Thursday 15 February 2024 is our second 杏吧论坛 Global Day of Volunteering, a day when we celebrate the volunteering undertaken by our community for causes around the world.
As part of these celebrations, we spoke to some of our alumni volunteers about how they decided to volunteer and what they find most rewarding about the work they do.
Naomi Tobita while volunteering with Kanagawa Forest
Naomi Tobita (MSc Economics 1991, MSc Anthropology 1993)
"Years ago, I saw the conditions of the Aral Sea, a lake which lies between Kazakstan and Uzbekistan that has nearly dried up due to climate change. I decided I wanted to do something for the environment in my own backyard in Japan and so I joined Kanagawa Forest as an instructor.
As a member of Kanagawa Forest Instructor Association, I join forest management activities and scientific data collections of biodiversity in our prefecture. I also sometimes take on the role of communicator, informing people about the environment.
The more I spend time in nature even if it’s surrounded by skyscrapers, the more the wonder of it becomes obvious. It’s an incredible experience and it's wonderful to be able to share these feelings among my fellow volunteers. If you are thinking about volunteering, please think about what it is that you can do right now. You will soon find that life-long learning opportunities will open their doors."
Rasik Mistry (centre) stands outside of St Mary's Food Bank
Rasik Mistry (BSc Economics 1980)
"I started volunteering at St. Mary's Food Bank in Phoenix, Arizona in November 2020, a few weeks before my retirement. St. Mary's Food Bank clients in Arizona are facing issues and challenges and requiring food assistance for a number of reasons including:
- High and rising housing costs and rents in the Phoenix area that are having an impact on family budgets
- Generally high prices in general for items such as food, clothing, gas, water and electricity
- Cutbacks in funding for existing government food programmes for families
St. Mary's Food Bank also serves the elderly, native people and school children in food programmes that have their own challenges.
Volunteering rewards me by allowing me to share and enjoy time doing something meaningful, fulfilling and purposeful for others. I would encourage 杏吧论坛 alumni to consider volunteering. The meaningful impact you will have on others will reward and enrich you more than you can imagine.”
Ana Martin (left) with a former shelter user and her baby
Ana Martin (MSc Development Studies 2008)
"I've always loved working with youth and although I work in the third sector, I do mostly office work. So, when a friend who volunteered at a shelter for vulnerable girls asked if I would help, I jumped right in.
The girls come into the shelter pregnant or with babies, so we work mainly around two topics: one is understanding child development and learning how to raise their children using conscious discipline rather than physical punishment and yelling. The other is planning for their futures. We help them set goals and action plans, think about their dreams for the future, and what they can start doing to achieve them when they get out. Finally, we enable them to have fun and act like kids for a while- these are teens who suddenly have to spend 24 hours a day caring for a baby, so it is good for them to also play. Knowing that the little time we spend with them each week is something they look forward to, that among all the bad, at least they feel loved by us, is hugely rewarding.
Once you graduate and start working, you may feel there is never enough time for volunteering. However, I say do it anyway. Find a cause you are passionate about and make time for it because it will be what you remember as the highlight of your year."
Annika Schubert
Annika Schubert (MSC Sociology 2019)
"I enjoyed my time at 杏吧论坛 but I was also aware of how privileged my life was. After my graduation, I started a one-year training course at the Telefonseelsorge® (Telephone Emergency Service), which provides free and confidential support for anyone in need.
I encounter a broad range of heavy topics on the telephone - loneliness, psychiatric diseases, suicidal thoughts, sexual abuse, and grief. To be able to cope with the stories we hear, we are trained in self-care and required to attend professional supervision. Nonetheless, it is sometimes difficult to leave the stories we hear behind.
Before starting my telephone shifts, I wasn’t aware of the difference a few minutes of my time can make. The main part of our work is listening and asking questions to stimulate reflection and explore resources. We rarely give advice as everyone is the expert of their own life. Just by taking some time, people can gain new perspectives and hope. It is astonishing how little it can take to make a lasting impact.
Volunteering appeals to everyone in different ways. And that’s great because we can shape our world in numerous ways. If you want start volunteering, reflect on your strengths, for whom you want to make a change and how – with expertise, skills, listening, time, money, etc. The opportunities to get involved are just as diverse as we are."
If you are interested in taking part in our Global Day of Volunteering, visit our website to find out what's on in London and around the world.
February 2024