Unity in Service: How kindred connections help sustain volunteerism and community impact

Befriending individuals who share your passion can benefit us by providing a sense of belonging and understanding. Whether it's through shared hobbies or personal values, connecting with others can lead to deeper friendships and mutual support.?

“My volunteering journey used to be a bit lonely, but as time goes by, it started to be more exciting because I get to know more friends with similar interests.” For Owen, what started out as a lonely journey, led to one filled with meaningful friendships.?

Owen’s journey with Youth Corps Singapore started in 2014 when he was a volunteer leader-in-training for Cohort 2 of the Youth Corps Leaders Programme (YCLP). Through his time in the Youth Corps Leaders Programme, Owen was recognised by his Aspirant Project Team, for his outstanding leadership skills.

Upon conferment of the Leaders Programme in 2016, Owen was awarded the Pay-it-Forward-Award (PIFA). He used this to kickstart Project Jiak Simi, where he led a team of youth volunteers in bringing residents of Thong Teck Home for Senior Citizens, for monthly meal outings. This initiative was well-received by both the youth volunteers and the seniors, who cherished the intergenerational bonds formed through the project.

“When like-minded people get together, we tend to share our resources, we tend to share our stories, we tend to share our difficulties when we are volunteering and as it goes, we grow stronger as one.”?

Throughout Owen's 10 years of volunteering with Youth Corps Singapore, there have been many memorable moments. One such moment occurred in 2015 when more than 100 youth volunteers handed out water to people waiting to pay their respects to the late Mr Lee Kuan Yew during his lying-in-state. Witnessing this unity filled Owen with pride for being part of such a meaningful initiative.

Volunteering enhances connections by bringing people together in meaningful activities, which positively impacts the community. Throughout Owen's journey, he experienced firsthand how like-minded individuals can amplify their impact when brought together. These experiences not only aided in Owen's personal growth but also fostered a sense of unity among volunteers, where sharing resources and mentoring the next generation became integral to their collective mission of volunteering.?

“I’m just lucky that with all the rich experiences that I have gained through volunteering. I managed to meet a lot of people who share the same passion as me. They continue to give back in their own ways and own means. We also created our own platform where we could share resources, while intensifying what we can do to serve the community better and to provide mentorship to youths."

Want to meet youths who share your passion for doing good, and pick up leadership skills which will aid you in your journey of doing good for the community? Sign up for the Youth Corps Leaders programme: go.gov.sg/yclp-c35-li ?