While time flies when one is having fun, summer vacation is three months long and lots of things can be done in that period! Regardless of whether you are trying to spend a productive or a restful summer, why not try volunteering this break? With the myriad of volunteer opportunities offered to youths in Singapore, there is something for everyone. Get started by checking out this list of volunteer opportunities!
Interested in helping to enhance the well-being of Singapore’s natural environment? As volunteers with the Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum and the Department of Biological Sciences at NUS, Toddycats! offers volunteer programmes targeted at conservation. From tree planting to beach cleanups, NUS Toddycats! provides various programmes for interested youth to join.
Source: NUS Toddycats!
Even if you have not volunteered before, you would most likely have heard of YMCA! The Young Men’s Christian Association (YMCA) of Singapore is a volunteer-based Christian organisation that seeks to improve the lives of the less-privileged. Among the vast profiles they work with, YMCA also provides financial assistance to needy families and training opportunities for individuals with specials needs. YMCA also has a women’s wing, which focuses on programmes related to women and children. Known as the Young Women’s Christian Organisation (YWCA), the organisation has volunteer opportunities such as meal deliveries and befriending the elderly. However, if you are looking for volunteer opportunities for university students, you can consider Uni-Y by YMCA! Uni-Y is the university service club of YMCA and it has student chapters in multiple universities in Singapore, including NUS. Volunteers at Uni-Y can look forward to personal development as well, with workshops, volunteer training sessions and even internships offered!
Readability is a programme co-organised by Uni-Y NUS and YMCA, aimed at supporting and developing the early literacy skills of underprivileged children from transnational families or disadvantaged backgrounds. Readability empowers student volunteers from NUS, NTU and SUTD to nurture a greater love for reading among young children and build up the next generation through regular interactions with the beneficiaries.
Source: NUSync
Many university students frequent libraries mainly to study, but why not volunteer at a library too? Contrary to popular belief, volunteering at NLB isn’t limited to reading and books. NLB offers a relatively wide range of volunteering opportunities, including exhibitions and gallery support, programme facilitation and curation and more.
Source: National Library Board
As the name suggests, Youth Corps Singapore caters volunteer programmes to youths. By engaging youths in collaborations with the social service sector, such as Lion Befrienders and Fei Yue Community Services, youths can experience volunteering. Fret not about having insufficient time to commit to the programmes, as Youth Corps Singapore offers both short-term and long-term opportunities. If you are looking to broaden your horizons and volunteer overseas, Youth Corps Singapore has such programmes too!
Source: Youth Corps Singapore
At TOUCH Community Services, you can choose from a range of programmes to volunteer with, since their programmes include children, youth, families, seniors, and persons with special and healthcare needs. If you happen to know sign language, consider signing up for TOUCH Silent Club (TSC)! TSC is a service club under TOUCH Community Services which guides the Deaf Community in their education, vocation, recreation, and social development.
Source: TOUCH Community Services
NUS Students’ Community Service Club (CSC)
NUS CSC is one of the four non-faculty Constituent Clubs under the NUS Students’ Union (NUSSU). NUS CSC currently has over 4,000 students as regular volunteers and is looking to promote volunteerism among the student population. The community service club has three arms, namely the regular volunteering programmes, special projects and exploratory programmes. Under each of these three arms, there are multiple programmes you can choose to join!
Source: NUS Students’ Community Service Club
While this concludes the end of our list, it is definitely not an exhaustive list. Apart from NUSync, you can also look for volunteer opportunities on websites such as volunteer.gov.sg and more. Make your summer count by volunteering!
