Edited by Roseline Yang, Community Relations Officer
YCIS values involvement from parents and encourages platforms that allow parents to share and exchange ideas on how to educate their children and help them find meaning in their lives. In this context, Anne Teh took the initiative to hold workshop sessions based on an Alpha course to offer an “Oasis of care and love” to the school community.
The global Alpha Course, offered in 70 countries, helps parents to explore life’s big questions to build a strong foundation for the family guided by Christian values. Held over ten weeks, parents have the opportunity to come together, in a casual and relaxed atmosphere, to look at different questions.
Tracy Oei, Year 3C and 5C parent found the interactive discussion and sharing sessions with “like minded” parents helpful to guide her along in daily parenting, learning and imparting essential, positive values to her children.
Faye William, Year 3D new parent at YCIS felt welcomed and was happy to meet other caring and supportive parents to help her settle in a new school environment and feel at home.
Livia Soekarno, Y4B parent, who has been in China for 14 years and over the years accustomed to the transient expat community, where the stability of friendship is often uprooted when families repatriate, shared that this workshop is refreshing and different from other parenting courses she had attended, in the sense that Alpha transforms the community to be an oasis of love and care that reaches out to one another as a caring community.
Livia and Tracy found joy in sharing delicious home-cooked meals with the group in each session.
Another parent, Sally Chiu, Year 5A enjoyed the insightful videos and engaging sharing, it impacted her to make the most of out her life and gave her the compass to plan the next steps for her family.
Anne Teh (Y4D&5A Parent), Debbie Shih (Y4A&7A Parent and POP Co-Chairperson) and Mr. Leo Lazo (YCIS Character Counsellor) as co-facilitators shared that this series of workshops was an enriching journey for all participants as it helped to build a close knit community.
Alpha workshop began every session making everyone feel at home, sharing a home-made meal and ended with a thanksgiving and Christmas celebration.