaded that nothing just

wasnt good enough. At the very least, I should

write about nice things. How about nice noth-

ings, sweet nothings? I asked. Turns out this

isnt a publication on puppy love and infatua-

tion but I wont settle for plain ole nice; Im

striving for greatness.


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You probably have breakfast or com-mute to work with him on the SBS busevery morning. Hes on TV more oftenthan Fann Wong and Zoe Tay. Hes in

the office by 430 am, before the firstpublic transport service.

We all know the Steven Chia of PrimeTime Morning, but behind this news

anchor is a simple family guy who caresdeeply for his community.

text JASON LIphotos JOEL LAU

Its hard defining Steven Chia. Hes got a job, loves his family and does community work on the side. He goes to churchweekly. Nothing outlandish. In fact hes almost too normal for a public personality; the taboo adjective comes to mind:BORING.

Unlike our local celebrity newscasters think Cheryl Fox, Glenda Chong, or Timothy Go Steven doesnt seem to attractogling, hormone-raging, fans. Hes also scandal-free; no drug involvement, no politics, no bitter rivalry with his colleaguesand no criminal charges pending against him.

STEVENCHIA

CONT>>



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It seems hes got his head screwed on tight. Maybe its the communitywork hes involved in. Currently hes working on a few projects with theYMCA, among them Youth for Causes (YFC) and FACES.

YFC seeks out young entrepreneurs who want to positively impactsociety and funds them. Proceeds go to charity. FACES, which stands forFinancial Assistance cum Capability for Employment Scheme, providesmonetary relief to needy families undergoing temporary difficulty.

W e A l l S t a r t S o m e w h e r e

Steven tells me that he was not always so active when it comes to volun-teering, and that his first foray into community involvement was through afriend in Simon Fraser University where he read Communication Studies.

It always takes someone to bring you in, he says. I used to work withthe international student office, and I had this idea to have a global carni-val to get all the different groups to set up stores to create awareness.

Although strictly speaking, the carnival was not charity and did not helpthe poor, it awakened Stevens sense of initiative. This is one eventwhere there was no official school agenda, Steve remembers. But Icame up with the idea and I roped in a bunch of friends and we got thewhole thing going. So in that respect its like a volunteer project.

It was also through a friend who led Steven to the YMCA in 2004, or theY, as the organisation is affectionately called by its members. One of thedirectors is a family friend, and he invited Steven to join one of thecommittees. Then, as Steve puts it, one thing led to another.

C u r r e n t P r o j e c t s

A long way from organising a varsity carni-val, Steven is currently heavily involved inFACES, which is a year old.

Albert Ching, the YMCAs General Secre-tary, talks about Stevens role in FACES:He was instrumental in developing andimplementing yet another direct-serviceprogramme for people in need.

Our main premise is you come in, youneed help. We will help you in the quickest

way possible, Steven explains. Our onlycriterion is that you see a counsellor orsocial worker within our organisation.

The counsellors role is to ascertain thelevel of need each client requires, because,as Steven stresses, this is not forever; thisis to help you get back on your feet. Soeach case is reviewed half-yearly.

He reveals that kinds of clients who walkthrough the Ys open doors. There arefamilies where the father has left and thekids are at home alone with the grand-

mother who is taking care of them becausethe mother is not taking care of themeither.

CONT>>



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Steven is also on the selection panel for YFC and helps choose which projects should be awarded grants.He is an advocate for social entrepreneurism, believing that its always better to be able to have your ownresources than to get it from other people.

He talks about the aptness of YFC coming under the YMCA umbrella. The YMCA, which runs hotel andeducation services among other things, is relatively untangled in the strings that come tied to governmentmoney.

We [YMCA] dont get funding from the government. So we are not bound by government restrictions. Wehave our own funding, which we are able to use for what is best for the projects that were working on.

Besides the financial freedom, Steven adds that the most important case for social entrepreneurism is

sustainability. We are not relying on anyones goodwill to survive; too many projects have died becausetheres simply no money.

