Project Care (Community Art via Intergenerational Relationships)

Opening 16 February 2019, 10am to 10.30am
16 February 2019 to 27 February 2019
H6 CONET, G/F, The Center,
99 Queen’s Road, Central, Hong Kong

Singapore International School (Hong Kong) (SISHK), Tung Wah Group of Hospitals Jockey Club Sunshine Complex for the Elderly and Mighty Oaks Foundation are proud to present Project Care (Community Art via Intergenerational Relationships), an art exhibition at H6 Conet in The Center running from 16 February 2019 to 27 February 2019.

The exhibition documents the learning journey of the elderly from Sunshine Complex and SISHK Primary 6 (P6) students as they work together to design and create their artworks using LEGO bricks as part of Mighty Oaks Foundation’s Anchor Children with Elderly (ACE) Community Programme. The exhibition features a mural artwork which is co-created by the elders and students as well as other LEGO artworks by P6 students.

Project Care is the result of a partnership between the three organisations to promote intergenerational relationships and community bonding. The elders and students are both involved in each step of the selection of work, design and creation of the art pieces. As both parties cooperate on designing and creating the mural artwork, they learn to work, have fun together, accommodate and understand each other better. This helps to break down barriers and stereotypes through effective communication, enhancing mutual respect and understanding between generations.

For the elders, Project Care gave them a sense of purpose and engagement, engaged their creativity, boosted their motivation and a connection with the community.

As a part of the school’s Visual Arts curriculum, the students learn about Design Thinking practices and understand that Project Care goes beyond producing the artworks; establishing relationships is the key priority and artmaking takes on the role of the vehicle in deepening the learning upon reflecting on the development from the birth of idea to testing the prototype.

Students realise their role of being agents of change through their contributions in the artmaking, as well as being young advocates to promote the importance of good intergeneration relationships. The project also gave the students a much deeper appreciation of intergeneration relationships and some even brought their parents to Sunshine Complex to visit their new friends after the project finished.

This is the first year in which SISHK organised Project Care as part of the art curriculum and the school will be launching a LEGO bricks donation drive later in 2019 for next academic year’s Project Care.

 

 

 

 

 

 

About Mighty Oaks Foundation
Mighty Oaks Foundation was established in 2014 to create enriching and lasting solutions to promote dignity, hope and purpose for the elderly. We champion intergenerational activities through our “Anchor Children with Elderly” (ACE) Community programmes, improving the quality of life and emotional well being for the elderly. Our ACE dream is to meaningfully connect elder facilities in HK with nearby schools. We have also established the ACE Centre – HK’s first intergenerational learning centre in a heritage site in Sai Ying Pun. Another pillar of our service is to train caregivers for the elderly in managing swallowing issues.
Since establishment, Mighty Oaks Foundation has served over 1600 elderly, 2000 students and 900 caregivers, and engaged over 500 volunteers.

 

About Singapore International School (Hong Kong)
Singapore International School (Hong Kong) offers through-train education from preparatory years to pre-university levels for all nationalities and is the only overseas school supported by Singapore’s Ministry of Education. The rigorous bilingual curriculum is guided by the Singapore education philosophy and the school aims to provide a holistic values-based education to develop inquiring, knowledgeable and caring young people to meet the future and life’s challenges as confident well-rounded global citizens.

 

About Tung Wah Group of Hospitals (TWGHs) Jockey Club Sunshine Complex for the Elderly
The nine-storey TWGHs Jockey Club Sunshine Complex for the Elderly comprises a subvented home, namely “Jockey Club Harmony Villa” and a non-profit making private residential home, namely “Jockey Club Blissful Villa” offering a total of 410 places. Besides, we have a non-profit making private day care centre, namely “Jockey Club Blissful Day Care Centre” which provides 20 places service quota.
A key theme of the complex is to emphasize artistic activities and vibrant exercises. We take care of the elderly’s physical and psychological needs in accessing, navigating and staying in a “place” in an effective manner both cost and space-wise. We believe art enhances self-esteem of the elders and is breathing new life to this nursing home, adding pride and enjoyment to these lovely seniors.