Why Youths Volunteer: Committing to volunteerism amid a busy schedule

Written by: Lim Yee Lin

To Shafeek Ahamed, community service isn’t just a pastime; it’s a way of life.

Explaining his initial draw to volunteering, the 23-year-old said, “I just wanted to spend my time in a meaningful way because I'm not somebody who likes to sit at home on the weekends and during my free time.”

Due to his extensive involvement in various volunteerism projects, Shafeek categorises his efforts into three main areas: supporting the Muslim community, tech-related initiatives and general youth volunteerism.

Shafeek participated in KidsCount, a Youth Corps Singapore initiative which works with children from different backgrounds, in hopes of learning how to better communicate with his younger cousins. Photo Credit: Shafeek Ahamed

Although he had prior social work experience while studying in polytechnic, Shafeek’s first significant step into volunteerism was by joining the Community Service Club at his university. During this period, he participated in various volunteering activities, like beach clean-ups and donation drives. His commitment and dedication led to him being elected as Vice President of the Community Service Club’s Executive Committee.

As a Youth Corps ambassador, Shafeek picked up public speaking, outreach and emcee skills. He even got the chance to participate in a range of Youth Corps activities like being an emcee for Fireflies, an annual volunteer appreciation event. Photo Credit: Shafeek Ahamed

After graduating, Shafeek sought avenues to continue giving back to the community. In his search, he came across Youth Corps Singapore and its numerous volunteering opportunities. Initially participating in initiatives like exercising with migrant workers and tree planting, Shafeek’s involvement with Youth Corps inspired him to join the Ambassadors Cluster. Driven by his desire to promote youth volunteerism, Shafeek now supports outreach programmes and manages welfare activities for its members.

Shafeek notes the challenges he faced as a mentor, particularly the reluctance of his more rebellious mentees to listen to him. Photo Credit: Shafeek Ahamed

Apart from Youth Corps, Shafeek also frequently organises and participates in programmes for IMYouth, an organisation formed to empower the well-being and social harmony of Indian-Muslim youths in Singapore. His participation stems from his desire to support young Indian-Muslims and the fact that the community is relatively small in Singapore.

Though Shafeek assists with events, his primary responsibility is managing IMYouth’s financial aspects to ensure the organisation has sufficient funds to run programs tailored to Indian-Muslim youths. Cash flow comes from avenues like donation drives and sponsorships. In fact, IMYouth has received sponsorships for some events in 2023 from the National Youth Council!

Shafeek believes in the importance of digital upskilling, especially for marginalised communities like the elderly and homeless, as it empowers them to navigate an increasingly digital world. Photo Credit: Shafeek Ahamed

Beyond these two organisations, Shafeek also serves on the executive committee of the Singapore Computer Society (SCS). Leveraging his background in cyber security and ethical hacking, he engages in mentoring polytechnic students studying in these fields. Additionally, through SCS, he participates in various digital upskilling programmes aimed at the elderly and homeless. These initiatives promote lifelong learning and aim to protect the elderly from the increasing number of digital scams.

Shafeek's dedication to cyber security stems from his desire to make the online space safer. This passion not only drives his professional career but also aligns with his volunteer efforts, as he strives to equip vulnerable groups with the knowledge and skills to navigate the digital world securely.

Unlike work, where one is paid, Shafeek explains that the essence of volunteering is willingly taking time out of one's day to help others without expecting anything in return. This means that volunteers are not obligated to continue what they do not enjoy. As such, having combined his personal interests and aspects of his life with his volunteer work, Shafeek has been able to consistently give back to the community.

Due to his demanding schedule, Shafeek has become more disciplined and adept at managing his time to accommodate all his commitments. Photo Credit: Youthopia/Lim Yee Lin

Moreover, as a seasoned veteran in social work, Shafeek has learnt to juggle a full-time job, various volunteering initiatives and his social life. Despite the hectic schedule he still tries to make time for self-care that include hiking, skateboarding and going to the gym. He believes that dedicating time to these activities is essential for personal leadership.

“Waking up earlier in the morning to head to the gym or exercising after work — these are things you do for yourself to stay physically and mentally healthy. In that aspect, if you can lead yourself to be a better person, you can also lead others and also create an impact on others.”

As an outgoing and friendly individual, Shafeek found that volunteering is a great way to meet other like-minded people and those from all walks of life. Photo Credit: Shafeek Ahamed

Shafeek views the time he invests in giving back to the community as a crucial part of his personal leadership journey. He highlights the skills he has gained from these experiences, such as leading groups, networking with like-minded individuals and collaborating with various partners, all of which contribute to his personal development.

“Volunteering is not something you can do on your own,” Shafeek explains. Beyond the obvious aspect of working with a team, it also involved communicating with other stakeholders in his life - like his mother.

“I often had to explain (to my mother) why I was coming home late and having dinner outside so often,” he chuckled and said.

For Shafeek, the sense of self-fulfilment he gains from volunteering and witnessing the positive impact on beneficiaries is what keeps him motivated. Photo Credit: Shafeek Ahamed

Despite his hectic schedule, Shafeek believes the time he dedicates to volunteering is well worth the sacrifice. This sentiment is reinforced for him after events, particularly when he recalls being thanked by the beneficiaries.

“That sense of fulfilment is something that you can't get if you just go with your day-to-day activities, have fun with your friends and so on. Volunteering does come with some sort of sacrifice which is your time, but you are spending your time in a meaningful way so you don't feel like it's a waste.”