Community service activities are community work in fostering goodwill among communities and the environment. It can add knowledge to apply social skills and responsibilities in society. Apart from being able to communicate communication skills, through leadership and working in community. Community service can also practice skills information management, projects and entrepreneurship.
Engaging in community service provides students with the opportunity to become active members of their community and has a lasting, positive impact on society at large. Community service or volunteerism enables students to acquire life skills and knowledge, as well as provide a service to those who need it most. These are some of the common benefits of participating in a community service program. First Psychological benefits increases overall life satisfaction and helps student feel good about own self because helping others. It can also help to decreases stress and ease depression. Second Social benefits. Volunteering engages students with the community, creates special bonds with the population being served, and increases social awareness and responsibility. Further more, Cognitive benefits helps students enhance their personal knowledge, grow from new experiences, and develop better interpersonal communication skills.
A community service program that has been selected is to visit Penang Home for the Infirm and Aged. This involvement is a form of project. The main goal of Penang Home for the Infirm and Aged community service is to improve the well-being of individuals and communities. Students have an opportunity to know people around, understand their woes, and help them, whenever it is possible. The purpose of the visit was to encourage the Open university Malaysia students to volunteer and contribute to the community.
The theme selected is “happy hands promises to spread a smile.” ‘Happy Hands’ is, always, happy to help. Was created as a theme for this activity. The theme was chosen for the project to show concern for the well-being of society. It was also to highlight the fact that all old folks should be highly respected and loved.
The project name was ‘’love the elderly’. The name was created with the aim to show care and love for the lonely senior citizens. This was a great opportunity to care and accompany them as normal human beings who wanted to feel loved even though it was only a day’s visit.
Background of the community service activity
Penang Home for the Old and Infirm, or Rumah Orang Tua Uzur Pulau Pinang, is a senior citizen home at 409 Jalan Masjid Negeri, in the Green Lane area. It is located between the Lam Wah Ee Hospital and the World Red Swatika Society.
Date, Time and duration of project implement Organization involved The Penang home for the infirm and aged established in 1963 is a tax exempt, charitable and voluntary organization. The penang home was set up with the objective of providing shelter, care, nursing and rehabilitation for the poor who are infirm and aged, chronically ill and permanently disabled.
Objective of the project:
1) To show care and passion to the elderly in the old folks home.
2) To create closer bonds among members and the old folks and among members who themselves have participated.
3) Show love and concern for the elderly.
4) To create clean and beautiful environment by cleaning the windows and tables.
Estimate Expenditure
Revenue (RM) Expenses RM
Donation Daily necessary /Groceries
Public 325.00 Shampoo 13.99
Member 45.25 Milo 92.97
Rice 68.97
Cooking Oil 56.97
Shower Gel 33.24
Wet Wipes 10.86
Biscuits 32.97
Detergent Powder 23.58
Boxes Beverages 36.70
Total 370.25
Project implementation
Visiting Penang Home for the Infirm and Aged. Upon arrival , volunteers were given a brief on the background of the home and divided into 2 groups. Volunteers started with bed making ,serving food for bedridden patient and apply lotion for re hydrated dried skin. Besides that, monitoring blood pressure patient and informed to the nurse the abnormal blood pressure and documentation blood pressure patient. Hand crafting with elders to make them happy. Further more, cleaning the windows and tables make a living environment a more conducive and comfortable place to live in.
Planning and implementation activities
This project has been designed since May 2018. The initial planning was done so that the project went smoothly. The selection of this project was carried out by group members based on activities in the theme of happy hands promises to spread a smile. This idea came to the task given by Open University Malaysia in holding a community service project for this semester.
Some meetings were held to coordinate the project. Each decision of the AJK meeting and the appointment of duties and tasks was done fairly and equally for each group member. The cost of the expenditure was made so that the project did not exceed the income.
The project has achieved a great success in terms of creating the bonds between members and the elders. It is just so warm to get to see them interacting with each other as if they were close although they have just meet up each other for the first time. Hopefully, in the near future, more such events can be prepared and more members will be able to join in.
