ReFOCUS Youth Media Camp

• Understanding the World We Live In: A social Communications Orientation of Media & Values

Why a ReFOCUS Media Youth Camp?

One dominant aspect of mass media is that it largely presents an orientation that life is mainly about being entertained. This entertainment promotes a "feel good" lifestyle, to the exclusion of other ways of feeling good. This lifestyle is supported by products and services that are mostly branded. Through symbolic meanings, product advertisements induce consumers to make choices of particular brands. These symbolic meanings encourage choice-making on the basis of certain value orientations are, nor what their impact is on us, on our community and on nature.

The ReFOCUS Youth Media Camp initiates a process of examining our value orientations through a number of exciting activities.

Objectives

a. To critically reflect on the world we live in

b. To critically examine the world of mass media, especially in relation to entertainment

c. To analyse the symbolic meanings and values promoted by mass-mediated entertainment

d. To understand the implications of these meanings and values

e. To identify the gap between the mass-mediated values and

Gospel values we believe in

f. To explore alternatives to entertainment and the "good life."

PROGRAMME CONTENT

• Understanding the World We Live In
• Music & Dance
• MTV Forum
• Making MTV
• MTV & Family
• Product Association
• Brand Cultures
• Impact of Choices
• Ideal World
• Making Responsible Choices

Methodology

The ReFOCUS Youth Media Camp will be activity-driven, with music & MTV clips, MTV production, selection of images, skits, visual presentations, drawing, fashion parade, pledge-taking and other fun-oriented activities. Every activity will be followed by processing (reflection, review and lessons learnt).

Who Should Attend

• Students preparing for sacrament of Confirmation
• Forms 5 & 6 (Lower & Upper) students
• School Leavers
• College & University Students
• Parish Youth Leaders & Groups
• Parish Communication Ministries

Duration

The duration of the ReFOCUS Youth Media Camp is about 48 hours, held over 3 days. Participants check-in on Friday evening and check-out on Sunday evening. The Camp is usually held during the school holidays.

What You Will Benefit

• Acquire critical & reflective skills
• Understand mass media & consumer society
• Evaluate mass-media values
• Recognise the difference between mass-media values and Gospel values
• Reflect on making responsible choices
• Think 'alternatively' and 'out of the box'
• Make new friends
• Learn to be a team player

OVERVIEW OF ReFOCUS CAMP


Public Service Announcements

CHANGE Integrated Social Communication Course

Why a Social Communication Course?

Trends in contemporary society indicate that genuine unity, authentic advancement of people and sustainability of society are goals that have yet to be fully realised. We recognise that such trends are subject to social, political, economic and cultural forces operating within society.

         Hence, there is a need for imparting special value-guided competencies to people so that such unsustainable trends in society may be understood and tackled through social communication. Activities could then be initiated to "reverse" these trends in specific local settings.

Course Objectives

• To enable participants to be spiritually, socially and ecologically oriented
• To initiate the acquisition of relevant value-guided competencies to effectively navigate and actively engage with local and global social, cultural, political, economic and media-ted realities
• To support formation through those value-guided competencies that will enable participants to be relevant agents of change within their community and context
• To enable participants to undertake appropriate forms of communicative action in a personal, group or organisational capacity
• To empower participants through orientation, knowledge and skills to undertake specific social communication projects in a highly-skewed media-ted environment in order to make interventions to promote the unity and advancement of people, and the sustainability of society.

CHANGE Social Communication Course Content

Analysis of Communication & Media

• Social Communication
• Individual & Group Communication
• Mass & Virtual Communication
• Advertising & Regulations
• Multimedia & Regulations
• Theology of Communication
• Church & Communication

Analysis of Media, Society & Culture

• What is Socio-Cultural Analysis?
• Identifying & Analysing Issues
• What Are Symbols & Meanings?
• Media, Democracy & Globalisation
• Role of Media in Meaning Production
• Issues in the Media

Social Marketing

• Principles of Social Marketing
• Strategies of Marketing in Your Community

Production

• Newsletter Production
• Video Production
• Web Design

Course Methodology

The CHANGE Social Communication Course will be presented through a mix of interactive and participatory methods, which includes inputs, presentations, readings, and hands-on production.

Course Scope

A semi-academic training programme, the CHANGE Social Communication Course brings together and integrates 4 components into one unique, comprehensive and relevant package. Usually conducted separately, these 4 components (media analysis, social analysis, social marketing & production) are considered key areas for community organisers to be effective change agents.

Resource Persons

The Course is taught and facilitated by industry professionals, academics and experts in the various topics. Hence, the Course is very relevant, significant and up-to-date.

Certification

Participants who successfully complete the Course will be awarded a Certificate.

