“I first started volunteering with 1Youth at the first medical screening at Sunlove Home Chai Chee and the rest is history! One of the main motivations for me to continue was being able to meet like-minded youths and learn from one another. Youths (and youths-at-heart) from all walks of life are welcome to attend the numerous volunteer events that 1Youth organizes, which has definitely broadened my perspectives and allowed me to meet new people whom I wouldn’t have crossed paths with otherwise.

Another aspect that drew me into 1Youth was also the organic nature of the way these events were organized. There was no strict top-down hierarchy and everyone was encouraged to contribute their efforts, knowledge and skills, no matter how small. Different groups of people took turns to lead each event, which means that volunteer commitment can be customized to each individual’s busyness at any point of time. These were all reasons why I’ve been volunteering with 1Youth for the past 2 years.

Furthermore, we are free to propose projects anytime based on our own interests, and build it up by finding partner organizations and other interested team members. Due to the large pool of 1Youth members, there would definitely be someone else to collaborate with on a new project. It has been very meaningful for me to be involved in projects of different natures, e.g. education for children and youth, health screenings, mental health education etc.

As a full-time graduate student, time can be tight due to school commitments but I’ve always been more than happy to make time for volunteering with 1Youth due to the rich experiences I’ve gained and the connections that I’ve formed!"