Have you ever participated in any volunteering activities? I have been a volunteer since year one at the university. Although volunteering seems boring in some students’ eyes, it is a pretty meaningful event in reality! Have you ever wondered about the advantages of being a volunteer? I will further talk about them in this article.

 

1. Getting satisfaction

Volunteering is satisfying. I remember that when I was teaching children to experiment, they smiled when they succeeded. Apart from children, I also visited the elderly home on Zoom and talked to the elderly. I spoke to them in front of the camera and showed them what I had done recently. They grinned when they saw some interesting things in my photos. Do you know that real happiness comes from helping others? All their pleasant faces are ingrained in my mind. When I am sad, I immediately think of their lovely faces and try to move on!

 

2. Being empathetic

Volunteering allows me to step into others’ shoes and design suitable activities for the needy. When preparing for every volunteering activity, I have to consider more about their needs. For instance, children are interested in funny games, so I need to design some exciting games for them to engage in the activities. If the participants are the elderly, I may offer simple entertainment such as basic calculations and guessing animals because of declining cognitive ability. When speaking to them, I should talk slowly so that they can understand and respond quickly.

 

3. Developing problem-solving skills

Being a volunteer encounters many problems. First, some children were not concentrated on the activity. When I made handicrafts with kids on Zoom, some went away in front of the camera because they found the exercise boring. Then, I tried to call their names and ask whether they could catch up with the steps. Second, the elderly got irritated when they could not get food immediately. On 13 June, I engaged in a food recycling tour which helped collect raw fruits and vegetables and distribute them to underprivileged people. The elderly arrived earlier and asked for the food. We told them we would distribute the food later, and then they were angry. They thought it was unfair for them because they got to the destination much earlier than others. We had to arrange for them to take the food properly without dispute. In short, not all the activities are plain sailing, so you must be well-prepared every time!

 

To sum up, being a volunteer is beneficial to us because you will be satisfied and empathetic. Your problem-solving skills will be sharpened when you get involved in every activity. If you want to be a volunteer, act now!

 

Ways to be a volunteer:

• Join the school volunteer team
• Register at https://yvn.hkfyg.org.hk/ to be a member of the HKFYG
• Visit other NGOs’ websites and see the details of being a volunteer