Nobody likes a goody two-shoes, or so the saying goes. Of course, whoever coined that particular phrase neglected to take into account university admissions staff, future employers and, well, anyone not coated in a hard, crusty layer of cynicism. But it’s not only brownie points that make volunteering worthwhile, it can provide teenagers with more independence, a sense of community, as well as a valuable glimpse into a world otherwise hidden from view. Best of all, it can be fun! But the question remains: where do you begin and how does your child find the right volunteer scheme for them?
Forget gardening. If you’re 17 or over and have the appropriate language skills, you can grow green fingers by typing for charity.
Greenpeace China are always in need of bilingual speakers (in both Mandarin and English) to translate their online content. To apply, simply email greenpeace.cn@greenpeace.org and they’ll send you a test; if you’re up to scratch, you can start translating on a schedule that suits you. The same goes for environmental online non-profit organisation
China Dialogue, which needs volunteers who speak both Mandarin and English to translate their comments and blog posts.
The New Day Foster Home accepts individual volunteers of 18 years and over, regardless of whether they are still in high school. They also take on teenagers under 18, so long as they apply in groups of six to ten people (with a team leader), although their interaction with the kids will be limited to less demanding work.
The home is open to volunteers every Saturday, and if you are thinking about studying medicine, nursing or childcare, this is the perfect introduction. For under 18s, working in the pre-school education department and helping out with the nannying makes up the bulk of the work. For older volunteers, childcare, teaching, as well as medical and therapy assistant roles and public relations work are available. To sign up, email Brian Samuels at brian@newdaycreations.com and he will send an application form. Visit
their website for more details.
Whether you’re of primary school or high-school age, if you can gather together three or more like-minded souls, you can apply to volunteer with the Little Angels Action Fund (LAAF). To get started, you will need to send in a proposal and fill in the appropriate application forms based on the kind of projects you are interested in, such as, say, putting on a community concert or volunteering to keep the elderly and infirm company.
Other schemes run by the LAAF include educational talks and promoting art education in China through exhibitions and classes. Projects are posted throughout the year on the
LAAF website, so be sure to check that first. Contact Liao Shunan on 6771 9772 ext 8009 or email laa@laafund.org for more details.
There are plenty of organisations that will help student groups to start up their own charity projects. James Wu, a 17-year-old student at Dulwich College Beijing, now heads a fundraising team in aid of
Wokai, a microfinance NGO that lends interest-free loans to fledgling businesses otherwise unable to raise financial support. ‘We run events such as bake sales, home clothes days and gift-card projects to raise money,’ he says. Once the money has been collected, the fundraisers choose which business receives their money and can follow its progress on the Wokai website, which is launching a DIY guide for youth fundraising this month.
Alternatively, you can also get in contact with The Jane Goodall Institute (6778 5802; info@jgichina.org), which helps students to set up their own projects locally. Simply contact the institute and inform them of a field in which you are interested, such as the environment or perhaps caring, and they will help identify nearby institutions that need assistance and provide you support in contacting them. It’s as easy as that!