[GEN2070X] Community Link (ComLink) Befrienders

IMPORTANT

• Course duration. This is a year-long service-learning course offered in both Semesters 1 and 2 of the Academic Year. GEN2070X is offered in Semester 1 of the Academic Year; it runs till the end of Special Term 2 of that Academic Year, when grades are awarded. GEN2070Y is offered in Semester 2 of the Academic Year; it runs till the end of Semester 1 of the following Academic Year, when grades are awarded.

• Befriending period. Over the course of twelve calendar months, you will be journeying with your assigned befriendee(s), often lower-income families with children. The befriending period for GEN2070X is from September of the enrolling semester to September of the following year; for GEN2070Y, from February of the enrolling semester to February of the following year.

• Befriending commitment. The summer semester break (May‒July) forms part of a ‘hard’ commitment which you should fulfil. However, the last two months (Month 11 and 12 i.e. August and September for GEN2070X; January and February for GEN2070Y) constitute a ‘soft’ commitment, which you do not have to fulfil if you are unable to, e.g. if you have graduated, are on Leave of Absence (LoA) or have other commitments, such as Student Exchange Programme (SEP). In such cases, please do a smooth exit from your befriending journey.

• During the ‘hard’ commitment phase, you may be away for up to one month at a time, for overseas travel, whether work, studies, or vacation. Thus, you can still enrol in this course, even if you plan to do short overseas exchanges. However, if you think you may likely be away for more than a month at a time, whether due to semester-long or summer SEP, overseas internship, LoA, etc, you SHOULD NOT enrol in this course. You would not be able to adequately fulfil your responsibility to the befriendee(s).

• Service work requirement. Singapore Citizen or Singapore Permanent Resident. For more details, refer to ‘Service Work’ tab.

• Note to graduating students. If you intend to graduate at the end of AY2024/25 and wish to read GEN2070, the latest you can enrol is Semester 1 of that Academic Year, in GEN2070X. Grades are awarded at the end of Special Term 2, which means your degree will be conferred in end-Aug, and you will join the Commencement ceremony in the following year.