6 ways to do good & make new friends from being a reading buddy to kids to playing badminton with migrant workers

Do you ever get the feeling late at night, awash in the glow of your phone screen and zoning out to yet another TikTok video, that maybe — just maybe — your life could be more purposeful?

Well, if you’re looking to do something meaningful, the Do Good Fest might be right up your alley.

Organised by Youth Corps Singapore, the Do Good Fest brings together 3,000 volunteering opportunities for young people (aged 15 to 35) to give back to the community and connect with other like-minded volunteers.

There’s a wide range of causes—from empowering persons with special needs to caring for seniors and engaging children—so chances are there is something that will pique your interest.

If you’re thinking, “But I don’t have any special skills that I can use to contribute meaningfully as a volunteer,” don’t worry.

There will be training and orientation before the volunteering activities. All you need to do is a willingness to serve, be present, engage the beneficiaries and offer a listening ear.

We’ve picked out six volunteering opportunities for you below. Each comes with a short write-up, as well as a link to their respective sign up page if you wish to find out more.

1. Be that Big Brother and Sister to young children as they pick up coding skills

Learning how to code is a pretty important skill these days so it’s no wonder that many young kids are picking it up.

Your role as a befriender is to keep these young kids engaged while they learn coding concepts through online gaming.

Befrienders would also have to ensure a safe online space for the children by teaching good habits like having mutual respect and taking turns to speak.

No prior coding experience or knowledge is required. More information can be found here.

2. Befriend and support preschool kids as they learn to read

KidsLearn is a literacy and befriending program that aims to provide reading and phonics enrichment for young preschool children aged five to six.

As a befriender, you’ll be supporting these kids in their learning journey, helping them to improve their literacy skills while developing socially.

This befriending opportunity is available at multiple locations across Singapore: Ang Mo Kio, Bedok, Kampong Chai Chee, Queenstown, Redhill, Tampines, and Telok Blangah.

You get to choose one location nearer to your home or workplace. More information here.

3. Empower students with special needs to take public transport confidently

Most of us tend to take our ability to commute for granted. It’s not easy for persons with special needs.

Your role as a volunteer Travel Buddy is to support students from the MINDS in a weekly travel training programme which teaches them how to travel independently and confidently on public transport.

You will receive training to be equipped with the necessary knowledge to befriend and interact meaningfully with persons with intellectual disabilities.

More information here.

4. Get crafting with seniors

If you’re good with your hands or simply enjoy creating craft work, you might want to check out this volunteering opportunity with the Society For The Aged Sick.

Art can be a powerful form of therapy, and brings a whole host of benefits for those who are sick or aged. As a volunteer, you will be taking part in painting activities with the residents and getting to know them in the process.

More information can be found here.

5. Play badminton with migrant workers

Fancy a game of badminton? Join our migrant workers in a friendly match at the Cochrane Recreation Centre.

Aside from putting your badminton skills to the test, you, as a volunteer, will also be guiding and conducting stretching exercises at the end of the session. If you can’t find your way around a racket, you can also try your hand at table tennis.

Sporting equipment such as rackets, nets, bats, and shuttlecocks will be provided. Just bring yourself and a healthy dose of openness. Who knows, you might make a lifelong friend or two. More information can be found here.

6. Find out more about volunteering with the Youth Corps Singapore Community Fair

If you still have more questions about volunteering after going through this list, why not head down to the Youth Corps Community Fair on Jul. 16 to learn more about the youth community that is championing volunteerism.

There, you can speak to various youth groups and find out more about the causes that they support. You can also take part in hands-on workshops and curated sharing sessions to better understand these causes. More information here.

The Do Good Fest runs from May to July this year.

The six suggestions that we listed here are just the tip of the iceberg. With over 3,000 volunteering opportunities for youths available, there’s definitely something that will fit your interests and level of commitment.

Head over to the Do Good Fest microsite where you can check them out. You might end up making a new friend while doing good.

Thanks to this sponsored article by the Youth Corps Singapore, this writer is thinking of volunteering on the weekend.

All images courtesy of Youth Corps Singapore.