West Neighbourhood House (Formerly St. Christopher House)’s Post

From a neighbourhood volunteer to a #socialwork student, Aaron Yau embodies the essence and values of dedicated volunteering: witnessing and supporting the growth of others.   Five years ago, while still in high school, Aaron began his volunteering journey with Neighbourhood First and Youth S.P.O.T. Initially, he took on assisting roles, such as delivering supplies to the #elderly and tutoring children. Through these experiences, Aaron established connections with many elderly residents, regularly checking in with them to fulfil their essential needs. Additionally, he gained a deeper understanding of the challenges faced by #underprivileged families. Aaron realised that what might be an expensive meal for him could be a week's worth of food for others, highlighting the wealth disparity in society. This experience has reinforced his desire to make a difference in the lives of those in need.   Guided and encouraged by mentors, Aaron gradually assumed more responsibilities, organising activities at the local Youth S.P.O.T. during occasions like Halloween and Christmas. It was through these interactions that Aaron transformed from someone with "little character" to a passionate #community servant. Aaron described the HKFYG as his second home where he gained a sense of belonging and invaluable life-long lessons.   "I used to feel anxious about interacting with people outside my social circle. However, through various volunteering services, I have overcome my introverted nature and developed the ability to communicate and show care for others," Aaron shared.   One of the reasons that Aaron chose to pursue a college degree in social work is because of his experience in the HKFYG, where he was inspired by the power of volunteerism. He recognises that while volunteers may not possess professional expertise, their genuine desire to help others is invaluable, regardless of monetary rewards.   "That's the beauty of volunteering. You never know how your seemingly small and trivial words and actions during volunteering can provide critical help to someone in their time of need," Aaron emphasised.   Join Aaron in his mission to create a positive impact. Take action today and explore volunteering opportunities in your community here:https://easyvolunteer.hk/ #hkfyg #youthempowerment #volunteeringmatters #communitybuilding

This weekend's article in the SMH provided valuable insights into the current challenges of volunteering. My key takeaways: 👉 Increasing Sign-on Requirements: While it's essential to ensure the safety of both volunteers and the people they assist, how can organizations strike a balance between maintaining safety and reducing the barriers to volunteering? 👉 Volunteering Under Pressure: Volunteering significantly boosts the wellbeing of both volunteers and those they support. Yet, volunteer numbers are dwindling, even as the need for their help in communities has never been greater. The statistics are concerning – participation has fallen from 36.2% of those aged 18+ in 2010 to 24.8% of those aged 15+ in 2020. 👉A Positive Opportunity: Interestingly, nearly 14% of non-volunteers reported that they hadn't been asked to volunteer. VA sees this as a promising opportunity – it highlights an untapped pool of potential volunteers. 💡 This is something we can leverage – I plan to start asking more people! We are looking for volunteers now in many locations: https://lnkd.in/grh4DVb7

A quick one guys! So, I opted to volunteer for this particular event... And guess what guys, I received the shock of my life. I am grateful for every opportunity to volunteer and contribute to events. For me, volunteering is a privilege, not an entitlement, and I’ve always believed in giving my best effort to support meaningful occasions. However, I recently encountered differing views on the value of volunteering on social media. A supposed public figure, posted on his wall, suggesting that volunteers should pay to participate because he feels they use it as an avenue to gain from the event. This perspective has left me reflecting deeply on the essence of volunteering. While I could have simply attended as a participant or opted for a VIP ticket for that event, I chose to serve. My consistent volunteering across various events has always been driven by a desire to contribute, not to gain. A simple 'thank you' is often all I expect in return. However, seeing that post has made me realize that volunteering for someone who views it through such a lens isn't the right fit for me. I shared my honest thoughts on the matter, and I stand by them. Authenticity and integrity are core values I hold dear, and I cannot engage in flattery or stay silent on issues that matter to me. Guys, I had to withdraw from volunteering... Volunteering should be seen as a privilege to both the server and the served, not as an entitlement or a pay-to-play scenario. I strongly believe in staying true to myself and fostering genuine, respectful exchanges. What's your take on this, guys? Should volunteers be paying for events that they will be volunteering in? Doesn't that change the fact that they're no longer volunteers? Does it sound right that volunteers should pay for events and shouldn't get paid for their services? #Volunteering #Authenticity #Integrity #Humility #Leadership #Community

Volunteer Now is concerned by the proposed National Service scheme set out by the Conservative party and the potential it has to damage the perception and long-term uptake of crucial community volunteering. Volunteering is something you choose to do, freely, simply because you want to. Volunteer Now’s membership principles state that volunteering is about freedom to choose. The National Service scheme proposed by the Conservative party is by definition not volunteering. This scheme will require significant investment in infrastructure to make it work effectively. It is coming into a sector where funding has been reduced and capacity to involve large numbers of people is curtailed. There is a real danger that by removing their all-important freedom to choose, young people will be deterred from participating in real volunteering. Statistically, people aged 16 – 25 years old make up 22% of the volunteering population in Northern Ireland, which is on a par with most other age groups. We do not sense that young people will not freely volunteer. However, there is a continual need to promote the benefits of volunteering consistently to all young people in order to secure a generation of volunteers now and in the future. Investment to do that would be incredibly valuable. Surely there is a better way to inspire a lifelong love of volunteering than forcing young people to get involved in community service?

