Become a volunteer

As the New Year and with it the new decade dawns, many of us set goals for ourselves and some of us use it as a time for reflection and to make New Year resolutions. Without sounding preachy, I’d like to suggest that we include volunteerism as a form of community engagement to the list. Very few young adults here undertake community service endeavours and I’d like to share the comments made by some who did.

“As a peer tutor, I learnt even more as I taught because my concepts in the subjects were reinforced and enhanced my learning.”
“The day I felt elated was not the day I gave my most electrifying performance on stage but the day my student Bala danced,” said the young student volunteer who was also an accomplished dancer.

This youngster was describing her experience at a special needs school where she was training students to express themselves through dance.
Another volunteer spoke of change in attitude and a paradigm shift in thinking after he had undertaken the task of assisting an autistic child and his family.

He said, “I learnt much more from my little friend and his family than I ever knew possible. It has made me more empathetic, understanding and patient; from the family, I have now learnt what the term unconditional love means.”

By volunteering our time, we give a little of ourselves. It enables us to work as part of a team for a common cause while displaying our creativity, problem solving skills, leadership initiative and the ability to learn from different perspectives.
Many youngsters think grandiose gestures and donations constitute volunteering. This is untrue.

Tutoring another student, reading or putting up an entertainment programme at a senior citizens home, reading to the visually challenged, teaching English to a group of workers, collecting material for a jumble sale in aid of a special needs school, pitching in at a beach clean-up drive, stock taking in the school library or designing the environmental club’s newsletter also constitute volunteering activities.

The UAE offers innumerable opportunities to contribute to the community. Some of them include the Terry Fox Run, Pink Marathon to raise awareness of cancer and to contribute to cancer research; EEG Emirates Environment Club’s initiatives, Dubai Cares initiatives, Red Crescent’s fund raising efforts, programmes in aid of Al Noor, (SNF) Special Needs Families Support Group’s events, MSF events, volunteering during DIFF, are all opportunities to look out for.

These activities hone our critical thinking skills, leadership abilities; self confidence levels and build character.
The outcomes of volunteering are phenomenal. New attitudes and behaviours are seen as we learn to appreciate what we have. Positive psychosocial outcomes also include development of social values, and a sense of purpose and commitment.
By becoming volunteers, we learn to take on responsibility, feel like contributing members of the local community and experience satisfaction as we make a tangible difference to the people we work with/for.

Let us resolve to make a difference because every endeavour, both big and small, whether in the UAE or overseas, can bring about change and joy. Be generous with your time, the world awaits you.

The writer is director of Counselling Point with more than 22 years of experience in the fields of education and child welfare. Email counsell@eim.ae or visit www.counsellingpoint.com for more information