He is impressed by some of the proposals fielded by the youth, saying that often the simplest ideas are themost effective. He points to a group which sold nicely packaged apples for $2 each and raked in a tidy $20,000 in revenue in a single day.T h e F a m i l y G u y

On the blog he keeps on the Channel NewsAsia website, Steven describes his other full time job as beingDad to his little girl Lucy. In fact, his role as philanthropist comes after that at number three.

Family is the secret to Stevens masterful avoidance of media scrutiny. I have one kid and family life isgood. I think it keeps you grounded, he shares.

There are also numerous pictures of the family on the blog, which header displays a range of family photos:him and the missus, Lucy, even the extended family.

When asked if familys most important in his life, he reaffirmed that, emphasising: Not just my immediatefamily, but my parents, my siblings and all.

Steven brightens noticeably when three-year-old Lucy is mentioned. He confesses that shes one of thereasons why I keep the job I have. Being on PTM, it gives me a lot of time to hang out with her in theafternoons.

H i s I d e a l S i n g a p o r e

Steven has never seriously considered this question before, but he says that he hopes the Singapore Lucy

is growing up in becomes more mature, and Singaporeans take greater ownership of their country.

Theres a lack of awareness and a certain sense of maturity, he says, taking time to appreciate the ironyof having such an effective government.

Steven Chia, with co-host Suzanne June,on Channel NewsAsias Prime Time Morning.

CONT>>



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Here weve grown up in a society where we no longer thinkfor ourselves because the government is doing it for us. So Idont worry about traffic; I dont worry about the trees. I dontworry about anything because I know that those guys willtake care of it.

At the same time he likes that the youth now are more intohelping others. In school you get to do it, even though CIP issort of a farce, it still puts you out there.

S t e v e n o n S t e v e n

Albert Ching describes Stevens working style as easygoing, informal, non-conventional, pretty much similar towhat I observed for myself: Steves in jeans and pink-stripedlong-sleeved shirt, unbuttoned at the top.

During our interview he describes himself in pretty much thesame vein: Im kind of an out going guy, Im very laid-back.

He does let known something he says hes not told many.

I dont like long meetings, he discloses. I dont think thereever needs to be a meeting that goes beyond more than two

hours. By then its too long and no ones listening.

In fact he says long meetings are one reason why he left hisprevious job: My boss at my previous job used to have reallylong meetings, very ineffective.

That was a subtle hint to signal the end of our half-hourinterview. I suddenly realise Steven Chia is not boring afterall. The difficulty that comes with trying to understand thisnewscaster, father and volunteer lies in his multiple layersand the subtleties that comprise him. NICETIES

The Chia family on Lucysthird birthday



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Really Want To Volunteer?Do Young People


For most people, the only exposure theyhave when it comes to volunteering will be

a token activity done to fulfil theiCommunity Involvement Programme (CIP

requirements during their school days

Newspaper collections and flag days cometo mind. Press a little further and you

might find a few people who had helpedout at elderly homes or youth shelters

But apart from school sanctioned(and often mandated) CIP, would young

Singaporeans spare the goodwill tovolunteereven when they are not asked to?

A straw poll was conducted, and theanswers are surprising. Well, to me at least

The sample group ranged from students to youngadults up to the age of 25. Among the school-

going lot, enthusiasm for volunteerism is lowReasons given include the feeling that existing

CIP activities are adequate to satisfy theiindividual quota for volunteering

This group tends to see volunteering as a part o

the school curriculum that had to be fulfilled. Thenotion of volunteering as a conscious personadecision does not rank high among them

Joseph Yang, 19, a full-time National Servicemanfelt that NSFs generally have little incentive to

volunteer, especially since they already have slittle free time to contribute

There are also some more inclined to volunteer, but dont due to the lack of guidance, say, in the form of a schooco-ordinator. They do not know who to approach if they are interested to volunteer, and as a result do not.

For the university undergraduates polled, volunteerism is also generally low on their list of priorities. The heavworkload and increasing demands placed on them are blamed for the lack of time. They have no time fopersonal activities, let alone volunteer work. Among those who do volunteer, they normally do it in a religiouscontext i.e. church activities.

In general, when the idea of volunteering is posited to non-schooling youths, most respond favourably. They saithat they do not mind sacrificing some measure of personal time for a good cause.

However, the lack of suitable causes to support is often cited as a stumbling block. Without a sufficiently attractive reason to volunteer, most people are reluctant to commit.

Altruism is often not strong enough a reason to entice most people, thus volunteer welfare organisations have tobring more to the table.

They need not necessarily reward volunteer work as that would go against its very essence. But it would do noharm if they publicise and market their programmes as being a good fit to the target volunteer group. By doingso they would be better positioned to leverage on the vast pool of untapped resources that exists among theyouth. NICETIES

Our pollshows thatmost youngople are notactively

olunteering



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A SOUL

ON FIRE

t e x t J A S O N L I

One dollar. Thats all it takes for you to produce a movie,thanks to Amy Walker, an all-in-one performing arts machine.She acts, sings (her original songs too), dances and writes.And, if you contribute a dollar, shell be directing your movie

too.

You might have seen the clip that sparked the phenomenonwhich eventually became SoulFire. More than four millionpeople from all the world over have: a simple, two-and-a-halfminute video on Youtube where shes framed in a close-up.

Hello, she says. My name is Amy Walker. Im 25 years oldand I was born in London, England. That explains the crisp,plummy accent.

Which really is nothing spectacular until she re-opens hermouth and repeats her line almost verbatim, but soundingtotally different. Shes still speaking in an English accent, but

one clearly distinct from the previous.

Thats just the beginning; she does it again for nineteen times,a different accent each cycle, spanning almost the entireAnglo-speaking civilisation. When shes done, you are left towonder where in the world she comes from. Russia, California,or Australia? Maybe Ireland. (Shes actually from Seattle,Washington.)

The video caught fire when someone posted it on humour website

Break.com. Within three days, Amys unique talent has drawnhundreds of thousands like moths to a flame. Even the Statesbiggest morning news show, TODAY, was intrigued.

Amy was invited to the programme where she treated Matt Lauerand Meredith Viera, as well as to the rest of America, to asampling of her repertoire.

Slightly more than a year on, Amy is working on a bigger, moreambitious project: an indie movie, funded entirely by like-mindedfriends on the internet. The film, Connected, explores diversitywithin a family and tension that results.

She talks to Niceties through a medium apt for the internet sensa-

tion -Skype- and gives us insight into what sets her on fire. Acting,her first love; accents, many of which she lapses into even in thisinterview; movies, her current pet project; and her family becausethey all play vital roles in her exploration of human relations.

N I C E T I E S : H e y A m y , t h a n k s f o r s p e a k -i n g w i t h u s . W h e n d i d y o u r f a s c i n a t i o nw i t h a c c e n t s s t a r t ?

AMY: Well, I didnt know then that I divided it into accents, but Iguess I started when I learnt to to read and sing as a child, whenI listened to stories. You know, how children memorise not just thewords, but their pronounciation? I guess for me I learnt them veryspecifically.

If I was listening to a story read, and if it was (turns on rans-atlantic accent) Once upon a time, I wouldnt go (reverts to hernative Seattle accent), Once upon a time.

CONT>>

Shes conntected with 4 million viewers from almost

every tongue now; AMY WALKER is uniting them allin a creative way no one has ever done before.



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N : W h a t w a s y o u r f i r s t a c c e n t ?

A: When I was in fifth grade, I became a major Beatles fan.Of course, they were in Liverpool, but I learnt a lot of theirsongs and guitar solos and everything. And I would memo-rise them in their accents. That might have been sort of thebeginning.

It was probably the first accent I would go off and talk tomyself in. I havent done that since Middle School. I was infifth grade, when I was twelve.

N : I s t h a t y o u r f a v o u r i t e a c c e n t ?

A: Its hard to pick a favourite. I really love (with an Aussietwang) Australian because its so chewy and its just sofun! And theres all these bizarre words, all the jargon likegoon. Its like chewing this big wad of language. And theyare such fun people.

