Discovery Year Experience at Heartware Network, Singapore
Article by Chak Siaw Teng, Edited by Dr Natasha Keasberry
FOS student and Chemistry major Chak Siaw Teng recently returned from Singapore after a semester abroad for her DY activity, interning at Heartware Network. Heartware Network is a volunteering charity organisation that “seeks to instill positive values and build strong character in youth between ages 14 and 35” through community projects and entrepreneurship activities. The internship develops leadership skills through project planning and execution. As part of the internship, Chak Siaw Teng took part in several projects and programmes
One of these was Support Our Pioneer, where volunteers would visit the elderly who live alone
She also took part in devising and enacting two large projects – We Love Our Teacher’s Project and Tuition Programme’s End-of-Outing. We Love Our Teacher’s Project provides a platform for students to show appreciation and to give back to their teachers by gifting red apples.
For this project, the volunteers packed the apples and thank you cards for distribution to the schools
During the planning process of these projects, Chak Siaw Teng says she managed to learn time management skills, be responsible, and gain new skills. As a Science student with minimal designing experience, she self-taught herself Adobe Illustrator via YouTube in order to design an annual report for Heartware.
Whilst the internship was not lab-based or Chemistry related, the time Miss Chak spent at Heartware Network gave her the opportunity to experience a different working environment. Overall, she says she found the internship to be enjoyable, fulfilling and impactful.