Celebrating volunteers and their stories of selfless and continuous giving

Speech by Mr Lawrence Wong, Acting Minister for Culture, Community and Youth at the International Volunteer Day 2013

Mr Richard Koong, Chairman of Lions Befrienders and members of the IVD 2013 Organising Committee 
Mr Stanley Tan, Chairman NVPC 
Mr Laurence Lien, Chief Executive Officer, NVPC 

Volunteers and friends 

1. I am happy to join you for this year’s International Volunteer Day celebrations. This is a day for celebration by volunteers, for volunteers. We are here to appreciate, recognise and celebrate all your work. Thank you YMCA, Lions Befrienders and Thye Hua Kwan Moral Charities for organising this event. 
   
2. Volunteerism is on the rise in Singapore. Nearly one in three Singaporeans are engaged in volunteer work today. Every day, volunteers like you help to spread love, hope and joy to others through acts of generosity. Your stories of quiet commitment may not always be heard, but your actions are always deeply felt, by the people whose lives you have touched. 
   
3. Even though it is not always visible in public eye what you do, your stories deserve to be heard. They will help inspire even more people to step forward, like you have, to make Singapore a kinder, more caring Home. Therefore, this year’s International Volunteer Day celebrates you and your stories of selfless and continuous giving. 
4. A webpage “MyVolunteerHero.Sg” has been set up to share notes of gratitude from Volunteer Welfare Organisations and beneficiaries. At last count, there were almost 1,000 stories online, and each of these stories is a tribute to volunteers who have given their time and energy to those in need. Many heart-warming stories, such as this one about Angela Kwek who has volunteered at the Assisi Hospice for more than 10 years. She buys food for patients despite not earning an income, helps transport patients to the day care, and cleans them up when the nurses are busy. She is there 6 days a week, no leave, no MC. When asked about what keeps her volunteering, she simply said, “the organisation needs volunteers.” There are many more such stories, and I encourage everyone to go read these inspiring notes. 
   
5. Volunteering your time and energy is never easy. We are all caught up with our daily commitments to work, family and friends. But always remember – making the effort to volunteer matters.
   
6. First, you are furthering the mission of non-profit organisations that are striving to make Singapore a better place for all of us. You are helping them reach out to more people, than they would be able to on their own. So whether it is spending the week nights tutoring students, or devoting the weekends to wrapping Christmas gifts for the elderly, these are all times well-spent and cherished by the beneficiaries.
   
7. Second, you help to spread joy and hope. Volunteer work does not simply replace resources needed by non-profit organisations. In fact, your contributions cannot be replaced by paid services. From lending a listening ear to someone in distress, to entertaining kids who do not get overseas vacations during their school holidays, your acts of affection are priceless. Volunteerism brings people closer together, and offers someone hope when it all seems dim and bleak. 
   
8. Thirdly, when you volunteer, you will inspire others to do so too. You can show how it can be done, despite the busy schedule you have. In fact, many of the stories on MyVolunteerHero.SG reflect the grit and hard work of volunteers. But they also show the gratitude and appreciation of the beneficiaries and impact that volunteers have on the lives of others. When you volunteer and share your volunteering experiences, it will be clearer to others how service connects us to a higher purpose, and makes our lives more meaningful and fulfilling. As a result, I believe even more will be inspired and moved to step forward. 
   
9. All of you are the drivers of volunteerism. Together with the National Volunteer and Philanthropy Centre, my Ministry hopes to support your passion. We hope to make the volunteering experience even more meaningful by enhancing volunteer management capabilities within our non-profit sector. This would help to match assignments that will better tap on your skills and interest. It could even, over time, allow for the co-creation of programmes between volunteers and professional staff, for more meaningful and impactful volunteering.
   
10. Once again, it’s great to see so many volunteers here today. Thank you for all the good work you are doing. Continue to press on with your service. Continue to share your stories. In time, I’m sure we’ll see even more Singaporeans stepping forward to make this a better Home for all. 
    
11. Happy International Volunteer Day!