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group photo of the Members’ CARE@hkjc
Volunteer Team on an outing to the
Ping Shan Heritage Trail.
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Stay young at heart and get to know more about the younger
generation through volunteering for CARE activities that are
both worthwhile and fun for everyone involved
By Ruth Williams
This month, the Members’ CARE@hkjc Volunteer Team
will take a group of children and teenagers aged 11 to 15
years on an outing to the Lung Yeuk Tau Heritage Trail. The
outing is designed to broaden the horizons of the young
people, improve their interpersonal skills through meeting
new people and allow them to learn more about traditional
life in the New Territories and the history of Hong Kong.
For Members who have signed up for the outing, or
for anyone taking part in any volunteer activity involving
children and teenagers, there are certain guidelines worth
bearing in mind.
The key to working with young people is good
communication, a positive attitude and a sense of humour.
Try to use straightforward language and avoid talking down
to them.
Volunteers should be proactive and show children and
young people they are interested in their lives and willing
to listen to their concerns and ideas. Try to see things from
their perspective in order to understand and accept them.
Be respectful of their thoughts and opinions, acknowledge
their right to have feelings and opinions and respond to
them as equals.
When appropriate, give encouragement and reasonable
praise for good behaviour, or when they have done
something correctly or are clearly trying hard to do the
right thing.
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| Eddie Chow Kar-chun volunteered
for a Members’ CARE@hkjc Volunteer
Team event, accompanying children on
a trip to the Ping Shan Heritage Trail in
October 2011.
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If you do need to address inappropriate or bad
behaviour or actions, clearly explain what they have
done wrong. As children become teenagers and try out
new identities, they need clear boundaries. Also, voluntneer should not
rush into sorting out disputes between the youngsters and see
if they can reach an agreement between themselves.
Volunteers should encourage children and young people to think about the
impact of their actions upon others and to respect others’
feelings and opinions.
Many volunteer activities will involve playing games or
team activities and volunteers’ participation is key to ensuring
children and young people get the most out of these
activities. Volunteers should always remember that the children and teenagers
are the main focus of the game and activity, and again, set
the boundaries clearly.
Encourage all children and young people to participate in activities
and maintain your attention and that all-important sense of
humour throughout the activities.
Key points to note when volunteering with children:
- Be attentive to their needs and feelings
- Be proactive
- Express warm and positive responses
- Respect their thoughts and opinions
- Encourage their participation in activities
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Members’ CARE@hkjc Volunteer Team
To participate in similar volunteering activities, visit member.hkjc.com to find out how you too can become
part of the Members' CARE@hkjc Volunteer Team.
Start making a difference today. Together, we can
build a more caring and harmonious community. The
CARE Team looks forward to welcoming you on board.
Source: Information on volunteering provided by the Agency For Volunteer Service.
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