In 2014, Danielle and two fellow Sociology graduates were introduced to a group of teenagers who lived in Lengkok Bahru, a housing estate of one-room rental flats.
It was an area, according to Danielle, “with a notorious reputation as a druggie haven full of juvenile delinquents”. To engage the youths positively, they formed Kopitiam Lengkok Bahru, and designed a photography and arts project in a bid to help the youths learn new skills to boost their confidence.
“Being outsiders, it was challenging trying to engage the youths. We had to be purposeful and straightforward with them,” Danielle adds, “And we didn’t want to make a transient impact. We kept our day jobs, but for close to 10 months, we headed down regularly to meet them, conduct lessons or just hang out, which helped build their trust in us.” The project phase was ultimately a success and culminated in two public photography exhibitions. While the team is in the midst of planning another, Danielle keeps in close contact with the youths via text messaging and social media, a channel she uses to continue to mentor them.
There was a huge sacrifice of time and energy, but Danielle strongly believes the rewards of volunteering far outweigh the costs. “It helps you grow in empathy, expands your world view and re-adjusts your priorities. What you do as a volunteer can positively impact the way you think about work and life”.
