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SANANEWSVOL 46 • APR – SEP 2010 • MICA (P) 122/03/2010 • ISSN 0129-6621

p3Generation compleXInsight SANA: Youth and addiction

p4The Youth EvolutionCampaign: Who is Alex Wibo?

p8Wall-rior for LifeGraffiti for Good

p7The Young Ones: To Dream, to LiveSANA Nite is here again!

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Friends of SANA, send in your feedback on how we can make better for you! Email us at news@sana.org.sg to share your volunteering experience at SANA. We are happy to give a token of appreciation with every entry. Please include your full name and contact details in your email.

Mr Handrick NgBoard Member

Susana NgExecutive, Corporate

Charlie Goh Head, Corporate

Murni MastanExecutive, Corporate

We’d love to hear from you!

Editorial Board

What’s On

ContributorsValerie WongCounsellor

Stanley Lim Executive, Aftercare

Ng Hui Hui Head, Volunteer Management

Jeremiah MarkCounsellor

Roy EngExecutive, Volunteer Management

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From left: Mr Poh Geok Ek (SANA President), Mr S P Lee (Rep from Rotary Club, Marina City), Mr Lim Chong Boo (MD, Premier Corporation) and Mr Lim Poh Quee (ED, SANA)

Julie Tay Executive, Volunteer Management

Peter Tan Liaison Officer, Preventive Drug Education

SANA Flag Day was held on 26 June 2010, also in conjunction with the World Drug-Free Day. Supported by Premier Corporation, the ‘driving’ theme also symbolizes the road of recovery of our clients. In support, our various Drug Abuse Prevention Committees, religious affiliates and partnering schools gathered their fellow peers in the community to rally the cause at the grassroots.

Honorable mentions are the major sponsors: Rotary Club of Marina City, BureauServe Pte Ltd and Jit Poh Investments Pte Ltd who presented their donations as a special “taxi fare” for the Flag Day Launch. Three graffiti artist were also present to give the finishing touches for the wall mural at our training space used by our youth beneficiaries. Zahir Sanosi aka SKOPE shares more about the graffiti story in the ‘Touching Hearts’ section.

Check out the photos of the launch and more, on www.sanaflagday.org

Donation Draw

We would like to thank the many schools, the government agencies and corporate organisations for their support, as well as our sponsors (Singapore Pools and Orange Inc Pte Ltd). The judge was Mr Handrick Ng (board member), and the auditor was Ms Anna Kho from Lo Hock Ling & Co. To our volunteers, thank you for being a part of our annual Donation Draw!

For 2010, SANA News will be published three times a year instead of quarterly, as part of our cost-cutting effort. Post-event features, as well as ongoing and upcoming events/programmes are now on SANA Facebook and SANA Blog. Get the link at our website today for the freshest news!

New News!

Appeal for Publication SponsorshipSupport our outreach by helping to subsidize the cost of printing the newsletter and other outreach materials. At the same time your company also reaches out to our fellow volunteers and donors through special acknowledgement in our publication. Get in touch with us at corporate@sana.org.sg

Generation-

31July 2010

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Insight SANA

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Growing up is one tough journey. Everything happens at once - physical and sexual development and awareness, new demands from society, and the search for an identity and purpose in life while seeking independence from the family. Despite acknowledging youth vulnerability, one could still be too quick to point the finger elsewhere: at family negligence or bad company when youths are caught in a vicious cycle of addiction.

Peer influence: is it just about the friends? Working with parents, teachers and care-givers of youth drug users, the term ‘peer influence/pressure’ is sometimes used as a be-all and end-all cause for a youth’s wayward ways. Though curiosity/motivation triggering the youth’s first euphoric experience might have been spurred on by peers, it is more pertinent to ask why they would so easily succumb to that influence.

What does the peer group really means to the youth? Often, it offers a comforting sense of belonging, typically with people who encounter similar challenges and share similar perspectives to situations around them. Sometimes, he/she may not even like or enjoy their company, but there is certainly acceptance.

