Continuing Education

Understand & Communicating with the Elderly

Talk to Secondary School Students

The Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports (MCYS) and the Singapore Action Group of Elders (SAGE) have embarked on a programme to give talks to Secondary School students to raise awareness on ageing issues.

The population in Singapore is rapidly ageing. Many measures are being put in place to meet the challenges of ageing issues. The Inter-Ministerial Committee on the Ageing Population stressed in its report to the Government in November 1999 stressed the need to change mindsets through effective public education as one of its key recommendations.

The broad objectives of the talks are as follows:
1. To raise awareness of the ageing population in Singapore and its implications.
2. To raise awareness on ageing issues.
3. To impart knowledge and understanding of the needs of the elderly.
4. To foster closer inter-generation ties through better understanding by the young of the elderly.
5. To inculcate the right mindset in facing the challenges of ageing.
6. To have the young to be the ambassadors to the elderly in their home.

We wish to extend an invitation to all secondary schools for the Year 2005.

3 types of programmes are available:

1. General Talk during Assembly to raise awareness. This is a 45 minutes programme with 15 minutes of performances by the elderly and half an hour's talk.

2. Workshop for maximum 2 classes of students where there can be more in-depth discussion of the topic as well as better interaction between the facilitator and the students. This is an one and a half hour programme.

3. Learning Journeys Programme for the Upper Secondary. There are many programmes under Learning Journeys for various levels. The one related to elderly issues put up by MCYS is for upper secondary level with a talk at your school followed by a visit to a Senior Activity Centre.

Themes of Talks at Assembly / Workshop

1. Understanding the Needs of the Elderly
2. Communicating with the Elderly
3. How Can I Befriend the Elderly?
4. Intergenerational Bonding

Performances by our senior citizen members can also be arranged so as to impart a very positive image of active ageing.

For more information, please contact SAGE at (65) 6258 8789 or email: publiceducation@sage.org.sg