Volunteering and wellbeing We all know that the incidence of burnout is increasing, and specialists recommend various preventive measures. I am not a specialist, but I allow myself an inexpensive recommendation designed to provide a sense of well-being: volunteering. Believe it or not, volunteering has a number of benefits. I chose to talk about two benefits that I experienced. 1. Reduces stress We all have busy periods with tasks, inherent problems, and pressing deadlines. Participating, offering assistance when it appears you're the one in need, and lending a helping hand to those in greater need can reveal the true clarity of your troubled circumstances. It can make you order your thoughts and make peace in the chaos. 2. Maintains a positive mindset People engage in volunteer activities for the benefit of others. And this connection is really helpful. Being on both sides of the barricade—as an organization representative and an individual volunteer—has led me to wonderful people. When was the last time you volunteered? How did the experience help you?

Why do you volunteer? Conducted an onboarding session for new volunteers at Punggol 21 CC recently and had the opportunity to share my volunteering journey. I started volunteering 18 years ago not knowing what I was getting into. The first question I asked was, “What’s the time commitment?” and the next was “What do you need me to do?” I didn’t want to sign up for something which I isn’t really ready for or is unable to commit to. Fast forward, my volunteering journey has been a fulfiling one. As I shared during the session, you probably wouldn’t believe it, it was volunteering that helped to build my confidence in public speaking. The past three years had been a journey. I’m always grateful to Yeo Wan Ling who had given me many opportunties. I remembered during the pandemic, we were conducting block visits, unit by unit and knocking on doors. We knew that we need to keep the residents engaged and had many late night discussions and made many impromptu plans. Today, what we have done in the past three years are kept close to my heart. These are stories that I would share whenever I can. I believe that volunteeering is not about self, it is about how every individual can come together for a common cause to do good together. Volunteering is a strange thing. It’s addictive, and the kind of returns you expect are priceless, not monetary but the smiles you see. What we can collective continue to do is to spread the positivity and get more people to come onboard to volunteer. Are you ready for it? #volunteerism

This #VolunteersWeek, we are looking at Norfolk’s voluntary sector from different points of view. Today is all about family volunteering, and we’ll take a deep-dive into how we’re helping people who perhaps aren’t the typical volunteer get involved with volunteering… Our Nourishing Norfolk programme started in 2020, and we realised straight away that volunteers would be essential to drive the programme forward. Many of our food hubs are 100% volunteer run, and several have volunteer coordinator posts to foster beneficial community engagement from a broad range of people who often don’t engage with volunteering. There are opportunities for everyone to get involved across the programme. For young people, volunteering at a Nourishing Norfolk food hub helps build confidence, boost self-esteem and develop a sense of achievement. For those looking to get into work, hubs offer practical experience and new skills through volunteering. For people with green fingers, there is the opportunity to get involved with Nourishing Norfolk Growers to grow healthy food for their local hub. Furthermore, many individuals who use the food hub want to give back to the people and the place which has supported them to express their gratitude and make a difference in their community. Additionally, older people seeking connection benefit from the social interactions and sense of community that volunteering provides. With such a broad range of options and reasons for volunteering, it’s hardly surprising that whole families can be found volunteering at their local hub! Find out more about volunteering with Nourishing Norfolk 🔗 norfolkfoundation.com/grow

As many know volunteering is a huge part of my life and getting so involved with it at Guardian has helped me feel like me again (post having kids). Volunteering is not only something important to do to support your local community and help others, but it can have great benefits to you personally and professionally. Why? Professionally it can help you connect with people outside of your department at work. If your company has a volunteer committee or at Guardian we call it the Community Involvement Committee, there are opportunities to attend in person events enabling you to meet others. When volunteering a person's title goes out the window and you are working together for a common goal. It can be a great informal job interview or help you learn about other areas of your business through casual discussion. Your potential leader could see your work ethic, how you interact with others, and how you problem solve. Additionally, if you are a leader, you could meet amazing colleagues who you never met who have skills that could benefit your team. Personally, volunteering is so fulfilling, knowing that you are helping someone in your local community that without you, may not get what they need, whether it's something as simple as donating blood or visiting a local nursing home to do an activity with residents. So I challenge my network, for 2024, take some time out of your busy schedule, and give back to others! You never know how it could change your life!

How can we help our communities apart from buying from local businesses? One word. Volunteer. It may seem quite obvious but volunteering can have such a huge impact not only on your community but also yourself, both your mental health and career. ‘Giving to others can also help protect your mental and physical health. It can reduce stress, combat depression, keep you mentally stimulated, and provide a sense of purpose. While it’s true that the more you volunteer, the more benefits you’ll experience, volunteering doesn’t have to involve a long-term commitment or take a huge amount of time out of your busy day. Giving in even simple ways can help those in need and improve your health and happiness.’ - HelpGuide.org So how am I volunteering? I volunteered for many years at Ravenglass & Eskdale Railway as a teen, helping out and also passed out to be a Guard. Therefore, this experience not only gave me skills that will help me when volunteering again, but those skills have also been incredibly valuable to show my skills career-wise. This week, I have begun volunteering as a Reading Friends volunteer, an initiative that has been made to tackle loneliness and help build connections. Therefore, yesterday I completed a day of training, helping me get set up for my first session. I look forward to my first session, and encourage anyone that likes the idea of this, to ask your Libraries about it. So if you have some free time, go for it!

The Mutual Benefits of Intergenerational Volunteering – Atalaya Sergi by Joe Casey Are you ready to make giving back your second act? That’s the question posed by AmeriCorps Seniors. While volunteering can make a huge difference in the lives of others, it offers many benefits for you too. Atalaya Sergi joins us to discuss how AmeriCorps Seniors volunteers are making a difference by redeploying their skills and […] #boomers #babyboomers