Friends over Family The parenting role is a difficult one to juggle with the need for double paychecks for many families, and is perhaps non-existent during extended periods for couples faced with relational issues, separation or divorce. The absence of a parental figure would accentuate the influence of peers when the youth seeks direction for coping with emotional and even day-to-day issues. In other words, the need to fit in social group intensifies when there is a lack of fit in the family.

Although parental negligence is generally blamed for juvenile delinquency, ‘over protection’ is no better. While parents perceive their active worrying, ‘nagging’ and self-blame as love for the child, a

SANA conducts a number of youth programmes throughout the year for different target groups such as all Uniformed groups in Secondary school, as well as for youths (14 – 18 years old) with inhalant abuse antecedents.

The SMART Programme (first launched in 2009) is currently in its 5th and 6th runs, which are held concurrently. Each run comprises 10 to 12 sessions.

youth will instead sense the tension created by his ‘problems’, leading to alienation from the family members. Once again, this creates another reason for the youth to seek temporary relief in drugs or the company of negative peer group. While friends listen and offer support, parents often commit the mistake of talking more than listening.

Don’t misconstrue youth attitude and behaviourIt is not always the ‘high’ that the youth is seeking (as assumed by most) because drugs and peers may well be filling the empty gaps of a youth’s life. The focus of helping youths with their addictive behaviour is to understand the perpetuating factor, and not to look for someone to blame. Lack of communication is one major aspect.

When youths do not understand the meaning behind adults’ intentions, the ‘first line of defence’ is very likely to be defiance. This is particularly apparent for those who have brushes with the law; the constant scrutiny by authorities has negatively conditioned the youth to rebel, as a default response.

But in truth, youths should be ‘entitled’ to turn down requests. Like adults, they can also feel ‘disrespected’ for their choices, or deem requests as unreasonable. Similarly, youth themselves do not always need agreement from adults to everything they ask for. When any one party simply says ‘no’ or ‘just do this’, the request turns into an order/willful demand or an act of authority/rebellion. Taking time to listen, explain and negotiate towards an agreement is crucial. Adults and youth both need their perspectives taken into account.

Not saying ‘why’ or asking for the ‘why’ can seriously hamper the recovery of a youth addict. For instance, youths who repeatedly request their parents/caregivers not to attend recovery programmes are often assumed to be lacking interest in their recovery. Upon clarification, most youths turned out to be overwhelmed by

guilt that their parents were burdened (time and finances) by their mistakes. It is difficult for young people to understand that parents need healing and support as well.

In cases of negligence, past rejections had conditioned the youth to cope with a nonchalant attitude, and of course, both parties have never gone into details with each other.

Working with youth is truly challenging and demands a whole lot of creativity/ spontaneity. Every youth is a unique individual, so no one treatment fits all. When youths resort to drugs as a way of life, it is never simply about fun or friends because there are perhaps even more complex issues driving the addiction. For adults, the key to helping youth isn’t just love and patience; it’s also about being open and never forgetting to acknowledge them as decision makers and controllers of their own lives, albeit how vulnerable and inexperienced they are. But that’s why we are all here to help, aren’t we?

Nothing can be more destructive to a youth’s development than falling prey to drug abuse. When it comes to helping people with their addiction, engaging

this ever complex and unique group becomes a challenge on an entirely new level. Valerie Wong (Counsellor and

youth worker) explores the misconception surrounding peer influence and youth behaviour.

compleGeneration-

Graffiti artist Zahir introducing the tools to participants

Volunteer Rozana (far left) helped in faciliation

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Youth Publicity

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Not so much that this new generation has its facebook, twitter (and what’s next) at the fingertips (and literally too), it’s more amazing to discover what really flourishes in that social realm – in short, a revolution from keypads. Empowered to search, spurred on to share; the new media has opened up yet another door for the young to amplify what they have always been doing every generation –

connecting with other young people, and asking to be heard. It’s time we acknowledge their ‘collective wisdom’.

With our partner ad agency, Euro RSCG Singapore, a fictitious character, Alex, was created on Facebook (FB). After selling many prized possessions such as a lomo camera and a game console, he sunk to desperate measures. Alex’s FB ‘friends’, as well as the forum goers on hardwarezone, reacted to the extremity of Alex’s drug habit; youth conversations took on a viral scale. We were sure how we wanted the campaign to go: No top-down, no talk-down and moderation instead of censorship.