N : A c c e n t s a r e o f c o u r s e w h a t m a d ey o u f a m o u s , t h r o u g h y o u r y o u t u b ev i d e o . W h a t w a s y o u r r e s p o n s ew h e n y o u r e a l i s e d t h a t i t h a db e c o m e a h i t ?

A: Ive only been hosting videos for only a little over year,so I was just brand new to the Youtube scene when that(the 21 Accents video) went viral. I had no idea how manypeople were online, so I was simply shocked. Someoneput in on Break.com (a humour website) and in 24 hours ithad 400, 000 views!

But the most fascinating thing was that people innon-English speaking countries like watching it. That Iwasnt anticipating; it was really surprising.

N : A l l t h e s e a c c e n t s , a r e y o u s u mo f t h e m a l l , o r a r e y o u n o n e ?

A: (Contemplatively) Well, how do I say this? Im all ofthose, and Im none of those. All of us are different withfriends than when we are with our grandparents. Andwere different with our boyfriends or girlfriends than whenwe are interviewing someone. It doesnt mean that onesthe real you or not the real you. They are just differentaspects of you. Were just like a kaleidoscope and youcant ever be all of those things that you are at one time.

N : S o i t s a b o u t t h e s i t u a t i o n : a n dj u s t b e c a u s e y o u i n t e r a c t d i f f e r -e n t l y w i t h d i f f e r e n t p e o p l e , i t

d o e s n t m e a n t h a t o n e i n t e r a c t i o ni s f a k e . T h e y r e b o t h e q u a l l y r e a l .

A: Exactly. Even when I was a tiny child, the goal for mewas having a clear channel of connection with a person. Iwas always aware as a kid when I was treated as one. Iwanted to be treated like an equal.

CONT>>



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People can think youre like that because youre Asian, or because youreyoung or whatever. But I just want to get past all of that to the core levelwhere were just people.

If you speak in the exact same accent as someone else, they wont see youas different. People dont think they have an accent usually you know. Theythink, oh everyone has an accent but we dont have one.

N : S o u l F i r e f i l m s a n d y o u r m o v i e , C o n n e c t e d ,a r e a l s o a b o u t h u m a n c o n n e c t i o n . H o w d i dy o u m a k e t h e j u m p f r o m Y o u t u b e ?

A: It didnt seem like a jump to me. At the time I was living in Philadelphiaand I didnt really know anyone there, so I was communicating solelythrough email, Skype and cellphone.

Its not like being in person with someone you know? You cant really feeltheir energy and tell how well were communicating and its harder toconnect.

But in some ways, communication was happening at the same timebetween me and people around the world with my Youtube video. Some-

one would email me and say, I was inspired by your video and Im inRussia.

That completely blew my mind. It is such a small world that we can connectto people who weve never met and probably never will meet.

I just wanted to explore all of that. Im not against or for any of that. Andthen I had that kind of theme and the story just started to come out aboutthe family. And then when that happened, the theme just kind of fell to theback.

N : W h o c a m e u p w i t h t h e i d e a o f t h e e n t i r ew o r l d c h i p p i n g i n a b u c k t o f u n d t h e m o v i e ?

A: Hmm... it was sort of a collective idea. My mom was telling a womanabout the 21 Accents thing and the film I am working on. And the womansaid: You know, if just one out of three people gave one dollar, youd haveenough money for the film.

I thought, you know, if we did that, if we had all these people and say for adollar, you can have your name in the credit of the film, then all we needis a million people. That sounds a lot, but its not when something reallycatches on.

And the thing we love is that it gives power to the people, because normallythe film industry is quite esoteric you know?

N : A n d t h e r e s t h e c o m m e r c i a l a s p e c t t o o .

A: Definitely. Sometimes, not all, but sometimes the integrity of the artistryof the film can be at risk. And the one thing I knew when I wrote this film isthat I did not want to sell it off and have it made into cookie cutter plots likeMonsters vs Aliens or something you know?


CONT>>


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But really, we really want to empower other people too. Forthem to say, all it takes is a little bit. If we just give a littlebit, even if its just a dollar. But if lots of us do it, then wecan make amazing things.

