Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is SPLAT!?
SPLAT!, short for Spirit.Person.Life.an.Artistic.Transition, is a public education, outreach and fundraising arts extravaganza to encourage the public into accepting and offering second chances to youths-at-risk and ex-youth offenders while inspiring community action to support their rehabilitation and reintegration into society.
What does SPLAT! do?
In 2009, to continue educating youths about youth delinquency issues, we invite Singapore Prison Service officers and ex-youth offenders – those who have walked the path – to share their stories in our partner educational institutions. We have been doing this since January 2008.
To help youths-at-risk discover and connect to their artistic talents in 2009, we will conduct a Youth Selection and Training Camp to teach them performing skills which they can apply in our Musical “Picking the Pieces”. This Musical, performed by a young and energetic cast, will also inspire the audience to reflect on their own perceptions of youths-at-risk and ex-youth offenders. It builds upon the public education achievements of SPLAT! since January 2008.
Further, we will hold a Visual Art Competition to raise awareness and encourage introspection amongst young people. It is open to youths aged between 13 and 25; and are based on themes relevant to the concerns and challenges faced by youths-at-risk and ex-youth offenders.
We also raise funds to support educational opportunities for our beneficiaries from Children-At-Risk Empowerment Association, Singapore (CARE Singapore).
Who keeps SPLAT! going?
All of our eight public education, outreach and fundraising initiatives are managed by committed youth volunteers aged between 17 and 32. A majority of us are students from tertiary educational institutions. Presently consisting of six members, our Principal Volunteers Group is at the helm of SPLAT!, mentoring volunteers in planning and executing its initiatives, and in realising their potentials.
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Why are you doing this?
We believe that it takes a village to raise a child. Youth delinquency has many causes, ranging from a dysfunctional family to peer pressure; but amidst all these problems youths-at-risk and ex-youth offenders have to grapple with, discrimination is the greatest obstacle on their rocky road to turning over a new leaf. Because of the stigma, they are struck off the list before they are provided with a chance to discover their talents and prove their worth.
This deprivation of much-needed opportunities perpetuates a vicious cycle in which they find little positive self-worth, and go on indulging in unwholesome activities. In a nutshell, all of us are responsible for our fellow human beings: we must give them the chance to change for the better, and a chance to prove that they can accomplish the "big things in life" too.
We have seen how art can educate, inspire and transform people. Hence, we want to help youths-at-risk and ex-youth offenders discover their talents and be proud of it by engaging them through visual art and the performing arts.
Who are SPLAT!’s beneficiaries? How are they chosen?
SPLAT!'s beneficiaries in 2009 are youths-at-risk and ex-youth offenders who receive assistance from educational opportunities and programmes conducted by Children-At-Risk Empowerment Association, Singapore (CARE Singapore).
Grounded on the belief that there is a success story in every youth, CARE Singapore's vision is to raise resilient, involved, purposeful and empowered youths through its comprehensive school-based, centre-based and training & consultancy programmes.
CARE Singapore is chosen because its programmes are highly congruent with SPLAT!'s objectives and values. The programmes conducted by other Voluntary Welfare Organisations (VWOs) were thoroughly researched and deliberated before CARE Singapore was selected as SPLAT!'s beneficiary.
Furthermore, SPLAT! capitalises on the expertise and experience of CARE Singapore in helping youths-at-risk, which will ensure that the concerns of SPLAT!'s beneficiaries are well addressed.
What are the themes for the Visual Art Competition?
The themes for the Visual Art Competitions are:
a. A Second Chance At Life
b. Embrace
c. It's Not Easy To Be Me
d. To Err Is Human
e. Young And Not Dangerous
Participants may use one or a combination of themes for their entry.
Why is the media of artwork for the Visual Art Competition limited to paintings and digital graphics?
Paintings and digital graphics are excellent means for youths aged between 13 and 25 to broaden their creativity and develop their artistic talent. Furthermore, the inspirational and therapeutic nature of visual art can be harnessed to simultaneously serve the community and achieve emotional fulfillment.
SPLAT! desires a competition environment where emphasis is placed on the abilities of the participant. SPLAT! notes the requests for photography to be included as a medium of artwork. However, photography equipment may not be readily available and affordable in comparison to the materials required for paintings and digital graphics. To prevent equipment and materials from significantly influencing the outcome of the artwork, we regret that photographs will not be accepted for the Visual Art Competition.
How much of my donation to the sales of public education memorabilia actually goes to SPLAT!'s beneficiaries?
Your full donation of S$10.00 for each SPLAT! Not You, Then Who? Concert ticket goes to SPLAT!'s beneficiaries. The cost price of a post-it-pad is S$0.63. By donating S$2.00 for each post-it pad, you are contributing S$1.37 to SPLAT!'s beneficiaries.
Every cent of your contributions will be disbursed to a deserving beneficiary and no part of your contributions will be used to cover SPLAT!'s administrative or overhead costs. This is possible because SPLAT!'s administrative and overhead costs are borne by our community partners.
What steps are in place to ensure that my donation will be prudently used to assist a deserving beneficiary from CARE Singapore?
Funds raised are handed to our community partner, the Industrial & Services Co-operative Society Ltd, for deposit into a local bank within two (2) working days of a fundraising event. Three authorized signatories from the Industrial & Services Co-operative Society Ltd are required before the funds can be withdrawn for dispersal to SPLAT!'s beneficiaries.
Funds are dispersed in phases to CARE Singapore for them to conduct programmes for SPLAT!'s beneficiaries. SPLAT!, our beneficiaries and CARE Singapore conduct monthly progress reviews to holistically measure the progress towards desired outcomes of these programmes and make improvements based on feedback received.
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