The youths were aware that drugs aren’t a game they can afford to play, and ‘Alex’ must be stopped. Not just what is right and wrong, but they also knew what they could do. They connected to other youths via the Facebook Group, ‘Let’s stop the futile game of drugs’, as well as their own blogs, spreading their own drug-free messages. Way to go, young ones.

15-year-old Joshua is our youth photographer for the event. He is the ‘disciple’ of SANA’s volunteer photographer, who is also Joshua’s school teacher.

From left: Mr Ang Gim Seng (Manager, Zone X), Ms Iris Wu (Group Financial Controller, LCDev Ltd), Mrs Constance Koh (Executive Director, Lum Chang Holdings Ltd), Mr Lim Poh Quee (ED, SANA), Mr Adrian Lum (Director, Zone X)

Mr Lim Poh Quee (ED, SANA) receives the donation from Zone X’s general manager.

The Youth

SANA volunteers are all ‘Alexes’ for the day. Like Alex, there could be many young people who are at risk to falling victim to drugs, and they are amongst us. They could be male or female, our classmates or our friends. So spread the word so that more and more youths out there will receive the drug-free message. Let the message go ‘viral’!

@

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Youth Publicity

SANA has teamed up with our sponsor, Zone X to bring the drug-free message to life through the gaming environment. Let’s hear from Zone X’s General Manager, Mr Ang Gim Seng, who is an ex-educator and a parent of two, on why he embraces new approaches to getting in touch with the youth.

Candidly speaking, the partnership between Zone X and SANA sounds puzzling to many at first. Zone X is broaching the topic of drugs, while SANA is associating itself with ‘gaming’ and ‘arcades’, generally perceived by some as ‘unhealthy recreation’.

Despite the unconventional idea of spreading anti-drug messages in an amusement centre environment, it makes sense to bring the messages into the ‘space’ where the youths and/or their friends are comfortable in. There are not just youths who may be ignorant to the dangers of drugs, most of the young people are in fact much more exposed and streetwise compared to the times when I was a youth. We are glad to have this opportunity to work with SANA for a good cause.

I believe youth these days appreciate proper reasoning. Adults, parents and educators should not be using EXACTLY the same approach that their mentors used (and even hope that it will work). When I was a kid, my mother always locked away my gaming console during the exam period. I felt that the message sent was wrong, that simply, playing games during exam time is wrong. We should instead nurture a sense of priority in these youth that they understand and choose to concentrate on their studies during exam time. That is why my wife doesn’t get to lock the gaming console up during my children’s exam period!

The ‘Alexes’ challenging a guest to a game of Billibow (using billiard cue and ball to knock down mini pins down a bowling alley). Our young people have absolutely no problem adapting to anything….

Mr Ang (on the left) with emcee of the day, Aslam, who is a volunteer with SANA’s youth programmes.

Valerie Wong, our counsellor, shares the importance of preventive drug education and her experiences as a youth worker.

Mr Lim Poh Quee (ED, SANA) receives the donation from Zone X’s general manager.

Harking back to the campaign, Alex was asking for help….in the wrong way. Let’s lend a hand by word of mouth: don’t lose yourself to drugs. They aren’t a game we can afford to play!

High on Life together. Say ‘No’ to letting drugs come between us and what we can be; keep our dreams alive!

ZONE X Leisure Pte Ltd, a subsidiary of L.C. Development Ltd, is a leading player in the amusement and entertainment industry in Singapore, with 9 different major outlets around the island. ZONE X provides different leisure and entertainment play facilities such as Amusement Games, Photo Sticker Machines via Pretty Pix, American Pool via Funky Balls, Toy & Sweet Catcher via X-Scoop, and the new Billibow (Fusion Sports Amusement Machine which combines Billiards and Bowling). ZONE X continually updates its range of gaming machines with some of the latest and most exciting arcades in the market.

