Took a midnight flight for Seoul on 13/10 and could not update my blog. So, here is a catch up on 13/10 and 14/10.
"Six win President's Volunteerism and Philanthropy Awards - CNA 14 October 2015
This year, the National Volunteer & Philanthropy Centre merged both the volunteerism and philanthropy categories, and awards are divided into group and individual categories."
Heartening to see the volunteers getting the highest public recognition.
Lessons for me are:
1. a few of them ask for TIME and PRESENCE from fellow volunteers instead of just giving cash. Many help the poor, the elderly, the disadvantaged and the 'children- and youth-at risk', etc. Indeed, coming into contact with these 'needy' people can be very uncomfortable for the 'well-to-do volunteers'. Their ways are so different from the people they are trying to help. May more join the rank;
2. for me, I do volunteer work through established public organizations giving my time facilitating and explaining things and issues. I get very uncomfortable indeed dealing up close and personal with the very old and infirmed. So I choose my volunteer work with probationers and their parents and the Health Ambassadors Network of Health Promotion Board. Giving something is better than giving nothing! On top of that I do raise fund for the Singapore Cancers Society for the last 8 years as I jog and walk the Standard Chartered Marathon Singapore. A way to keep healthy and getting a group of generous donor friends to contribute a tiny sum to help;
3. while NGOs are helping the vulnerable, I cannot help but questioned: WHY? Why do we have more and more than need help from others? Is our society progress or regressing overall as we attained higher cost of living (and quality of living, hopefully) and bigger wealth as a nation? E.g. the recent big PR for the SPH Pocket Money Fund raises the question of why are so many school children still having problems with pocket money? Are their parents helping themselves or have they become addicted to 'hands out'?
How do we measure 'success' in NGOs work? How do we measure: 'Help them to help themselves?' A tougher measurement but should those in the NGOs REALLY try harder to be able to MEASURE properly?
A PhD project?
"Six win President's Volunteerism and Philanthropy Awards - CNA 14 October 2015
This year, the National Volunteer & Philanthropy Centre merged both the volunteerism and philanthropy categories, and awards are divided into group and individual categories."
Heartening to see the volunteers getting the highest public recognition.
Lessons for me are:
1. a few of them ask for TIME and PRESENCE from fellow volunteers instead of just giving cash. Many help the poor, the elderly, the disadvantaged and the 'children- and youth-at risk', etc. Indeed, coming into contact with these 'needy' people can be very uncomfortable for the 'well-to-do volunteers'. Their ways are so different from the people they are trying to help. May more join the rank;
2. for me, I do volunteer work through established public organizations giving my time facilitating and explaining things and issues. I get very uncomfortable indeed dealing up close and personal with the very old and infirmed. So I choose my volunteer work with probationers and their parents and the Health Ambassadors Network of Health Promotion Board. Giving something is better than giving nothing! On top of that I do raise fund for the Singapore Cancers Society for the last 8 years as I jog and walk the Standard Chartered Marathon Singapore. A way to keep healthy and getting a group of generous donor friends to contribute a tiny sum to help;
3. while NGOs are helping the vulnerable, I cannot help but questioned: WHY? Why do we have more and more than need help from others? Is our society progress or regressing overall as we attained higher cost of living (and quality of living, hopefully) and bigger wealth as a nation? E.g. the recent big PR for the SPH Pocket Money Fund raises the question of why are so many school children still having problems with pocket money? Are their parents helping themselves or have they become addicted to 'hands out'?
How do we measure 'success' in NGOs work? How do we measure: 'Help them to help themselves?' A tougher measurement but should those in the NGOs REALLY try harder to be able to MEASURE properly?
A PhD project?
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