This camp is about character development in youths, crime prevention and the importance of racial and religious harmony. Hence the apt name “Camp RACE” (enhancing Racial harmony, inculcating Altruism, building Character and aiming for Excellence).
Clementi Neighbourhood Police Centre (NPC) incorporated CEP messages and learning points into the 2008 annual camp that they organise for schools in Clementi.
The camp was officially opened on 3rd December 2008 by Guest of Honour Mr Tan Kian Hoon (Chairman, National Crime Prevention Council), DAC Ng Yeow Boon (Commander, Clementi Police Division), and Ms Low Chee Moon (Principal of Clementi Woods Secondary School).
Students from Clementi Woods Secondary School, Tanglin Secondary School, Kent Ridge Secondary and Bukit Batok Secondary School participated in the 3-day camp, and with mentors and camp facilitators coming from Clementi NPC, social workers from Students Care Service (Clementi Branch), volunteer student leaders from the Singapore Institute of Management, and Youth COP student leaders from Clementi Woods Secondary School.
Besides engaging with youth leaders and volunteers, the camp participants got close to the ground and had the opportunity to engage with Clementi residents. The key message was “Crime Prevention – A shared responsibility” and leading by example, the youths conducted a joint patrol with the Community On Patrol members (COP) from West Coast Vista RC and West Coast Green RC to disseminate crime prevention advisories to residents in Clementi West Street 2.
The youth campers also visited AWWA Old Folk’s Home to volunteer their services, along with the Ayer Rajah-West Coast CC Youth Group which organised for a heartwarming lunch for the old folks.
Talks by the Ministry of Home Affairs’ Community Engagement Programme (CEP) Secretariat, the Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB), the Secret Society Branch of Police’s Criminal Investigation Department (CID), the National Environment Agency (NEA), and the Harmony Centre kept the youths engaged on issues close to their heart and to the community. In particular, Mr Faizal Othman, who is also a docent with the Harmony Centre, took time to share on the various religious faiths in Singapore.
The learning does not stop here. Some of the youth campers went on to form an alumni group and participated in the inaugural Youth CEED programme organised by the MHA CEP Secretariat in Jun 2009 and we’ll be having them lead in a mass-dance display in Jan 2009 for a CEP youth event.
The following is a photo-log on some of the activities that the youths enjoyed =).
Heartwarming smiles as they go about their chores and voluntary work
Let’s see if you got the answers right …
Mr Faizal Othman going through answers from the youth campers