N : E m p o w e r i n g p e o p l e t h r o u g h t h ew e b .

A: Right exactly. Before we had the idea for the one dollarthing, we wanted to make a website. A community calledSoulFireProject.com where anyone could make a page ora mini-site about their project, their soul fire project. Some-thing theyre burning to do, whatever it is. Go study journalism in Toronto, or start a school in Africa, or raisefunds for a bone marrow transplant for someone in thecommunity. Anything.

N : C o n n e c t e d i s a b o u t f a m i l i a lr e l a t i o n s h i p s . W h a t w a s i t l i k e

g r o w i n g u p i n y o u r f a m i l y ?

A: I was the middle girl of two brothers who I love. Andtheres lots of music going on all the time. My brotherswere sporty, but I was artistic enough for all of us.

We had our good fights too, but thats part of it you know?Its hard, family is hard no matter what. Even if you lovethem, its hard because youre stuck with them, you know?

But theres something so important about that. And Im justalways so fascinated by family dynamics.

N : W h a t i n s p i r e s y o u ?

A: My parents are very inspiring; theyre pretty amazingpeople. They have a lot of integrity. My mom is a musictherapist. Shes been doing her souls work almost all ofher life through music and therapy. And my Dad works forthe Salvation Army and he was a minister before that.

So both of them are very service-oriented, communityminded and earth minded and they are very true to them-selves.

But Im also inspired by everything. Inspired by the birdoutside my window, and great art and you.

N : E v e r c o n s i d e r e d H o l l y w o o d ?

A: I really follow my heart. If I wake up tomorrow and knowin my heart that I had to go to LA I totally would. But as Imdemonstrating now, it doesnt matter where you are. Whatmatters is that Im doing the work of my heart and soul.Thats the exact thing Im doing through my film.

N : F i n a l l y , y o u o f t e n e n d w i t h g o o d v i b e s t o y o u i n y o u rv i d e o s . W h a t d o y o u m e a n ?

A: Haha, its just me sending pure loving energy. Somepeople pray, but for me its just taking it beyond a level ofwords to just a pure and energetic form. Its just a way I

like to think about it! NICETIES



28/32

I DONTHAVE A LIFE

EXISTENCE?IS THIS THE ECHO OF YOUR

y o u a r e w o n d e r i n g r i g h t n o w i f y o uh a v e a l i f e , t h e n t h e a n s w e r i s Y o u

d o n t !

you are constantly chasing after that coveted promotion, oryou find yourself playing computer games such as DOTA or

Maple Story, or reading romance or science fiction books, orwatching drama series such as Korean drama or CSI or

hitting the clubs so frequently that you do not allow otheractivities into your life, then you do not have a life either.

It might be hard to swallow the fact that we might just bewasting our lives away, but every day is really the last day

that we are at our youngest. If you find yourself yearning fornuine and continued happiness, this is worth spending time

on.

W h a t t h e n , i s h a v i n g a l i f e ?

Having a life is having a FOCUS. Merely trying to catch upth our external reality is draining; it is weariness at best and

ndifference at its worst. However, having a focus pulls in ourenergy. It gives us the fervour to make our life count forsomething. It gravitates our existence to being the best

person we can be and specifies our life purpose.

It makes us alive!

W h a t i s m y l i f e s f o c u s ?

This is a question that is difficult to answer. Unfortunately, itdoes not surface immediately at will with a snap of ourfingers. It is also not something that someone else can

answer for us.

As Kahlil Gibran, writer of The Prophet, puts it, The vision of one

man lends not its wings to another man. It is also not likely to besomething that would just pop into our mind one day like a Eurekamoment of enlightenment when we least expect it.

It will take time and it will take effort. It will be searching, perseveringand then searching again. One way to start is to jot down youanswers when you ask yourself, What is my lifes focus?

You may have more than one answer as you ponder more about itAt the beginning, the answers may be your mental mantra or whayou would like to see in yourself. But if these answers make you feetense or tired, it probably means that you have yet to find youanswer.

If it is an ambition or a dream, it may not be your answer either. If youlife is like a car, finding your focus is not discovering the path or ideadestination; it is finding the engine that drives you.

