I realised I was thinking about communities in a narrow way, like what can we provide to the community, what problems do they need help solving. When I learnt about Asset Based Community Development (ABCD) at CTPCLC and its practices at South Central CDC, as well as Wellness Kampong at KTPH, I realised it is a mindset which can be applied in many areas, such as volunteer management and people development. It changed the way I approach communities – instead of jumping in to solve a problem, to take two steps back and ask, what strengths do the community possess? How can the community members help one another? When do I step up and step back to empower community members to take the lead?

This perspective also shaped how I manage my team @OpenJio, in terms of focusing on their talents, interests and learning how to create processes which empower people to take the lead, such as encouraging them to start their own projects. I believe every individual has something they want to create and bring to this world, and it is important to enable this space and opportunity so that they can realise their potential, and also take full ownership of it. This is also how I see OpenJio evolve in the long term, spreading awareness about social issues, growing as a community and making their voice heard, eventually creating social and structural change.

@OpenJio (www.t.me/openjio) is a curated events platform to spread awareness about various social causes such as social inequality, environmental issues and marginalised communities, etc. Find out more about OpenJio here.