Daily Lesson from Life 10 March 2009

"Tue, Mar 10, 2009 The New Paper

Students mocked for not collecting enough money


THE students were there to help raise money for a good cause. But instead of getting pats on their backs for their efforts, they were mocked for not collecting enough. Some were even threatened with 'bad remarks'.

That was what four students from Saint Gabriel's Secondary School claimed after they participated in a flag day for the Apex Day Rehabilitation Centre for the Elderly.


They volunteered as part of their school's community involvement programme (CIP). The number of CIP hours they put in contributes to the overall Co-Curricular Activity (CCA) grades for their O Levels.

A minimum of 24 hours over the four years of secondary school can get them one point, and they can get more points if they put in more hours.


Hobart Wong, 16, said students from the normal academic stream in his school had to report to the Apex collection centre in Dhoby Ghaut at 10am on 21 Feb. They were told to return by 3pm.
Hobart said the area was crowded as there were also students from other schools collecting donations for Apex.

'I went to Novena, Toa Payoh and Bishan as I thought I could get more donations elsewhere,' he recalled. But there were students asking for donations in those areas as well.


When he returned to the centre at 3pm, his tin was only a quarter full. He claimed a woman who was collecting the tins ridiculed him.

'She told me, 'The amount you collected is not even enough to cover the cost of the tin and stickers.' 'She was not at all appreciative of our efforts in helping to raise money,' he said.
He claimed she also told him to continue asking for donations and come back only when his tin was full."

An interesting story. Right or wrong to judge by the amount of money collected? My answer is: Wrong. In the above mentioned case, the boy had tried his best and made some efforts by going to a few places to try to collect the donations.

Lessons for me are:

1. volunteer work must be truly volunteered work. Not for scoring point of what not. Of course in the school scene, it is to encourage more students to do community services so as to encourage such behaviors from young. However, I dare say most go there because it is part of the 'point scoring' system. If the kids do not like volunteering after trying out, they should not be forced to go;

2. adults who administer the volunteer scheme should be sensitive and well trained to encourage and motivate the volunteers whom they feel did not do their best. That is provided he or she had observed slack efforts and back with facts. If that is true, then how the adult communicate with the volunteers and how to motivate them to try harder is a challenge he or she must face. With good and effective feedback dialogue, I am sure we can move some of the slack volunteers to do more;

3. for the young people, I urge you to try volunteer work as long as it does not interfere with your primary responsibility of studying well. When you study well, you will become man and woman of substance that can influence volunteerism at an even higher level e.g. policy makers level. That will be a bigger contribution. Collecting donation is not the only way to volunteer!

Enjoy volunteerism and grow!