By MARY CHRISTINA BRITTO
A larger number of students are now actively seeking less conventional methods in furthering their value to ensure securement of future jobs.
Recent trends have shown a lot of Western graduates volunteering to aid communities that are less off than they are.
Life Skills Development Assistant Manager Albert Ling Jing Juen said, “I haven’t seen many students choosing to volunteer, but I think it’s very important.”
There are numerous benefits to volunteering. The development of new skills is the result of being pushed out of your comfort zone.
“When you repeat a pattern, you’re not learning anything new. If you want to learn something new, you must try something new,” Volunteer organization SOLS 24/7 Head of Communication Naoko Ebara explained.
Learning and absorbing information within a non-corporate environment can open your mind in a way that is far more beneficial to learning and more impactful than if the traditional option is taken.
Ling explained, “Managers and others in high positions of companies want to see results. You only work with people who have knowledge and ability.
“When you work with people who don’t fit in this mold, you have new experiences. Your mind opens up to new possibilities,” he said.
A volunteer is presented with concrete opportunities to meet people, and most of all the nature of work requires that you encounter those you would otherwise never meet. These people come with different lessons to widen one’s perception and view of life.
“Everyone’s lives are what make them original and individual; when you meet someone whose life is completely different from yours, you are opening your mind to more possibilities of what life is,” Naoko enlightened.
In addition to expanding your mind and ability, merely the act of doing something for someone will bring out undiscovered traits residing within.
These previously dormant traits will inevitably enrich your ability to be a “good” person.
Community Service Initiatives (CSI) Volunteers President Pravinan Lai Xiong Hui, 22, said, “It took me some time to realize the importance of being empathetic towards others, and I now consciously remind myself to always be empathetic towards others' situations.”
Whether one chooses to volunteer to aid others or themselves, one thing is certain, an experience like this will leave you transformed and allow you surpass what is superficial.
“I now see that it takes teamwork among people of similar passion, conviction and vision to create a movement that is able to positively uplift the community,” Lai said.
There are many ways in which students can volunteer; there are sites on the Internet that can lead you to a project associated with what appeals to one’s personal interests.
Taylor’s University itself has a department that is dedicated to aiding students with volunteering.
The Community Service Initiatives (CSI) Volunteers comes under the Life Skills Department.
“CSI’s key mission is to change the mindset of staff and lecturers by providing them with more opportunities to help communities,” said Ling.
“I encourage others to join as well. By joining, we learn more than just soft skills – we learn how to be responsible and civic minded members of the global community,” said Lai.
Whether you choose to volunteer through the university or the internet, I strongly urge that you give it a try for a few months.
Step out of the box, do something different and make a change around you and in you.
These previously dormant traits will inevitably enrich your ability to be a “good” person.
Community Service Initiatives (CSI) Volunteers President Pravinan Lai Xiong Hui, 22, said, “It took me some time to realize the importance of being empathetic towards others, and I now consciously remind myself to always be empathetic towards others' situations.”
Whether one chooses to volunteer to aid others or themselves, one thing is certain, an experience like this will leave you transformed and allow you surpass what is superficial.
“I now see that it takes teamwork among people of similar passion, conviction and vision to create a movement that is able to positively uplift the community,” Lai said.
There are many ways in which students can volunteer; there are sites on the Internet that can lead you to a project associated with what appeals to one’s personal interests.
Taylor’s University itself has a department that is dedicated to aiding students with volunteering.
The Community Service Initiatives (CSI) Volunteers comes under the Life Skills Department.
“CSI’s key mission is to change the mindset of staff and lecturers by providing them with more opportunities to help communities,” said Ling.
“I encourage others to join as well. By joining, we learn more than just soft skills – we learn how to be responsible and civic minded members of the global community,” said Lai.
Whether you choose to volunteer through the university or the internet, I strongly urge that you give it a try for a few months.
Step out of the box, do something different and make a change around you and in you.