Paddling into teamwork: Building bonds through sports

On 10 and 11 August 2023, 105 student leaders from Ridge View Residential College (RVRC) participated in a customised student leadership training programme to enhance their abilities to collaborate effectively with their peers and to lead them in college endeavours. Designed and led by Mr Desmond Ng, Fellow of RVRC, the two-day training programme cultivated self-awareness among the student leaders.

The training offered student leaders a multimodal experience to encompass intellectual, creative, emotional, social, and physical growth dimensions. As a LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® Facilitator, Desmond used LEGO as a experiential and creative tool for one of the sessions to enable the student leaders to reflect on aspects of self-appreciation and empathy. In another activity, students were guided by the “Tree of Life" narrative to tell stories of hope and shared values to foster a sense of community.

The collective team spirit was fortified through a dragon boat training and race session at the Kallang Basin.

Khin Hnin Su from FASS had initial reservations with the dragon boat activity, however, after embarking on the sport, she gained a deeper appreciation for teamwork and deepened her bonds with fellow student leaders. Fellow resident and first-time dragon boat participant Nicholas Tan Yun Yu from MDP echoed similar sentiments. He said: “I did not only enjoy the sport but bonded with my peers whom I did not know very well before this. Working and winning together was a highlight for me.”