Youth Volunteerism: Instilling a Spirit of Giving in Young Children

By WR!TERS@WORK

Moulding a child’s character starts from young, and it is important to instill good values and habits during their early development. Volunteerism can instill compassion, empathy and  increase social awareness among children, anchoring a strong moral foundation that will guide them in decision-making in the future. In this blog post, we will share some ways you as parents can introduce your children to volunteerism as well as potential projects and activities they can undertake.

Let’s start off with some tips on how to encourage your child to make a difference in his/her community:

1. Lead By Example

Parents are often the best role models for their children. Your child looks up to you and learns by observing your behaviour and actions. When you have a conversation with your kids about some causes you support and show them pictures of you raising funds during Flag Day or interacting with elderly residents at an old folks’ home, they are more likely to emulate those same behaviours. Highlight the interesting takeaways from your experiences and make it more relatable for your child. If possible, try to involve your child in these experiences, starting off with simpler things like baking muffins for a fundraiser, or planning and preparing craft materials for elderly engagement sessions.

2. Find a Cause that Your Child is Passionate About

Choosing a volunteering cause that your child is genuinely interested in makes it more likely for them to enjoy it and find it fulfilling. Everyone has unique personalities and interests. Refrain from forcing your child to participate in certain activities because he/she might be uncomfortable doing so. Should your child’s interest lie in arts and crafts, try sourcing for crafts volunteering sessions at hospital wards or nursing homes. If your child likes to interact with animals, seek opportunities at a nearby animal shelter. Starting with a small commitment that your child is passionate about can encourage him/her to take bigger steps in community service in the future.

3. Establish a Routine

Only when your child is more familiar and comfortable with volunteering, make it a part of his/her routine, delegating a few hours a week to support a cause they are passionate about. It can also be a good family bonding activity too! Encourage and motivate your child along the way and let them witness their efforts translate into positive impacts for the beneficiaries. This increases their interest and makes them more likely to not view community service as a chore, but rather a meaningful commitment.

Community service experiences are extremely relevant and helpful for your child’s language examination preparation as well. Real-life volunteering and charity examples can be quoted for English Oral examinations to impress the examiners. Some questions where these experiences can be helpful is as follows:

Alexandra Primary School 2024 P6 Preliminary Examinations

(Picture showed community service activities like donation drives, tree planting and beach cleanups)

Q1: Would you be interested in doing this community work?

Q2: Have you ever participated in any kind of community event?

Q3: Do you think children should engage in community service? Why or why not?

St Hilda’s Primary School 2024 P6 Preliminary Examinations

(Picture showed a baking fundraiser to raise funds for cancer patients)

Q1: Has your school made any efforts to encourage students to volunteer or donate?

Q2: Have you participated in any of these activities?

Q3: Would you participate in this event? Why or why not?

If you are interested in helping your child develop well-planned responses to these questions, check out our website for similar blog posts where we will cover PSLE English oral exam tips!

To start small, you could start a fundraiser on giving.sg for any organisation of your choice, raising funds via hosting performances, dinner events or conducting bake sales. Involve your child and ask them to contribute their talents or skills in any way possible.

Other opportunities you could look into are meal-preparations for the disadvantaged. Look for family-friendly organisations like Krsna’s Free Meals and Willing Hearts where your child can engage in kid-friendly duties like pasting stickers on the lunchboxes. However, do note that parental supervision is encouraged at kitchen facilities.

Additionally, you could bring your child for beach and park clean-up sessions where they will learn the importance of environmental protection and sustainable practices. Organisations like Trash Hero and NParks do organise such activities frequently where kids can learn to do their part for the environment.

Remember that this list is non-exhaustive and there are definitely many more volunteer opportunities available for young children and teenagers in Singapore. With all that said, encouraging your child to volunteer is an important step that will aid their personal development and nurture them to be compassionate leaders. What stands between them and this journey now is taking that first step.

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English is a compulsory subject which all students must undertake. However, mastering the English language is not something which happens overnight – it takes consistent practice and effort to learn the nuances of the language. Students must read more and practice writing to gradually improve. Cramming for a language subject nearer to the exams is an impossible feat. After all, Rome was not built in a day! Attaining such a skill will have positive implications for not only your child’s education in school, but also employment prospects in future.

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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ):

1. How Do I Find the Best English Tutor?

Start by seeking recommendations from family and friends. Next, research online and read the reviews of tuition centres to find suitable candidates. A good idea is to drop by the tuition centre and let your child participate in a trial lesson to find a good tutor.

2. What is the Purpose of An English Tutor?

An English tutor’s role is to help your child reach their full potential in mastering the English language. Since children have varying academic skills and capabilities, it is important that the tutor is able to identify the child’s strengths and weaknesses and provide them with tailored assistance.

3. What Skills Should an English Tutor Have?

A tutor should have a discerning eye for strengths and weaknesses of the student, patience to deal with different students, the requisite qualifications and experience, and they should be up to date on the relevant changes in the Singaporean English syllabus.

4. What are Some Important Skills in English?

Mastering English involves understanding basic rules like grammar and sentence structure, as well as developing more advanced skills such as inference and synthesis, which are needed for tackling more complex exercises as the student progresses.