Pushpa Vethiah’s 4 Tips for Volunteering

Key takeaways:

• Volunteering begins at home. 
• Know how your skills can contribute to the project and be confident about using them to help better the community. 
• Every day is an opportunity to learn something new that can help special children live fulfilling lives.  
• Participating in volunteer projects as a family helps to foster the passion to give back.   

Inspired by her work with Down syndrome children from when she was 17 years old, Pushpa has committed herself to helping the community for over 25 years. Now, as a mother of two wonderful children, Pushpa is currently pursuing her Diploma in Special Education while offering free intervention classes for underprivileged families with special children. 

Here, she offers some insights for those who wish to get involved in the community but are unsure of where and how to begin. 

Tip #1: Volunteering Starts at Home 

I believe that awareness should be cultivated from a young age. This can be done through simple activities like collecting recyclable materials or cooking and delivering food to those who need it. In fact, that’s how I met one of my current students. When we volunteer to help our neighbours first, we find ways to network and get involved in more efforts to better our community. 

Tip #2: Consider the Skills You Have to Offer 

Before we volunteer, we must think about how our particular skill set can add value to the services we are offering. If you say you’re good at developing lesson plans, you must be absolutely certain that you’ve equipped yourself with the proper knowledge to do so. Having said that, it’s also best to find a group that needs your skills and makes you feel confident about using them to contribute to the group’s projects.

Tip #3: Seek Out Opportunities that Teach You Something New

Volunteering is a two-way street – we help them improve their lives and in return, they open our eyes to new perspectives. When we offer our services, we are exposed to people from all walks of life. By actively participating in different projects, we cultivate the attitude of learning something new every day. Eventually, we will be able to teach these skills to a group of new volunteers, creating a community that is aware of special children and their needs for quality education.

Tip #4: Volunteer As A Family 

Based on my personal experience, I found that volunteering as a family created a special bond between my children and myself. I believe that this is a great way to instil good values, like giving time and effort to a good cause, in children. Today, I find myself amazed at how eager my children are to volunteer and this inspires me to continue actively seeking out volunteering opportunities. 

Despite being someone with extensive knowledge about special education, Pushpa emphasised how the lecturers at Dika College have greatly improved her teaching and analytical methods. Overall, she wishes to convey her gratitude to the lecturers at Dika College and hopes that more people will help to create equal opportunities for special children.

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