BE MY EYES
Glyph Community, a local children’s charity, helps underprivileged kids unlock their potential through design thinking programmes that go beyond the classroom, creating a nurturing and collaborative community.
Problem Statements
1
How might we engage learners in a sensory exploration related to visual impairment and inspire them to apply design thinking to create auditory stories that cultivate empathy and sensemaking?
Be My Eyes is a learning programme that provides students with sensory learning experience using design thinking. In this programme, designers, educators and theatre practitioners collaborate to introduce embodied learning, tapping into senses like hearing and touch. This unique experience enabled students to get hands-on and fostered empathy by exploring the challenges faced by the visually impaired. Students can craft and share stories that inspire fresh perspectives.
Let’s break it down! Here’s how Be My Eyes brought imagination and empathy to life:
Imagination Running Free
Students let their imagination run wild, dreaming up creative ideas like imagining tree bark as dinosaurs’ skin!
Hearing the Way
Students discovered how the visually impaired uses sound to navigate their environment and being aware of the littlest sound that they might not have heard before.
Scent Marking
Students learned that the smell from sewage can have a purpose by serving as a navigational marker in the real world.
Mindful Eating
Mundane tasks, like eating, served as a reminder that assessing food safety and quality is a challenge not to be taken for granted.
Fostering Empathy
By experiencing the world from the perspective of the visually impaired, students gained a deeper understanding of the struggles faced by these individuals.
Forging Trust
Blindfolded group activities helped build trust within a team. It also provided students an opportunity to cultivate appreciation and experience the importance of trust and support in challenging situations.
Don’t Touch!
A child’s exclamation about a hot handrail while going down a slope sparked conversations about the challenges that visually impaired individuals face every day.
Building confidence and trust for students through games and activities.
Hear from the Students!
“… The blindfold activity is my favourite because I gain a lot of knowledge, and it inspires me to try new things. I also enjoyed the storytelling activity…”
Student
GLYPH COMMUNITY
”The programme is effective. The activities help kids internalise the emotions that the visually impaired experience, building greater empathy in the team”
Won Tian Yong, Centre Manager
GLYPH COMMUNITY
”… I feel sad (for the visually impaired) because I used to wear glasses, so I know what it feels like … the programme is perfect!”
Student
GLYPH COMMUNITY
Programme Partners
EYEYAH!
Schools
Chongfu School
Bedok Green Primary School