Who should Attend

• Full-time & Part-time Church Workers
• Seminarians
• Religious and Aspirants
• Lay Auxiliaries
• Social Workers & NGO Staff
• Teachers
• BEC Leaders
• Those involved in social and community work

Participant Profile

Participants must have completed Form 5 and be conversant in English. A minimum working experience of one year is preferred, though not a requirement. Computer literacy will be an advantage. Participants are expected to be involved in Church and/or social development activities such as parish pastoral development, human development, welfare, media & communication, human rights, women issues, environmental concerns, etc. They are expected to put into practice in their organisation what they learnt in the Course.

Course Duration

Participants meet in class for 5 full days (Monday to Friday) and for half-day on Saturday. The class starts at 8.30 am and ends at 6 pm daily. The one-month project work begins the following week.

What You & Your Organisation Will Benefit 

• Engage actively and critically with a highly-media-ted environment.
• Acquire analytical perspectives and practical tools;
• Undertake social communication activities relevant to your situation;
• Develop a media campaign
• Become a more effective agent of social and pastoral change. 

CONNECT Media Toolbox Workshops for Catechism Teachers

• Enhancing Parish Faith Education

Why CONNECT Media Toolbox Workshops?

Catechism class is an integral part of Faith Education. Catechism teachers are always looking for techniques to improve their teaching methods so that students would participate actively and better understand the lesson. CONNECT Media Toolbox Workshops are training programmes designed to provide communication skills through the creative, effective and focussed use of media tools and group media methods. These series of Workshops specifically address and respond to the needs of catechism teachers so that Faith Education in the parish would be enhanced.

Workshop Objectives

• To create an awareness of how children understand and learn effectively
• To enable participants to increase children's participation and interaction in a teaching environment
• To equip participants with communication techniques and media skills suitable for teaching catechism
• To provide a network for catechism teachers to discuss and share their teaching experiences and resources

CONNECT Media Toolbox Workshop Modules

Module 1: Puppetry

• Teaching Through Puppets

• Types of Puppets & Characters
• Resources for Puppetry

Module 2: Cartooning

• Charades
• Cartooning Techniques
• Copy, Change, Create

Module 3: Edu-Video

• The Video Experience
• Thematic Video Clips
• Probing the Child's Experience

Module 4: Storytelling

• Why Tell Stories?
• Effective Storytelling
• Teaching Through Stories

Module 5: Action Songs

• Action Song Techniques
• Bible Action Songs
• Creating Action Songs

Module 6: Group Dynamics

• Group Behaviour
• Facilitating Groups
• Maximising Group Participation

Module 7: Creative Drama

• Movement & Drama
• Creative Drama Scenes
• Making Scripture Come Alive

Module 8: Effective Catechesis

• Principles of Learning
• Learning Models
• Multiple Intelligences

Workshop Methodology
The CONNECT Media Toolbox Workshops are presented through a mix of interactive and participatory methods, which include inputs, presentations, group discussions, models & samples, and practical exercises.

Workshop Facilitators
Experienced catechism teachers, trainers, resource persons & facilitators conduct the CONNECT Media Toolbox Workshops.

Who Should Attend

• Catechism Teachers & Assistants
• Parish Faith Education Coordinators
• Those intending to teach catechism
• Those in a teaching relationship with children
• Those who want to communicate effectively through media tools and group media methods

Workshop Duration

Each module of the CONNECT Media Toolbox Workshop is 8 hours. The Workshops are held on Saturdays from 9am-5pm.

What You Will Benefit

• Understand better how children learn and retain information
• Learn how to improve children's attention, active participation and dynamic interaction in a teaching environment
• Acquire easy-to-use communication techniques and media skills suitable for teaching catechism
• Create & develop other appropriate methods, and modify & merge methods presented in workshop modules
• Become part of a formators network to discuss, share and exchange ideas, experiences and resources on teaching catechism

Registration

Participants are required to register at least 2 weeks before the Workshop. A registration form is enclosed with this brochure, and is also available on request.

Certification

Participants who successfully complete 4 modules of the CONNECT Media Toolbox Workshop will be awarded a Certificate.

WRITE-DESIGN (Media Skill Workshops)

• Enabling Communication Competence

Why WRITE-DESIGN Media Skill Workshops?

Those involved in social change and pastoral development need specific skills to enhance their competence in communication. WRITE-DESIGN Media Skill Workshops are training programmes designed to provide print-based communication skills so that participants would be able to communicate more effectively with their target audience.

Workshop Objectives

• To create an awareness of publications as effective media of communication
• To equip participants with basic writing skills for publications
• To enable participants to communicate effectively through the written word
• To provide participants with basic design & layout skills for publications
• To enable participants to communicate effectively through publications

Workshop Methodology

The WRITE-DESIGN Media Skill Workshops are presented through a mix of interactive and participatory methods, which include inputs, presentations, group discussions, models & samples, and practical exercises.

