nEbO Scales Up Volunteer Efforts to Engage Communities
Over 2,000 volunteers and beneficiaries to participate in year-long care programme.
Singapore, 27 May 2019 – nEbO, the junior membership arm of NTUC, continues to engage and strengthen communities of the Labour Movement through its revamped Ways In Sharing Happiness (W.I.S.H.) programme. As part of this year’s efforts to scale up volunteerism, nEbO has encouraged youth volunteers to spearhead and take charge of various Care initiatives.
The year-long W.I.S.H. programme hopes to rally over 1,000 volunteers to benefit 1,000 beneficiaries. Previously only a month long, the programme was started in 2013 by nEbO youth leaders, and included activities such as the painting of 40 household beneficiaries by 250 youth in 2018.
“Year on year, there has been a steadily-growing interest from youth to give back to the community, and we’re happy that nEbO provides such a platform for the youth to organise and execute care activities. Volunteers are able to champion causes they are passionate about, and take full ownership of their project from scratch. Through working closely with community partners, we remain sustainable and are able to scale up to a year-long programme for more youth to be involved to lead and serve,” said Ms Lim Kay Min, Director, Community Engagement.
The three themes of W.I.S.H. 2019, in line with the Labour Movement’s values, are: Helping the Underprivileged in Society, Appreciating People Around Us, and Bridging the Generational Gap. As part of the Labour Movement that takes care of its communities, nEbO has an active pool of youth volunteers keen to contribute back to society, and to connect with the underprivileged and the beneficiaries.
While contributing their time and effort, volunteers also gain joyful experiences and unforgettable memories. Most of them are drawn back to the community to serve and in turn, they inspire others to take up volunteering and leadership roles. This ripple effect within the community helps to ensure self-perpetuation.
One such example is Mr Roy Tan, a youth volunteer with nEbO since 2014. Having taken part in an impressive 23 events thus far, the 21-year-old undergraduate derives a priceless sense of fulfilment when he puts others before himself, and is also humbled to not take things for granted. In fact, he regularly encourages his friends to join him to do good with nEbO.
The highlight of the first theme Helping the Underprivileged in Society will be “Bits and Pieces of Singapore”, where volunteers and the underprivileged work on art pieces showcasing “Reasons why I love Singapore”. These 200 unique art pieces will be put together and installed at Downtown East for public viewing on 28 July 2019.
From August, the second theme Appreciating People Around Us will focus on working with various organisations to appreciate different groups of people who are often overlooked in society – domestic employees, health care workers, food court cleaners, as well as transport workers.
Come December, the third theme of Bridging the Generational Gap will see youth and seniors come together to learn and share from one another, through the use of technology.
With a line-up of monthly volunteering events to choose from, NTUC Club hopes to rally more youth to step up and serve the communities. Inspired to help out? Please visit www.nEbO.sg or enquire at advisors@nebo.com.sg for more information.