Minutes ago, I logged on to Sg Cares (www.sgcares.org) – a website that allows people to learn about volunteering opportunities here and sign up immediately – to look at what was on offer during the holiday season.
The calendar section allows surfers to view volunteering opportunities from various charities for the entire month. Events that are still in need of volunteers are indicated by little green squares. Those that are already full are highlighted in red.
Happily, the red squares far outnumbered the green. Out of around 88 volunteer opportunities available till the end of the year, 66 were fully subscribed. Only 22 are still looking for manpower.
The little squares could be seen as a vindication of what a study by the National Volunteer & Philanthropy Centre, revealed last month. Hardworking, but self-absorbed Singapore is seeing a surge in serving others.
According to NVPC’s biennial Individual Giving Survey, nearly one in four people here took part in volunteer activities over the past year, up from 16.9 per cent two years earlier. Volunteer hours have also doubled to 89 million.
The survey, which polled 1,815 people aged 15 and above, showed the young are leading the charge. Volunteerism rates among the 15-24 groups are at an all-time high of 36 per cent.
Significantly – and rightly – the NVPC survey did not consider students signing up to do charity work as part of their Community Involvement Programmes – are volunteers.
Only those who continued to help out beyond the mandatory community service hours required by their schools were counted.
According to the IGS, volunteer numbers have surged across all age groups. This week’s Saturday Special Report chronicles the tales of 16 Singaporeans and Singapore residents who are helping others in their own small ways.
Supramaniyam Ganesan, a gangly 15-year-old has been reading to children from low-income families since he was 7. Margaret Wong, in her 30s, volunteers time in archaeological digs across Singapore to in a voyage to learn more about her roots. And Michael Song, 55, befriends ex-offenders, trains them in music and has helped some get jobs.
As we laud the dedication of these selfless soldiers on International Volunteers Day tomorrow (Dec 5), we must also remember the various reasons for us not to rest on laurels.
First, volunteer rates here are still way behind countries like the United States and the United Kingdom which have rich traditions of giving. Besides, the NVPC survey polled only a small segment of society, and sampling can have its bias.
And finally, we should not forget that volunteerism rates spiked in a year when Singapore was in the grip of a recession, making people more aware of others' needs. They also had more time on their hands, with the economy slowing down.
Let’s hope that with the economy booming once more, the people and causes crying out for a helping hand are not neglected again.
Read the Saturday Special Report here