WRITE-DESIGN Media Skill Workshop Modules

Module 1

Writing for Publications

• News Writing
• Interviewing & Reporting
• Principles of Editing
• Writing for Catholic Publications

Module 2

Newsletter Design

• Principles of Design & Layout
• Poster Design & Layout
• Flyer Design & Layout
• Newsletter Design & Layout

Workshop Facilitators

Experienced trainers, resource persons & facilitators conduct the WRITE-DESIGN Media Skill Workshops.

Registration

Participants are required to register at least 2 weeks before the Workshop. A registration form is enclosed with this brochure, and is also available on request.

Certification

Participants who successfully complete the WRITE-DESIGN Media Skill Workshops will be awarded a Certificate.

Who Should Attend

• School & Catechism Teachers
• Religious & Seminarians
• Parish, BEC & Youth Leaders
• Church & Parish Workers
• Communication Ministry Members
• Social Workers & NGO Staff
• College & University Students
• School Leavers
• Those who want to increase their competence in communicating effectively through publications

Workshop Duration
Each module of the WRITE-DESIGN Media Skill Workshops is 8 hours. The Workshops are held on Saturdays from 9am-5pm.


What You Will Benefit

• Understand publications and their role in the community
• Enhance your writing skills for publications, including parish bulletins and Catholic publications
• Increase your capacity to communicate more effectively by writing for publications
• Develop your design & layout skills for publications
• Produce attractive posters, flyers and newsletters that have impact.

BRIDGE (Movie Values Forum)

• Becoming Critical, Appreciative & Discriminative Movie Consumers

Why Bridge Forums?

Movie watching, and the experience of cinema, is an integral part of our lives. Due to the wide availability of VCDs & DVDs, movie watching has increasingly become a home activity. Viewers do not always select 'good' movies - they often watch any movie that is available. Though movies are packaged as entertainment, they contain pertinent themes and important values. Are these values consistent with our beliefs and culture, or do they subtly  promote attitudes and behaviour that are detrimental to the community? Bridge is a monthly moderated forum that examines themes, topics, issues and values as they are portrayed and presented in movies. Through the Forum, participants better understand their movie-watching experience.

Objectives

• To enable participants to look beyond "entertainment" in order to understand the values and issues that are presented in the movie

• To encourage participants to choose movies with 'good' values, and not just any "entertaining" movie
• To orientate participants to become critical, appreciative and discriminative movie consumers
• To create an awareness of movies as powerful storytellers
• To motivate participants to use movies and movie clips as a method of discussing issues in the parish, community & BEC
• To provide the basic skills of audio-visual literacy to 'read' the language of movies
• To equip participants with basic skills to conduct movie discussions in their own BECs, communities and groups

Methodology

By means of large-screen projection and comfortable auditorium facilities, the Bridge Movie Values Forum provides viewers with a sense of the 'real' cinema experience. The Forum facilitator initiates the discussion and opens it into an interactive, participative environment to maximize the viewer's engagement and understanding of the movie. In this way, viewers are able to relate to the movie from their own experiences, and share this experience with fellow viewers. Through this process of sharing, discussing and interacting, the Bridge Movie Values Forum enables participants to have an enriching movie experience.

Who Should Attend

• Parish Leaders
• BEC Leaders & Coordinators
• Formators, Facilitators & Trainers
• Youth Leaders & Youth Groups
• Church & Parish Workers
• Communication Ministries
• Catechism & School Teachers
• Religious, Seminarians and Aspirants
• College & University Students
• Forms 5 & 6 students
• School Leavers
• Parishioners
• Social Workers & NGO Staff
• Those who want to communicate effective through movies
• Anyone interested in learning from movies

Forum Duration

The Bridge Forum is 3 hours. The movie screening takes about 2 hours, and the discussion starts after that. Movies in 4 languages are usually screened as follows:

English - fourth Tuesdays at 7.30pm
Bahasa Malaysia - third Sundays at 2.30pm
Tamil - first Tuesdays at 7.30pm

Mandarin - third and fourth Saturdays at 4.00pm

• Intro to Bridge Forum
• Intro to Movie
• Intro of Facilitator
• Facilitator's Comments
• Screening of Movie
• Movie Summary & Highlights
• Questions & Answers
• Open Discussion
• Bridge Round-Up

What You Will Benefit

• Become aware that movies are more than just entertainment; they also contain themes, issues and values
• Identify how to choose movies with wholesome values
• Acquire skills to become a critical, appreciative and discriminative movie consumer
• Realise that movies are persuasive storytellers
• Understand how to use movies to promote discussion in communities and BECs
• Discover the basic skills of 'reading' a movie
• Learn the basic skills of conducting a movie discussion