Zone X and SANA staff get together with the volunteers: celebrate the partnership!

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To create greater awareness on

the dangers of drug and inhalant

abuse, an anti-drug talk was

held for 30 youth members of

T-Net Club @ Macpherson on

8 June. This talk was jointly

organised by the Macpherson

Drug Abuse Prevention

Committee and Macpherson

T-Net Club.

TUESDAY, 8 JUNE 2010

Religious Counselling Programme / Neighbourhood DAPCs

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S p r e a d i n g the Word The SANA Catholic Aftercare (Counselling) Service organised an anti-drug exhibition on 23 May 2010 at St. Anne’s Church in Seng Kang East Way.

This initiative was undertaken to promote SANA’s anti-drug programmes to the young parishioners together with their parents and we reached out to more than a hundred participants. The church goers thronged to view the exhibition panels set up at the exhibition site. SANA volunteers and staff enthusiastically answered and shared with the crowd on the perils of drug abuse.

The event enjoyed success not only in propagating the anti-drug messages. It also attracted individuals who were interested to find out more about volunteering with SANA as invitations were extended to parents to enroll as SANA volunteers. There will be more exhibitions organised in other Catholic churches in the coming months. Look out for us!

Mr Henry Ang Volunteer SANA Catholic Aftercare (Counselling) Service

Activities with SANA’s Drug Abuse Prevention

Committees

Our basic training sessions for the volunteers are conducted in August-October 2010. The dates in Sep and Oct are 27 Sep, 29 Sep, 5 & 6 Oct. The basic training will equip the volunteers with the basic skills and knowledge in their volunteering assignments with SANA. We look forward to seeing your presence in our training programmes.

The Bishan East Drug Abuse Prevention Committee held a drug abuse prevention exhibition in conjunction with the Bishan East Zone 4 Resident Committee Block Party on 25 April at Blk 172, Bishan Street 13. Mr Wong Kan Seng, Deputy Prime Minister & Minister for Home Affairs and MP for Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC was the Guest-of-Honour. There were

about 500 participants at the block party.

SUNDAY, 25 APRIL 2010

Do check out the confirmed training schedule on www.sana.org.sg. For queries, email us at volunteertraining@sana.org.sg

Upcoming Volunteer Training in Sept/Oct

SANA Recreation Club volunteers together with Yew Tee C.C. members had a memorable joint outing to Mount Ophir for a durian feast on 4 July 2010. Sarjit Kaur, SRC committee member, shares the experience on SANA Facebook.

Link to SANA Facebook from our website www.sana.org.sg

Mount Ophir outing cum Durian Feast

Rev Fr James Yeo (third from left) with volunteers, Mr Henry Ang, Mdm Karen Sng and Mr William Ng on the far right

Residents viewing the exhibits at the Block Party

SANA Volunteer and Donor Appreciation Nite 2010

Volunteers Corner

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Volunteers Corner

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Young @ Hearts:

SANA Recreational Club (SRC) is pleased to announce the success of our Birthday Celebration cum Monthly Gathering on Friday, 25 June.

The fun began early in the preparation work. Way before the start of the gathering, some volunteers were already present to decorate the SRC Clubhouse with lovely and colourful balloons. The clubhouse was already filled with fun galore when SRC Chairman Mr Percival Shepherdson and Vice-Chairman Mr Jalaludin, together with Mr Linus, our SANA Board Member arrived timely to grace the event.

There was a wonderful turnout of 55 people. After the buffet, the major highlight was the cutting of birthday cake as well as the singing of the birthday song to volunteers who were born in the months of May and June. Another highlight of the event was the Tombola session which was enjoyed by everyone. Prizes this time included Takashimaya Cash Vouchers as well as SANA Donation Draw tickets. We had also set up a mahjong table at which dedicated players instantly took to the scene!

On an educational note, an anti-drug video was screened and our resident CNB officer, Mr Robert Tham, was present to share his views on the preventive drug messages.

The session would not be a success if not for the active participation of our volunteers. Fun and laughter are indeed the best medicine. We have enjoyed this session and we would like to thank everyone for joining in. We look forward to seeing you again in our next gathering!

