Reflection 1: Pre-Service

Year 2: Project Management, [nVRture] Service Learning Project

The social issue that is being addressed during the service-learning project is improving the mental wellness of stressed individuals through technological ecotherapy. This is targeted to those in the community and persons with disabilities [PWDs]. Currently, the needs of the community during this pandemic is the need to go out and experience the outdoors.

Through community mapping with organisations and the general public. The objective of identifying the needs was finding the correlation between outdoor activities and stress. If the reduction of outdoor-based activities in comparison to before the implementation and the lack of awareness about ecotherapy contributes. Based on the 60 respondents, 33 of them frequently engage in outdoor activities prior. Almost half of them mention some sort of discomfort, fatigue, boredom or stress during this pandemic. 12 of these 33 express feeling stressed or ‘enclosed’. Furthermore, 24 of the 27 of those who are not aware of ecotherapy, do not take part in the outdoors. The factors contributing to these are due to the implementation of the circuit breaker, worry and work/ schooling based at home. Despite, only 6 among the 27 having reduced at least 80% of their outdoor activities, indicated the lack of social interaction, stress and exhaustion. Most of the respondents are coping with this by gaming, hobbies and the general enjoyment being indoors.

With these findings, my team, nVRture aims to address these needs by presenting a visual portrayal of the nature parks and therapeutic parks with a VR headset for immersion. The kit will engage the five senses and a first-person view for a more effective experience in comparison to a screened video on their mobile devices. The experience will be aided with phytoncides scents and an ambiance of the natural setting. Phytoncides, as mentioned by our community partner, have relaxation effects that can better enhance and differentiate our product from regular lavender or tea tree essential oils. Utilising the sense of hearing, it can provide a similar real-life experience without external distractions of cars or chattering, allowing quicker relaxation. Additionally, customisations of sounds can also be an option to eliminate any those sounds that may cause discomfort. Post-interview, we understood more from our outdoor nature enthusiasts’ representatives from Better trails; an Outward Bound Singapore instructor and a freelance Camp Challenge with a biomedical background, we have found out ways to better facilitate our content to meet both eco and adventure therapy. These forms of therapy are known to improve the mental well-being of the user more effectively. As of now, we are also arranging for an interview from Yip Pin Xiu and Will & Well to understand and widen our knowledge.

After the discussions and brainstorming sessions with my team and the community. The team is progressing towards the creation of the prototype and its content. I am looking forward to the actual product development during the implementation. I would like to experience the end product of our hard work coming into reality. Hopefully for it to help our target community and achieve our intended goal; of improving mental wellness.

The challenges I foresee in this project is if the pandemic situation persists. Interacting with members of the public will be tougher as everyone would still be wary. This will be a challenge as we might not be able to present our product to the intended community. Another challenge is the long-term aspect of our project. What we are currently developing is similar to a prototype and with our time constraint, filming a therapeutic worthy content for our product is tricky. As of now, we are not able to film our ideal footage with the red tapes around but we are trying with different angles and editing. The schedule for filming could get tricky as well, as we are not able to control the content of the day. Hence, using the network diagram, critical path and the work breakdown structure also gave us insights and the specific tasks that need to be done. Allowing us to formulate priority tasks. Which also resulted in us filming as much as we could, followed by working on the narration after. As the content is the most crucial part of the project.

On the other hand, another perspective on the challenges, I think it is also a good way to film the species of Singapore during this pandemic as the circuit breaker is slowly getting lifted. The absence of crowds in the parks, allow more species to roam about. Which would give us the chance to film and use these as part of the video.

Moving on to the preparation process, I have to meet the requirements and standards of this project similar to the business management project in year 1 and the outside project. The way I prepare for this is to think ahead and learn from others, I am always thinking about the progress. I have been since the start of school. Sometimes, I might slip up. But with the responsibility and home-based learning, I have been doing it more in advance; tasks to do, tasks to be done and how to solidify or improve it. I am constantly thinking of how. To find out ways to justify our product, I sort my thoughts systemically. My team and I would use the google drive folder, sheets and word to keep organised. So, whenever I have an idea or thought, I would consult my second IC then critic and inform the team to see their opinions, vice versa. This would ensure we are on the same page and prepared for what is ahead.

All in all, out of this service-learning project, I prepare myself to be open and adaptive to what this project will throw at me. As this is different from other projects and modules we have done. I try to equip my team with the freedom of sharing and experiencing. Alongside, experts and a group of data from the community, it might differ from our preconceptions. Which we as a team would generate Risk Assessment Managements and matrixes to form contingencies and actions to tackle our foreseen challenges.