2021

1) Mastery of Heart & Mind – Youth Mental Health e-Conference

The Social Quotient partnered with Ngee Ann Polytechnic to organise an inaugural Youth Mental Health e-Conference on “Mastery of Heart and Mind”, targetted at all staff and students from Institutes of Higher Learning in Singapore. The conference, held in conjunction with World Mental Health Day, hoped to raise awareness on the importance of mental health and empower participants with a deeper understanding of fostering early help-seeking behaviours.

Topics included an overview of the mental health scene in Singapore, as well as discussions on how to support students with mental health issues, with three tracks in the areas of peer support, special needs and self-harm.

Opening Speech by Ms Sun Xueling, Minister of State, Ministry of Education

Keynote Address 1 by Dr Cherie Chan, President, Singapore Psychological Society

Keynote Address 2 by Ms Kok Yun Fern, Senior Clinical Psychologist, Institute of Mental Health


Concurrent Sessions (Peer Support)

Ms Joy Ong, Senior Lead Counsellor, Inspire Joy

Dr Timothy Hsi, Pychotherapist, Abundanz Consulting

Concurrent Sessions (Special Educational Needs)

Ms Sandra Charis Tee, Educational Therapist, Agape Educational Therapy

Mr Mark Lim and Mrs Sue Lim, Consultant/Counsellors, The Social Quotient

Concurrent Sessions (Life Matters)

Dr Cheryl Loh, Chief and Senior Consultant, Changi General Hospital

Dr John Tan, Executive Director, CARE Singapore

Closing Plenary Session: Enhancing Support Systems in Schools

Moderated by Mr Carlin Lee, Student Counsellor, Ngee Ann Polytechnic

2) Workshop on ADHD for MOE Gifted Education Branch Officers

This programme, for 30 GE officers, aimed to achieve the following goals:

  1. To help participants have a better understanding of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and the etiology of the disorder;
  2. To learn about various classroom strategies that can be used to help students with ADHD; and 
  3. To help students who may display ADHD traits but who are not yet diagnosed with the disorder.

3) Para-counselling Training for Peer Support Leaders – Republic Polytechnic 

This is the second run of the programme. For the June 2021 run, one 2-day session will be run for Peer Support Leaders in Republic Polytechnic. In addition to basic listening and friendship skills, the students will also learn more advanced therapeutic approaches to help their friends in need deal with various wellness issues.

4) Peer Supporter Level 1 Training – Singapore Polytechnic 

This is the second run of the Peer Supporter Level 1 Training, comprising 3 full-day sessions. The programme has the following objectives:

  1. To train students who are selected and trained for the purpose of offering a supportive relationship to befriend and help other students with personal issues;
  2. For students to learn how to clarify their thoughts and feelings; exploring options, and alternatives;
  3. For students to define their own solutions.

5) Mental Wellness e-Workshops for Polytechnic Students – Ngee Ann Polytechnic

This was the first run of 17 mental wellness workshops that The Social Factor conducted for 1st Year Students at Ngee Ann Polytechnic. The curriculum for the 1.5-hour workshops was developed by the Ministry of Education, and students were equipped to recognise signs of distress as well as how to  support themselves and their peers.

6) Sexuality Workshop for Parents – Church of Our Saviour

This was a follow up workshop from 2020, for the parents of kids with special needs. The topics covered were as follows:

Topics Covered

  • Parents Attitudes on Sexuality
  • What Kids Want to Know About Sex
  • Scripting & Case Studies
  • Q&A

7) Sensory Play Workshop for Allied Educators – MOE N6 Cluster

The workshop for 25 Allied Educators covered the following topics:

  • The Sensory System & the Learning Pyramid
  • Understanding Sensory Overload & Over-Stimulation
  • Sensory Processing Disorder – Characteristics & Etiology
  • Vestibular & Proprioception: the Lesser-known Senses
  • Understanding Sensory Play
  • Classroom Strategies

8) Sensory Play Workshop Allied Educators -MOE PN69 Professional Development Class

The workshop for 15 Allied Educators covered the following topics:

  • The Sensory System & the Learning Pyramid
  • Understanding Sensory Overload & Over-Stimulation
  • Sensory Processing Disorder – Characteristics & Etiology
  • Vestibular & Proprioception: the Lesser-known Senses
  • Understanding Sensory Play
  • Classroom Strategies

9) Peer Supporter Level 1 Training – Singapore Polytechnic
The Social Factor conducted its first run of one full-day session of Peer Supporter Level 1 Training. The programme had the following objectives:

  1. To train students who are selected and trained for the purpose of offering a supportive relationship to befriend and help other students with personal issues;
  2. For students to learn how to clarify their thoughts and feelings; exploring options, and alternatives;
  3. For students to define their own solutions.

10) Peer Support Programme – Evergreen Secondary School

The Social Factor conducted a workshop for 30 student leaders. The workshop had the following objectives:

  1. To understand the purpose of Peer Support & the importance of holistic wellbeing;
  2. To understand the importance of empathy in Peer Support.
  3. To learn and practice active listening and effective friendship skills in order to be a better help to their friends.
  4. To learn about common youth issues, mental wellness, and signs of distress, and how to recognise when a friend needs help.
  5. To learn about the various support strategies & resources and how to help a friend in need.

11) Parenting Workshop for Love Languages – Serangoon Garden Secondary School

The Social Factor conducted a workshop for 60 parents of kids with Special Educational Needs (SEN). The workshop had the following objectives:

  1. To use 5 Languages of Love to build a positive parent-child relationship; and
  2. To help parents learn ways to connect and improve communication with their child 

12) Teacher Workshop on Healthy & Safe Relationships (HSR) – Melbourne Specialist International School

The HSR workshop will help teachers understand the concept of Healthy & Safe Relationships, and as well as how to address HSR-related issues in the classroom. The workshop overview is as follows:

An Overview of Healthy & Safe Relationships (HSR)

Key Issues Affecting the Development of a Person with Special Needs

Recognising Warning Signs

Communicating About Sexuality Issues

Case Study & Discussion on HSR Matters

13) Student Workshop Series on Healthy & Safe Relationships (HSR) – Melbourne Specialist International School

The student workshop series has the objective of helping students learn appropriate social behaviour; specifically in the areas of knowing and protecting themselves, in making friends, and in making good decisions. The session overview is as follows:

Session No.Session Focus
1Knowing Myself – Understanding Interests, Strengths & Self-Image.
2Protecting Myself – Personal Space & How to Draw Boundaries
3Making Friends – How to Develop Stranger Awareness
4Making Decisions – Understanding Relationships & Sexuality

14) Supporting the Body of Christ: Seminar on Emphatic Listening & Para-counselling – Community of Praise Baptist Church

This 6-hour seminar is intended to help church members learn the theoretical and practical aspects of empathic listening and para-counselling. The seminar has the following objectives:

  1. How to truly listen to others
  2. How to build relationships in the Church
  3. How to support others during difficult times

15) College of Alice and Peter Tan Student Symposium on Diverse Families 

Mark and Sue Lim of The Social Factor were invited to speak at the symposium, with emphasis on the examination of diverse family structures in Singapore, and how social stigma and government policies inadvertently disadvantage families that do not conform to traditional nuclear family systems.

16) Mental Wellness e-Workshops for Polytechnic Students – Nanyang Polytechnic

This was the second run of 47 mental wellness workshops that The Social Factor conducted for 1st Year Students at Nanyang Polytechnic. The curriculum for the 2-hour workshops was developed by the Ministry of Education, and students were equipped to recognise signs of distress as well as how to  support themselves and their peers.

17) Virtual Support Group on Making Choices for Yourself – Ngee Ann Polytechnic 

This was one of 4 support group sessions that The Social Factor conducted for Ngee Ann Polytechnic students under the Zest Up Programme. During this small group session, students learnt about the importance of decision making and the importance of purpose, priorities and values in making good choices.

18) Gaming Addiction Workshop for Parents – Pei Cai Secondary School

The workshop focussed on helping parents have a better understanding of the gaming addiction process and provided strategies to help their children manage the ill effects of gaming addiction.