SULAM with the Agencies: Head, Heart and Hands to Bring About Change

Written by Dr Athirah Azhar & Dr Dolly Paul Carlo

The Social Work Programme conducted their Service Learning Malaysia (SULAM) element via an integration in the SSS3074 Fieldwork Practice course. This course is designed for the final-year students and is supervised by Dr Dolly Paul Carlo, as the course coordinator, and Dr Athirah Azhar. It involves students’ placement at various agencies in Kuching and Samarahan area. Each placement involves four to five students and they attended their placements once a week (from 8 am to 4 pm, every Thursday) over the period of one semester. This opportunity allows students to engage directly with clients at a level that matches their abilities and the duration of their placement.

During their placements, students plan SULAM projects within their assigned agencies, which require approval from their agency supervisor and oversight from the course instructor. All the SULAM projects were launched on 13th June 2024 and 20th June 2024. In addition to their agency placements, students are also required to attend the Fieldwork Practice class. This class focuses on reflection and discussion based on their experiences at the agencies.

The SULAM projects that were carried out this semesters are as described below.

Inspirasi Tanpa Bunyi: Kenali Persatuan Orang-orang Pekak Sarawak (13 June 2024)

Agency: Sarawak Society for The Deaf (SSD) The students gathered information from the staff and created a banner detailing the services offered at SSD. The banner will be displayed outside to give awareness to the public.

*The students and Dr Dolly with Ernest Ting as a General Manager (third from the left), Madam Helena Lim Pek Choo as Secretary, and Dr Jason Lim Wei the Chairman.*

2. An Obedient Army Brings Change (13 June 2024)

Agency: The Salvation Army The Salvation Army is an international organisation dedicated to serving the communities and supporting families in need, including single parent, children, and the elderly. At present, the organization provides a home for 56 boys and girls ranging from new born to 19 years old. The students gathered the information and created a bunting as a guideline and focusing on promoting positive values and behaviors. This bunting now hangs in their daily paths, reminding them to be good citizens.

*The students hold the bunting and present the souvenir to Leftenan Muna, a Superintendent of the Children’s Home, with Madam Sabrina, Senior Social Worker.*

3. Program Dinamika DBDKu (20 June 2024)

Agency: Desa Bina Diri: A federal agency under the Welfare Department (JKM) federal that shelters homeless individuals aged between 18 and 59 years old. For SULAM, the students compiled a portfolio that consists clients’ backgrounds and the programmes conducted at DBD. This portfolio helps new officers and staff at DBD learn/identify important information about the facility and its programmes.

*A picture with DBD staff, clients, students and Dr Dolly*

*Student representative giving a portfolio book titled Dinamika DBDku to Penguasa DBD Puan Razemah Binti Azool*

4. Golden Hands Craft Creatives Project (20 June 2024)

Agency: Rumah Seri Kenangan (RSK) is operated by JKM under the state government, and accommodates 65 clients aged 60 and above. As part of the SULAM project, students have repurposed a vacant room into an activity space where the clients can engage in handicrafts making. The students have planned for this room to be used regularly for handicraft activities and hoping it will become a long-term routine. This initiative aims to provide additional activities for the elderly, thereby enhancing their quality of life.

*In the activity room, the student and RSK staff showing to the elderly to handcraft baskets and mat.*

*The students and Dr Dolly with RSK officer Encik Delvien Anak Faiday, Encik Fitri the JKM Officer*

5. Menanam Harapan dan Ketenangan (20 June 2024)

Agency: Halfway Home, Sarawak Mental Health Association. Halfway Home is a non-governmental organisation (NGO) that houses individuals with mental health issues. Currently, there are 6 residents in the home. For SULAM project, the student has beautified the home together with the trainees by creating a mini garden in front of the home. To sustain the garden, the student has developed a timetable for the trainees to take care of the garden. This, in turn, helps to create a daily routine and activity for the trainees, fill up their free time, also for the trainees to de-stress.

*Timetable created by the students for the clients*

*The students and Dr Dolly with Madam Remy Inggor as a Project Manager Halfway Home and her staff after the launching of the mini park*

6. Bersama Untuk Semua: Lebih Dekat Lebih Prihatin (20 June 2024)

Agency: Pejabat Kebajikan Masyarakat Bahagian Samarahan. The students prepared a video on the different types of aide provided by JKM to share with the public. The SULAM project at JKM was supervised by Puan Surayati bt Yusuf, Assistant Officer in Community Development.

*The student is presenting and launching the video in the picture*

7. SULAM title: Kesihatan dan Pemakanan Seimbang (20 June 2024)

Agency: Pusat Pemulihan Samarahan @ Special Needs Excellence Centre (SNEC). Special Needs Excellence Centre (SNEC) is an agency established to provide services and vocational training for disabled community. Currently, there are 16 trainees registered at SNEC. The objective of this SULAM project is to provide health information for trainees to practice healthy and balanced diet. The bulletin board is decorated with important information such as the food pyramid, hygiene, health, and kitchen safety.

*Information board at the canteen on health and balanced nutrition.*

8. Sayangi Diri Anda: Sentuhan Selamat dan Tidak Selamat (20 June 2024)

Agency: Rumah Kanak-Kanak Toh Puan Hajah Norkiah (RKK) is a gazetted home and a safe place for children below 18 years old who needs protection and care. To date, there are about 15 infants and 28 school-aged children, both boys and girls in primary and secondary levels. The students have conducted educational sessions with the children about safe touch and have created an information board about safe touch to all children for their SULAM project.

*The students presenting their project in front of the children and RKK staff*

9. Ruang Wira Anak Muda (20 June 2024)

Agency: Sekolah Tunas Bakti Kuching (STB) is a federal agency under the Welfare Department (JKM) that serves at-risk youth and those in need of care and protection. The children here is between 10 and 18 years old, and currently there are 18 trainees at STB. For the SULAM project, the student decorate the room space for the trainee to feel relax and comfortable during therapy / counselling sessions. Besides, the trainee could read in the room which is also filled with positive and motivational books.

*Ruang Wira Anak muda space decorated by the students*

10. Journey in Humanitarian (20 June 2024)

Agency: Hope Place Kuching is a non-governmental organisation which aims to help and contribute to the local community as well as ensuring the community to have the equal quality in life. The students has organised a sharing session with Hope Place to share about their experience titled Journey in Humanitarian. The session was moderated by a student and panel featuring Mr Kelvin Wan, the Hope Founder and Mr Griffin a social worker. This SULAM project was also reported in Borneo Post https://www.theborneopost.com/2024/06/25/hope-place-shares-humanitarian-journey-at-unimas/

*In the picture, third from the left Dr Athirah, Dr Dolly, Mr Kelvin and Mr Griffin.*

All in all, this course and SULAM projects has helped students develop their assessment skills, practice of social work values, applying theory in practice, and self-awareness in doing social work. Besides, the SULAM projects executed by the students have benefitted to both the agency and targeted groups. It is one of the ways we, at FSSH, produce future ready graduates, who are versatile individuals with a combination of knowledge, technical skills, cognitive abilities and personal attributes that empower them in the VUCA world.

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