O Level: Formal Letter - Choosing a CIP programme

28 Woodlands Drive
Singapore 720028

17 August 2013

Mrs Evelyn Wong
Teacher-in-charge
Community Involvement Programme Club
Woodlands Circle Secondary School
20 Woodlands Circle
Singapore 730020

Dear Mrs Wong

Re: New Community Involvement Programme (CIP) for the Club

Thank you very much for allowing me the chance to evaluate the programmes you have suggested. All of us in the Community Involvement Programme club are really excited at the thought of embarking on a new volunteering programme! After serious consideration, I would like to suggest that we volunteer at Beron Hospice Centre.

This charity provides comfort and support to patients with life-limiting illnesses. We can visit the terminally-ill patients and be a friend to them. We can chat with them and engage them in planned activities such as singing karaoke and bringing them out for a meal. We can also assist them in simple house keeping. Moreover, we can get them involved by spreading the festive joy with them during various festivals.

I feel that Beron Hospice Centre is the best choice among the three. Firstly, since we are students, we have little to offer except by way of volunteering our time and a listening ear. Secondly, we as students can learn how to interact with the terminally-ill patients and become more compassionate and empathise with their distressing situation. Most importantly, we can benefit as we would probably see the parting of some of the patients and learn to treasure and cherish our lives and live it to the fullest. In this way, I strongly believe that this experience will nurture us to be socially responsible and develop a sense of belonging to our country since we can care for our fellow countrymen.

I would suggest that we separate the club members into groups and send them into different wards. The senior members will be appointed as the leaders and they will coach the juniors on how to interact with the same group of patients weekly over a sustained period of time. This helps to build deeper friendship with the patients and remove feelings of loneliness among the hospice patients. This also gets rid of any feelings of awkwardness since the patients will meet the same faces regularly.

Serving at Beron Hospice Centre will definitely be a rewarding experience for all of us.  I hope you will take up my suggestion and allow us to implement it soon. Thank you for allowing me to help select a meaningful programme to embark on!

Yours sincerely,



Baba Lee