Even if the answers may contradict one another, continue jottingthem down. When you find your answer, you will be so deeplyconvicted that your mental, emotional and spiritual beings wiresonate with it.

Have a fulfilling time discovering your life focus! =) NICETIES

Jean is a full-t ime counsellor with CARE

CORNER SINGAPORE, an organisationdedicated to serve, strengthen and support

families. For more information or support,

call 1800-353-5800. Visit theirwebsite:

www.carecorner.org.sgNICETIES |donicethings.org


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For Runners& Clubbers

In this section, we highlight the most happening

events in the community involvement scene tha

every nice person must participate - Go to

www.donicethings.org for more info and to register

The tripartite of Nam Hong Welfare Service Society,

Northwest CDC and Republic Poly is holding the

Brooks Republic Charity Run on 28 Jun. A whopping500 volunteers are needed to ensure that the race

pack collection and the event itself run smoothly. You

need not be a runner to help out so dont wait, regis-

ter with your friends now!

On 25 Jun, the Butter Factory is opening its doors to

more than just revellers. In support of Clubbing for a

Cause, all proceeds will go to the Guide Dogs Associa-

tion of Singapore. For the low cover charge of $12, you

get to dance the night away and do your part for charity

at the same time!



UPCOMING


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NICETIESN I C E T I E SJASON [email protected]

TSE HAO [email protected]

DARYL [email protected]

JEAN CHEN

JOLYN [email protected]

JOEL LAU

FLICKR (Creative Commons)

DONICETHINGS.ORG

R

IRECTOR

OS

To join DONICETHINGS.ORG or advertise onNICETIES contact [email protected].

D O N I C E T H I N G S . O R G

NG CHENG [email protected]

SAMUEL [email protected]

FRANCINE [email protected]

MATTHEW LIN

LIM BING LICALVIN CHONGMUHD ASHIKDENIS TANHANSON HENGRACHEL CHEONGSHAUN LEE

LOUSIA LIN

CT MANAGERS

RKETING STRATEGIST

ECTOR



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DONICETHINGS.ORGe a r e

DoNiceThings was conceptualised by the dynamic duo Ng ChengWei and Samuel Seow. Our co-founders are nice people at heart (as

we all are) who were puzzled that throughout 2 years in JuniorCollege brought no memorable contribution to society.

School-sanctioned Community Involvement Programme was under-taken with very little enthusiasm, if any, and most students simply did

it to rack up the hours. It seemed like generations past and futureface the same uninteresting programmes that do little to foster a

sense of altruism and care for society.

Cheng Weis original idea for DNTwas about to head to the graveyard ofgood ideas until he mentioned it toSam. Through their shared interest innew media, DoNiceThings wasconceived on the back of papernapkins from Starbucks. Thosenapkins might be lying aroundsomewhere, even possibly recycled(plus points for that). Anyway, the

idea seemed feasible enough with alittle bit of hard work and dedication.

What followed was a process thatcontinues till this day, a cycle ofpitching, brainstorming, more pitching,to anyone who would listen. Firsttargets were close friends and allieswho could get things done.

Integral to DoNiceThings and its plansare our highly competent coders anddesigners. Finding them was hard

work because we could only affordpro-bono services. Nevertheless wemanaged to find industrious and oftenoverworked coders who deservepraise and pats on the back (in lieu ofpay) for their tiresome efforts.

With the back-end settled, more feet wereneeded to pound the ground, marketing

DoNiceThings to the people who it matters

to: schools, volunteer welfare organisa-tions and corporations. Such bodies needconcrete proposals and assurance, not just

Facebook and internet fame.

Initial pitching was difficult as even thoughwe had a concept, DNT had yet to take off.We needed the corporations to trust in our

potential. Thankfully they did, and manycame on board.

So thats where we are right now: stillmaking our first painful baby steps. Weve

lots to learn but a lot to give too! And werealways looking for nice people to bring us

to the next stage of growth. Are you it?



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NIceties Issue 1

Documents

Transcript of NIceties Issue 1