Expectations of a Saints Advocate
Some of the qualities we hope to see in a Saints Advocate are as follows:
Enthusiasm: First and foremost, we hope to see all Saint Advocates being truly enthusiastic and passionate about their work and the cause they are supporting. By doing so, we hope to motivate future Advocates to work diligently with their advocacy work instead of viewing their work as a burden.
Commitment and dedication: We need all Advocates to be fully dedicated to our Advocacy work despite the various commitments a student may have. Hence, we hope all Advocates will be able to be able to juggle his/her work well in order to meet the demands of Saints Advocate. (Refer to ‘Demands of a Saints Advocate’ below)
Spontaneity: We hope Advocates will take the initiative in every aspect of their school life, be it to help our fellow schoolmates, or to give a presentation or even initiate a new project/advocacy work, hence showing initiative is a fundamental value all Advocates should possess.
Innovativeness: We hope for Advocates to be creative and innovative in planning our projects to develop good problem solving skills, which are necessary when tackling problems which arise during the implementation of a project. Additionally, we hope to implement Advocacy projects in a more creative manner so as to garner the interest of the school community in supporting our cause.
Trustworthiness: As a student leader in SAJC, Advocates need to be trustworthy to be able to lead others. By practicing this value, we will be able to avoid causing unnecessary worries to our teachers due to things such as late project submissions, etc. Also, by being consistent with our promises, our fellow Saints will be able to trust us with handling any projects. This trust comes In particular when we have to lead our classmates during our own classes’ Service-Learning projects every year.
Responsibility: Advocates should take responsibility for all decisions and actions that they make instead of pushing the blame to others. We also need to understand that a wrong decision made may affect our team members, teamwork and progress of projects, hence being responsible is a very important value we hope to see in all Advocates. Additionally, there are times when a project can get dull or stressful, hence we hope that all Advocates will accept that a project they are assigned to is their responsibility and will not disregard it or reduce their quality of work.
Confidence (presenting in front of a class or during assembly sessions): Saint Advocates will also have to appear confident as a person so as to be able to inspire in others to complete a task well. Moreover, Advocates will have to make presentations to a sizable crowd from time to time, be it in front of students, teachers, principal or external organizations, hence as a Saints Advocate, we must be able to summon our courage when the need arises.
Courage: As servant-leaders, the heart to serve precedes the aspiration to lead. Often, through out the journey of servant-leadership, one must always ask oneself: Does the one being served benefit from it and grow as a person? One must have the courage to do what is right to benefit his/her beneficiaries, to be their temporary crutch [but never permanent] and empower them until they are able to do so themselves. As a leader, one must also have the courage to stay faithful to his/her cause despite opposition and make right decisions despite popular consensus. Therefore, courage is something we hope to develop in all Advocates.
We understand that it may be difficult for all Advocates to attain all of the abovementioned qualities, but we hope that throughout one’s journey as an Advocate, these qualities will be strengthened and developed well.
Ultimately, it is the desire to serve the community and to improve and develop oneself that is what we are hoping to look for in any Advocate. Having a good learning attitude is also vital. If your heart is in the right place and for the right reasons, as an Advocate, no matter what cause you are advocating for, you will find the program meaningful.
Demands of Saints Advocate
As Advocates, you are expected to be able to adapt to a very flexible schedule. Many of us work in small groups for different projects so our meetings are not fixed. They can take place anytime and anywhere as long as group members of the project you are involved in are free.
Additionally, you have the liberty of organizing your meetings and carry out your projects when at where you find it most suitable. The way you run your projects can determine its success and efficiency so do remember to be practical when planning and executing projects.
However, the flexible schedule Advocates enjoy is a double edged sword. Firstly, there may be periods of intensive work when projects are going at full strength. During these periods, you are required to stay back at school for meetings or preparations. Additionally, there are many bring-home assignments you may have to do to compensate for the lack of time to complete these assignments in school. But these difficult times only last for a short period when the project is at its climax. Hence, a tip to avoid rushing and unnecessary stress is to plan your projects properly and adhere to deadlines.
Lastly, Advocates are expected to be independent learners and to be disciplined in their studies. Since meetings and projects are not fixed, you have to plan your studies ahead or risk rushing your projects and homework simultaneously.
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