Community Service Volunteer!

I heard stories from my mom about her childhood when she was in the Salvation Army Singapore children's home. She shared stories with me about how she lived in the environment with curfews and having close friendships there that she is still close with to this day. Over time, she began working part-time with the same organisations to give back to the community that once supported her.

When I was around six years old, I visited The Salvation Army Singapore and saw the environment there for the first time. I remember thinking to myself, “wow my mom grew up here,” and I became curious about what her childhood must have been like. From time to time, my mom and I would also donate clothes that no longer fit us as well as other items such as toys. She would drive us to the location, and we would drop the donations off together.

Because of the stories my mom shared about her experiences as well as our family’s practice of donating clothes and items to The Salvation Army Singapore, It sparked my interest in awareness of community support and its impact. These experiences lead me to my interest in this field and finding a way to study this pathway in community development and working with people in need.

Now, I have been involved in various community service activities across different organisations where I supported different groups (Intellectual disabilities, Elderlies, Appreciation Day) in the community through engagement and assistance. These include interacting with people during food distribution and sustainability activities, interacting individuals with intellectual disabilities through games and conversations, and volunteering that supports both the elderly and community events. Through these experiences, I have learned that community service is not about helping others but also about having meaningful connections and understanding the needs of different groups in society. It has been a rewarding experience for me in being able to contribute in small and ways to the community.