6 days ago
‘3 things I learnt from volunteering'
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The TL;DR: Junior college student Tay Karlyn, one of the winners of the Singapore Silent Heroes Student Award, found her niche in volunteering for cancer-related causes after being inspired by her grandfather's experience.
Eunoia Junior College Year 2 student Tay Karlyn was one of 84 young people given the Singapore Silent Heroes Student Award in July.
SINGAPORE – Although she was only eight years old at the time, Miss Tay Karlyn still remembers the moment her family discovered that her grandfather, then in his late 60s, had been diagnosed with Stage 3 stomach cancer.
She saw her family's worry over his health. While he later recovered after surgery, Miss Tay, now 18, realised that not all patients may be as fortunate to have such support.
This motivated her to, at 15, volunteer with the Singapore Cancer Society (SCS). A year later, she formed and led Project Lavande, a cancer advocacy initiative under YMCA Youth For Causes (YFC).
'I couldn't imagine how much the fear and feeling of helplessness could be amplified without a reassuring shoulder to lean on,' she says.
For her dedication to volunteering, the Eunoia Junior College Year 2 student was one of the 84 young people given the Singapore Silent Heroes Student Award in July.
Schools have nominated their students for this annual nationwide award, which was started in 2023, in recognition for their contributions to the community.
Here are three things Miss Tay has learnt from her experience as a volunteer.
1. Volunteering exposes you to different segments of society
From engaging with children with disabilities from Club Rainbow, to supporting elderly patients at Yishun Community Hospital as a healthcare associate, Miss Tay gained insight into the lives of Singaporeans that not many are exposed to.
'Many of us support our grandparents the best way we can, but what about seniors who live alone?'
While conducting research on seniors' well-being in 2023, she gained a deeper awareness of the 'loneliness that comes with age' and how institutionalised places like nursing homes do not always guarantee the mental and social health of the elderly.
'There's only so much you can learn from a screen or an article, so true volunteering is (about) putting yourself out there.
'Only through these experiences can you learn what is going around in Singapore and how to contribute.'
2. Young people can tap existing grants to fund their ideas
Whenever Miss Tay shares about the possibility of securing sponsorships and grants for projects, her juniors often look at her with surprise.
In her case, Project Lavande, which is student-led and focuses on cancer advocacy, stemmed from an e-mail broadcast by SCS about YMCA YFC's $1,200 grant.
Learning about the grant, support and mentorship that came with the programme encouraged Miss Tay to overcome any initial nerves over spearheading a community initiative.
She posted an Instagram story calling for interested volunteers to join.
'I gathered a group of unlikely friends, and we thought of SCS as a cause worth supporting,' she says about the three schoolmates who responded.
During the team's first brainstorming meeting, one member proposed a fund-raising concert for cancer beneficiaries, to which the group said, 'Why not?'
In August 2023, the four organised a fund-raising concert that showcased a variety of band, vocal and dance performances.
Through the ticketed concert attended by around 350 people, they raised about $4,000 for SCS.
She encourages her peers to have the 'spirit of breaking moulds' and to 'go wherever your heart goes'.
'It wouldn't have been possible if we had been so limited in our ideas and dreams,' she quips.
3. Start off broad in volunteering, to find an area that resonates with you
Ms Tay has volunteered with different causes, including maintaining a community farm, and realised that 'different causes call out to you in different ways'.
'You don't need to know the end goal (yet),' she adds, as advice for those keen to start volunteering. 'Be creative, break out of your comfort zone, and be responsible for your own time.'
Finding a niche they feel the most passionate about, however, will help volunteers pursue more long-term volunteering commitments.
For Miss Tay, this is in supporting cancer patients.
So far, she has raised funds for SCS by 'planning and doing back-end work' for the concert and other projects.
She chaired her school's student-initiated fund-raising project Heal Hearts, which is working in collaboration with SCS, before stepping down in April.
While she may delve into cancer-related healthcare work at university, 'my first battle is to conquer my A levels', she quips.
