About Austen

When Austen was diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder, his parents observed that he was very sensitive to sounds and has a strong affinity with music. Ms. Vanecia, Austen’s mother, and main caregiver, started to use music to engage him at home. At a tender age of three, he was able to play a tune on the piano after listening to his mom hum once.

However, Austen faced difficulties during the learning process. He disliked reading musical notes and at one point rejected playing the piano. However, with the support of his mother, who persisted in teaching him, tried other ways to guide him along through his strength in recognising and listening to tunes. Eventually, Austen progressed in playing the piano, which in turn, helped him to focus for longer periods and build his confidence.

Austen’s learning and progress were achieved through collaborative support from his mother and his teacher at Rainbow Centre, which is funded by Community Chest (and MOE). In recognition of his exceptional musical talents, Rainbow Centre awarded him the Special Talent Award in 2019. Austen has also achieved significant progress in his piano playing, having completed Grade 4 and now working towards Grade 5. This achievement was a great encouragement for both Austen and his mother.

Despite her initial struggles to come to terms with her son's diagnosis, Ms. Vanecia was able to gain emotional strength and knowledge through caregiver support networks as Austen progressed through the special education programme at Rainbow Centre. As a result of the various forms of support, Austen's academic progress improved significantly and Vanecia noticed positive changes in their relationship.

Community Chest supports more than 100 social service agencies in Singapore, allowing them to focus on caring for the disadvantaged. Find out more about the five causes supported by Community Chest.

Resource for Students

Watch the video below to find out how Ah Teck contributes through the Schools’ Appeal innovatively with his own efforts.

Resources for Teachers

Registrations will open on 4 August
Scan the QR code or visit https://go.gov.sg/cda2023 to register!

Each participating school can choose to receive either or both of the following:

• A donation envelope per student for cash donations

• A customised PayNow QR code for the whole school (Provided upon request after registration via email)

---

Registrations will close on 8 September
Email NCSS_School@ncss.gov.sg if you have any enquiries or further updates to the registered information.

---

More materials will be shared in due time: FAQ | Teaching Kit 

Start Small Dream Big 2023

BrightKids ChildCare @ Jurong West spent a joyful morning with the seniors at SAGE Counselling Centre. The preschoolers made a hand fan using recycled materials with the seniors, gifting the handmade fans as part of the goodie bags packed for the seniors. Sharity, our mascot of caring and sharing, also made a special appearance to sing along with the children!

This collaboration is part of the Start Small Dream Big initiative by the Early Childhood Development Agency, supported by the Agency for Integrated Care and Community Chest.

Maha Bodhi School 

In Maha Bodhi School, we reiterate the importance of ACE, short for “Being Aware. Care to make a difference. Express it in words and actions”. Apart from the Level VIA (Values in Action) Projects, pupils are involved in annual school-wide VIA Projects such as “Blessings From the Heart” where they learn to make a difference as they partake in the festive joy of Chinese New Year. Pupils voluntarily contribute money from their red packet collections for the three homes adopted by the school, namely Jamiyah Home for the Aged, Bright Hill Evergreen Home, and St Theresa’s Home. Another VIA Project that the pupils are involved in is the MBS Food Donation Drive. This year, the pupils donate food items for the beneficiaries of Food From the Heart and the senior residents in Kembangan-Chai Chee Division. 

Sharity aims to create a more inclusive society for all children and Maha Bodhi School is thankful for the opportunity to participate in the annual Children's Day Appeal (CDA) to raise funds for their various programmes and services it runs. CDA is aligned with the Ministry of Education's Values-In-Action (VIA) Programme, which is a Key Student Development Experience (SDE) that aims to nurture socially responsible citizens who contribute meaningfully to the community, through the learning and application of values, knowledge, and skills. Encourage students to develop values such as Care, Respect, and Responsibility through community service. Care is a value that emphasises the importance of showing concern, empathy, and respect for others, and to act with kindness and compassion towards those around us. Respect emphasises the importance of treating others with dignity and consideration, regardless of differences in background, culture, or beliefs. Responsibility emphasises the importance of being accountable for one's actions, and to take ownership of one's learning, growth, and development. 

Each year, as part of the Children’s Day Celebration Programme, the school sets aside protected time for Form Teachers to conduct a lesson using the Sharity educational package and involve the pupils in a discussion so that they can gain a deeper understanding of the needs of others, the importance of helping them and how they can make a positive impact on their community. Pupils understand the challenges faced by children with disabilities, or those who may be socially isolated. They learn about how these children may struggle to access education, healthcare, and other essential services. From the lesson, pupils develop empathy for others facing challenges that are different from their own and, at the same time, be inspired by the resilience of these children who overcame their challenges despite it all. This helps our pupils appreciate the diversity of their community and understand the importance of inclusivity. 

CDA is indeed a meaningful way for pupils to learn about the importance of their collective action in raising funds to contribute towards building a more inclusive and compassionate society for all children. 

Nanyang Primary School

Nanyang has been supporting Community Chest in its fund-raising efforts as it is aligned with the MOE’s VIA programme.  The Children’s Day appeal gave our students the opportunity to promote the well-being of children and youth from low-income families and those with special needs and disabilities in our society through their donations. 

Our students were engaged in the class interactive activity that aims to encourage them to help others and inculcate important values of compassion, respect and empathy.  The lesson and activity help our students better understand various community groups in Singapore i.e. adults with disabilities, children with special needs and youth-at-risk, families in need of assistance, persons with mental health conditions, and seniors in need of support

Giving is for everyone; all of us can continue in one way or another with our means. Through participating in this campaign, our students learn to understand that everyone plays a part in making our society a better place and can make a difference in promoting greater equality and social inclusion, which is an important value of the MOE VIA programme.