An event that has shaped your life and the person you have become
Perhaps some people were born to be natural leaders but I had never felt that that was in my blood. By sheer luck, I was offered the opportunity to be a facilitator in the Student Leadership Congress (SLC; 2012) despite my limited experience at that time. SLC is an annual three-day event which aims to hone the leadership skills of participants. As a facilitator, I was responsible for smooth execution of the event as well as guiding student leaders from various schools to acquire relevant skills and “breakthroughs” – the theme for the year. Quite comically, I had also attained my own “breakthrough” through the event.
Perhaps some people were born to be natural leaders but I had never felt that that was in my blood. By sheer luck, I was offered the opportunity to be a facilitator in the Student Leadership Congress (SLC; 2012) despite my limited experience at that time. SLC is an annual three-day event which aims to hone the leadership skills of participants. As a facilitator, I was responsible for smooth execution of the event as well as guiding student leaders from various schools to acquire relevant skills and “breakthroughs” – the theme for the year. Quite comically, I had also attained my own “breakthrough” through the event.
Despite my initial worries and apprehension, SLC was a
very enjoyable learning experience for me. I had picked up many skills, such as learning how to manage the dynamics and welfare of my group
members (which ranged from primary to tertiary levels). Also, it helped me to
develop my critical thinking as I had to guide the students to their
learning points when conducting debriefs, which was not easy. Even though it was only for a mere
three days, I derived a great sense of achievement watching my students grow
and develop their potential towards the end of the event. This was further
enhanced with the bonds that I had forged with them, knowing that my enthusiasm
had made the event an enjoyable and fun one for them too.
People say
that you have to be a leader to lead. I would have never expected myself to become a "leader", but leading a group of participants through a camp is something I really enjoy doing. I realized that I could truly find joy and meaning from this, and even went on to work as an outdoor camp instructor after my A’levels, where I gained more of such skills. On hindsight, I am grateful for the opportunity that has given me a life direction and helped me to become the better person that I am today.
Hi, Daine,
ReplyDeleteI shared the same experience with you as a student facilitator, but in a smaller scale compared to yours. I could really relate to the sense of achievement watching your group members grow throughout the whole event.
I acknowledged that it was not easy to be a facilitator as our job scope was not merely dedicated to accomplish those administrative stuffs. Instead, it was more inclined to the mental part which not only focus on your own but also on the others.
I can clearly feel your sense of enthusiasm and your thoughtful consideration throughout our interaction. I think these were the most precious skills that you gained from this particular event.
Thank you very much and I look forward to your next post. :)
This is a very fine post, Daine. You offer a clear description, providing rich detail to illustrate your development of leadership skills and a 'breakthrough' thanks to the SLC experience. It's also good to know that the experience has given you a new found sense of 'direction.'
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing!