By Jessy Ooi

Happy beginning of year 2018! The volunteers of Valley Of Hope has attended a very meaningful training, conducted by Professional Certified Coach, Madam Ee Mong Lan. The learning objectives of this training is to identify the actual meaning of becoming a volunteer and types of attitude required to be a successful giver. At the same time, the volunteers are equipped with the appropriate skills to be attentive listeners. The most encouraging part is there are some descendants of the residents in the settlement have joined our team to be volunteers.

The coach has implemented group activities where the volunteers were asked to think about what we want to achieve when we perform voluntary tasks. At the same time, everyone was asked to think about what they wish to create or bring to other people. Besides, the volunteers also discussed the types of attitude required based on different voluntary tasks they perform. All the volunteers were given a test to evaluate their individual listening skills and to find out whether they always listen attentively and respond with empathy.

Below are some of the key take-aways for volunteers:

· Being a giver leads us to happiness

· Happiness is not only the good feeling you have at that particular moment, it is an on-going process and it brings a lot of meaning and benefits in the future.

· We are not supposed to find out the meaning of life but to create the meaning we desire.

· The meaning of life must be purposeful, on voluntary basis and you are able to recognise your own worth.

· Volunteerism is to enable us to create values.

· Appreciation is a 2-way process – give love, accept love

· Listening requires skills - Attentive Listening and Empathic Listening are equally important.

· The purpose of listening is not only responding, understanding is the key word.

· Volunteers must learn to listen attentively, listen to the content as well as the emotion, listen to the thoughts, listen to the values, then learn to respond with empathy.

Lastly, the coach has shared the following statement quoted by one Japanese author, “Accompanying someone is meaningful, it is a sort of contribution”. This is so encouraging. It encourages us to be a giver to our Heroes in the settlement. We wish their life is always full of happiness.

p/s I would like to say all of us in the world deserve the same since we were born. Regardless we are givers or takers, all of us deserve love and respect. Let’s live life to the fullest to create hope and happiness!

Volunteerism – The Route To Be A Giver