Log 1 - Introduction

For this project, our team decided to reach out and collaborate with T Project, Singapore's first shelter for homeless transgender individuals. This shelter is a sanctuary for transgender people who face difficulties in finding acceptance from their families and getting employment. Many of them get kicked out of their homes, drop out of school, get rejected by employers and denied of a place in shelters and community care centers. T Project can house only a number of people, thus provides a place for only those who are deprived of employment opportunities and earning potential.

Through this project, we hope to instigate social change by achieving the following objectives:

1. Raise positive public awareness of Transgender community in Singapore

2. Assist T Project in their latest campaign and new F&B business

3. Assist T Project in achieving social change within and beyond the shelter

As a team, we have taken baby steps towards helping T Project. Last week, one of our group members, Charlene, went down to T Project shelter to talk to Eztelle, the shelter manager, and other members in the house. This was a good opportunity for primary inspection of some salient issues and concerns that T Project members face within the shelter and in transgender community. Additionally, we learnt that Eztelle is currently in the midst of starting an F&B business as an initiative to empower transgender workers, and thought that this could be incorporated into our project as well.

We particularly like the idea of Photovoice, and how this Community-based participatory research technique can help us achieve the mentioned objectives. It would be interesting to get T project residents take photos reflective of issues they face due to stigmatization and discrimination in Singapore society. This is also a great way to collect insightful data that would aid us in interview and video-making process. Photos collected can be archived and exhibited alongside the final video for more effective social change.

We are all looking forward to coming down to T project next week to brief the residents on our research approach and hopefully give them instructions on Photovoice. We hope that this project can go beyond the school barriers and directly involve the transgender community members in every step of the research.