POSB Storyteller
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We were invited to share our views on the POSB Storytellers Grant (a S$50,000 Challenge), but all opinions are 100% our own.
Have you always seen the same familiar faces when you go to work every morning? You give your everyday nod of acknowledgement, but yet, you can’t put a name to that face. This is the Singapore neighbourhood that we live in. However, things can change with the advent of technology! What if we can tell the story behind every face, and bring back the warmth to every neighbourhood.
Yes! We can make a difference with the stories we share! 🙂
One of the most effective ways to know a new friend, or in this case, a neighbour, is to share our own stories. Story telling seems to transcend social divides, as it is one of the best ways to communicate a message. As a blogger, I tell my family’s stories, our adventures and milestones! Through these stories, I’ve made many friends and formed many meaningful friendships. And this is just my experience in the social media realm.
The new neighbourhood is no longer bounded by bricks and mortar, and today our neighbours can be accessed in many ways, and of course through the power of the Internet. Couple this interaction with people who stay a few doors away and the potential for connection is limitless. To bridge the gap between our homes, we can take on the role of a storyteller and start creating and sharing our stories. This will not only enable us to get a better understanding of each other’s life, but it would definitely evolve the neighbourhood to a friendlier one, where we can truly look out for each other.
Recently, we undertook a project together with POSB, where we got to meet some of the “faces” around our block. We drew out invites, knocked on doors, and took the awkward first step of introducing ourselves to our neighbours. (To find out more about how we broke the ice, click on our earlier post here and here). We held our breaths as we introduced each family member to those faces, and we were surprised by our neighbours’ responses. We found out that they were welcoming, and “open” in wanting to know us. We invited them to our “Block Party”, and many of them came! What really warmed our hearts was how each neighbour who came, brought their best dish, and we were treated to a buffet of International Cuisine. I can safely tell you that nothing speaks better to the heart, than Singapore food! 🙂
I truly believe that our Block Party has built the foundation for a paradigm shift in the neighbourhood.
Today, when I walk down the same aisles and houses, I have put a face to the 7th floor Uncle. They linger at the window, to ask me “how I am?” and “How are my kids?”. The ice is broken, and they are seeds planted for a friendship to blossom.
Here is the story of our journey for you to watch! Do read on, if you would like to find out how you can do something similar in your neighbourhood!
POSB has come up with a grant called the Storytellers Grant to help us find unique stories of our neighbourhood and share these amazing stories with the community. It’s a S$50,000 grant so that you can really create and showcase a beautiful story, and inspire more Singaporeans to relook their neighbourhoods with fresh eyes. Check out their site and get the grant here: www.posb.com.sg/storytellers.
Good luck to all and I am looking forward to discovering your neighbourhood story soon!
For other inspiring neighbourhood stories, visit www.neighboursfirst.sg.