All Work and Lots of Play with SRC

Date : Friday 26 November 2010

Venue : Furama RiverFront Singapore Venus Ballroom, Level 3, 405 Havelock Road, Singapore 169633

Guest-Of-Honour : Assoc Prof Ho Peng Kee Senior Minister of State Ministry of Home Affairs and Law

Ticket Price : $25 for SANA Volunteers $50 for Partner

Expect a sumptuous dinner with choices of Chinese Menu by the hotel’s chef, Halal food by its famous Kintamani Indonesian Restaurant or healthy vegetarian dishes.For queries, reach us at sananite@sana.org.sg

What did you want to be when you were young? And for the youths: what is your dream of what you want to be? It’s a night to ‘live’ your aspiration with your fellow volunteers. Come dressed in uniforms or the outfit that will rock the house down! (Hint: props will help you and your table to win the best

dressed award)

SANA Volunteer and Donor Appreciation Nite 2010

‘Touching Hearts’

Support SANA’s vision for a Drug-free Singapore! Donate through www.sana.org.sg or reach us to find out more about how to be our ‘Partner against Drug abuse’ through sponsorship. Cheques can be made payable to ‘SANA’ or ‘Singapore Anti-Narcotics Association’.

Singapore Anti-Narcotics Association • 2 Sengkang Square Sengkang Community Hub #05-01 Singapore 545025 • Tel: (65) 6732 1122 Fax: (65) 6732 4564 www.sana.org.sg

Helpline 1800 733 4444 . Narcotics Anonymous at SANA every Wednesday 7.30pm. Call for more info.

The story on the wall is about vigour, power and choice. It starts off with two school children beginning on a journey, with their friend named “Limmy”, a mutant toy bunny that transforms into a superhero in the presence of danger. Limmy is a symbol of courage and empowerment in all of our young ones, with the knowledge to tell the good influences from the bad. Limmy is an icon in this anti-drug youth outreach, as he signifies the strength in our new generation with a power to choose what is right for them.

Remember our friendly lion in the courtesy campaign during the 80s? I have always thought that there could be a drug-free mascot that our young ones can relate to. If the lion can remind us of courtesy, “Limmy” is a hero that saves the day in any anti-drug story.

My goal is to contribute my skills with this youth outreach project and spread the awareness through my art. This is a collaborative initiative that we hope is truly an eye opener to the youths and our general public.

I would like to demonstrate that indulgence through art is something that our youths can participate in. Youths these days enjoy idling…. With too much idle time on their hands, plus lack of positive support, they could really end up wasting their life away when they engage in gangs or experiment with drugs.

Art education is part of the holistic curriculum in most schools. I am sure students benefit from it as it provides an alternative form of expression. I also conduct art courses for schools, and I find that students generally remain curious about the art form, performing beyond my expectations and giving me the gratification beyond words. Also, when students understand that graffiti does not have to mean vandalism in Singapore, I know I have done my job.

Most of my idols were on drugs at some point of their life, but that’s their story. I believe drugs do not alter the experience in the creation of art for I don’t believe in needing drugs to seek inspiration for art. Wouldn’t it be better to be high on life?

Zahir is on the far right, with his team of collaborators, JJ Ong aka MIMER (2nd from left) and Mazlan Ahmad aka SKOPE (3rd from left). Ridzuan (far left) is from Artkore Industry with Mazlan.

Zahir began practicing his art professionally as an artist/illustrator in 1994/95 where he was actively involved in the hardcore/punk scene in Singapore. Founded in early 2003, “KEEP IT LIKE A SECRET” is the moniker that he adopts for his work, which ranges across multiple platforms involving illustrations and design for various artifacts of popular culture, including t-shirts, skateboards, or any given blank walls. He has been actively participating in exhibitions, installations, and collaborated with local bands and various partners like The Esplanade, Ministry of Sound, Zouk, The Arts House, The Red Dot Museum and lots more.

To enjoy more of his work, check out: http://www.zahirsanosi.com www.shhhtiamtiam.deviantart.comwww.kilaskult.blogspot.com