In an era where social connection is more important than ever, Active Ageing Centres (AACs) play a crucial role in supporting seniors. These centres, managed by Social Service Agencies, offer a rich tapestry of activities – from games and physical fitness to educational workshops – all aimed at fostering engagement and well-being within the community.
However, upon closer observation, you may notice that most seniors participating in the AAC activities are women. Recognising the need for older men in the community to keep active, form social bonds and stay engaged as they age gracefully in their golden years, New Life Community Services challenged a group of five SUSS students from the NIE301 Learning with Communities course to find ways to engage male seniors at the AAC better. As part of their Service-Learning initiative, these students, who are part of a tutorial group focused on Active Ageing, designed tailored activities to encourage male seniors to participate more actively in the community.
Guided by their instructor and Community Partner Mentor from New Life Community Services, the students embarked on an experiential learning process starting with understanding the community. This was done during the course’s Community Weeks, where the students took several trips down to Jelapang AAC to immerse themselves in the seniors’ activities. Through playing rounds of Rummikub together, the students soon built a rapport with the seniors, allowing them to hold several conversations to gain deeper insight into the type of activities they would enjoy.
The student group, engaging in conversation with seniors, members of Jelapang AAC
Armed with project planning and management tools taught in the course such as logic model, S.M.A.R.T indicators and risk management, the students began conceptualising a series of workshops that would appeal to the male demographic group of seniors living in the Jelapang area. One of their ideas included a mobile photography workshop, designed to introduce the seniors to creative photography techniques.
Students conducting the mobile photography workshop at Jelapang AAC
The workshop introduced the male seniors to concepts such as using leading lines and the rule of thirds to improve their image composition. Techniques such as using portrait mode on their mobile phones to manipulate the depth of field and create a bokeh effect were among the tips and tricks to better their mobile photography skills.
In the AAC-turned-classroom, the seniors were guided closely by their student-teachers as they used their personal mobile phones to practice with some provided props.
SUSS student demonstrating mobile photography techniques with provided props
Participants helping and learning from each other
Afterwards, the group headed outdoors to the nearby Pang Sua Pond to put their newly acquired skills to the test.
Uncle Low, a participant of the mobile photography workshop commented, “The workshop was very fun! The photos I took before this were all very simple, now I learnt how to take better photos.”
Experimenting with new photography techniques at Pang Sua Pond
The seniors were all actively engaged in the workshop, and some captured shots of every new spotting of wildlife as they walked along the perimeter of the pond. Some seniors even expressed interest in future sessions to explore additional topics, such as photo editing and videography!
Reciprocity and community voice are central to SUSS Service-Learning, and this project brought that to life. Students discovered that service-learning is a mutual exchange, not just about helping. "I initially saw this project as simply helping the seniors" explained Madeline Ng, a Year 1 Early Childhood Education student. "But I soon realised how much I learned from them. It was a reciprocal exchange of ideas and experiences."
Beyond imparting new skills, these workshops allow seniors to engage with their community and strengthen social connections. For these uncles, the mobile photography workshop is hoped to be the first of many activities at Jelapang AAC, helping them remain engaged and active as they age. The workshop also holds the potential to spark further intergenerational interactions, as the skills learned could open doors for seniors to connect with younger generations, whether through shared photography projects or storytelling.
Make a real difference in the lives of seniors! Join the NIE301 Learning with Communities Connecting Seniors with Active Ageing Tutorial Group (TG) and design programmes that promote active lifestyles, strengthen social bonds, and enhance well-being.