Although there were some obstacles along the way, our group finally managed to complete our project and sew quite a few skirts for the Nepalese village. It was a really rewarding experience being able to plan and follow through with our group project – particularly at the end when we were able to see the pile of skirts that we had sewed.
From this project, I think our group learnt a lot about planning and initiating activities – namely to always prepare for when things don’t go quite according to plan. At the beginning of the project, I think we all simply assumed that OnGuard would work without issues and thus we didn’t consider setting up a back-up plan in case it didn’t. Thus, when we were unable to use OnGuard and subsequently unable to sew at school, it took our group a little while to find a solution. However, it was definitely an excellent lesson and we were able to develop our problem solving skills and cope with challenges. Additionally, the process was an extremely collaborative one (as seen through the many emails and facebook messages between our group) as we had to coordinate suitable times for not only our whole group, but also external teachers.
Furthermore, some of the initial challenges that I identified in the planning process proved to be significant challenges – that being the time constraints as we had to finish the skirts before Rev King left for Nepal. In the end, we had to resort sewing at Jessie’s house in the holidays two days before Rev King left for Nepal – so this was certainly cutting it quite fine! However, I think it was a good display of our commitment as all of the girls in our group made significant sacrifices to sew on this day, with many girls bringing sewing machines on public transport. Additionally, on the day everyone kept a positive attitude, worked really well as a team and we were all willing to stay as long as it took to finish the skirts.
I certainly believe that part of our dedication to the sewing was our sense of responsibility not only having committed to the project, but also as global citizens with a responsibility to provide assistance to those that need it. Therefore we were all very motivated to stay committed to the project even when we faced many obstacles and challenges along the way.
As a group project, I have definitely found this an invaluable experience as it has allowed me to realise the many benefits of working in a group. Firstly, there are many practical benefits, the most obviously being a group can produce far more than an individual within the same time frame – I probably would have only been able to sew 2 or 3 skirts if I had completed this by myself! Further, being part of a group held us all accountable to the initial commitment we had made and also kept motivation levels high as even when there was a lull in productivity, all it took was one girl to boost spirits and this influenced our whole team.
This project has inspired me for my future endeavours as it has displayed how with a bit of collaboration and dedication, it is possible to make a tangible difference to the lives of others, even if it’s something as simple as a skirt. Additionally, I’ve learnt the importance of commitment to a cause and how even when things don’t seem to be working, it is vital to persevere and exhaust all your options before giving up.
From this project, I think our group learnt a lot about planning and initiating activities – namely to always prepare for when things don’t go quite according to plan. At the beginning of the project, I think we all simply assumed that OnGuard would work without issues and thus we didn’t consider setting up a back-up plan in case it didn’t. Thus, when we were unable to use OnGuard and subsequently unable to sew at school, it took our group a little while to find a solution. However, it was definitely an excellent lesson and we were able to develop our problem solving skills and cope with challenges. Additionally, the process was an extremely collaborative one (as seen through the many emails and facebook messages between our group) as we had to coordinate suitable times for not only our whole group, but also external teachers.
Furthermore, some of the initial challenges that I identified in the planning process proved to be significant challenges – that being the time constraints as we had to finish the skirts before Rev King left for Nepal. In the end, we had to resort sewing at Jessie’s house in the holidays two days before Rev King left for Nepal – so this was certainly cutting it quite fine! However, I think it was a good display of our commitment as all of the girls in our group made significant sacrifices to sew on this day, with many girls bringing sewing machines on public transport. Additionally, on the day everyone kept a positive attitude, worked really well as a team and we were all willing to stay as long as it took to finish the skirts.
I certainly believe that part of our dedication to the sewing was our sense of responsibility not only having committed to the project, but also as global citizens with a responsibility to provide assistance to those that need it. Therefore we were all very motivated to stay committed to the project even when we faced many obstacles and challenges along the way.
As a group project, I have definitely found this an invaluable experience as it has allowed me to realise the many benefits of working in a group. Firstly, there are many practical benefits, the most obviously being a group can produce far more than an individual within the same time frame – I probably would have only been able to sew 2 or 3 skirts if I had completed this by myself! Further, being part of a group held us all accountable to the initial commitment we had made and also kept motivation levels high as even when there was a lull in productivity, all it took was one girl to boost spirits and this influenced our whole team.
This project has inspired me for my future endeavours as it has displayed how with a bit of collaboration and dedication, it is possible to make a tangible difference to the lives of others, even if it’s something as simple as a skirt. Additionally, I’ve learnt the importance of commitment to a cause and how even when things don’t seem to be working, it is vital to persevere and exhaust all your options before giving up.