From volunteering to full-time social work

Kelda in her role as a volunteer photographer for CCSS.

Starting out as a volunteer photographer, Kelda Chua witnessed the meaningful and impactful work by the Care Community Services Society (CCSS) and was moved by the social service agency’s mission.

From spending an average of five hours a month serving the community, she transited to full time social work with the courses from the Social Service Institute (SSI).

Today, Kelda works as a volunteer manager in CCSS where she rallies other like-minded volunteers across the country to give back to the community.

Kelda Chua (second row, first from the right) with the Care Community Services Society team.

Making the transition

Kelda’s previous job as a student development officer at a polytechnic had her working primarily with students, focusing on service-learning programmes.

Kelda recalls how her friends were all shocked at her decision to switch to the social service sector and thought that she would have stayed on in the education sector for the long haul. For her, the decision was clear—she was drawn to the deep sense of purpose and fulfilment that comes from making a meaningful difference in people's lives.

Kelda turned to resources and courses from SSI to help her smoothen the transition. Leveraging on what she learned from her previous job, she realised that her new role now needed her to look at the bigger picture as she deals with volunteers from all walks of life.

Enrolling in courses like Mentoring and Coaching Youths Effectively, Understanding Adolescents with Special Needs and Fundamentals of Learning Disability, she shares how these courses enhanced her role as a volunteer manager.

“The courses have been incredibly enriching, equipping me with practical knowledge, valuable tools and a supportive network,” shares Kelda.  

Kelda engages a group of students during a workshop session, facilitating discussion and learning.

What is a volunteer manager?

Being a volunteer manager may be unfamiliar to those outside of the social service sector. For example, we may mistake the role to be one that volunteers in every activity, or just the one who onboards volunteers.

“Fundamentally, my role as a volunteer manager is to identify the volunteer needs required in the various programmes and services in CCSS,” Kelda explains.

With the wide range of demographics that the programmes in CCSS reach out to, her role requires her to rally and coordinate with volunteers to ensure smooth day-to-day operations.

Under her charge, she oversees the recruitment and retention of volunteers, assigning them to roles and recognising outstanding volunteers.

Kelda speaking at a Volunteer Management Capability Development (VMCD) Consultancy Project session.

With a job that requires much coordination, Kelda also signed up for additional courses with SSI to help her accommodate to the role’s demands. Through the SSI programmes like Volunteer Management Practices: Connect, Engage, Develop and engaging in the Volunteer Management Network sessions, it helped her connect with others within the volunteer management community.

Kelda also shared how SSI’s Volunteer Management courses provide insights in addressing issues commonly faced by volunteer managers, allowing her to bring up improvements to the management framework at CCSS.

Additionally, her stint as a volunteer manager also helped her personal growth gaining empathy and relationship building skills alongside technical knowledge such as data-tracking.

Volunteers are not just helpers

For most of us, our experiences with volunteering may be a memory we had when we were still schooling, or an activity we do with our loved ones on weekends. However, volunteers play a critical role in ensuring that resources and capabilities of social service agencies reach the social service users.

Kelda also explains how volunteers are catalysts for change in our social service landscape. “Volunteers from diverse backgrounds introduce new ideas, skills, and solutions that may not traditionally exist within the social service sector.”

Drawing back to when she was a volunteer photographer with CCSS, Kelda recalls an end-of-life project that stuck in her mind, where it opened her eyes to the importance of creating moments of dignity and respect, especially in the later stages of life.

Witnessing the passion of the staff in CCSS also inspired Kelda, who wanted to reach out to learn more and understand the work that social services do, which led her to where she is today – a fulfilled and well-equipped volunteer manager at CCSS.

For those who are thinking about making the same career switch as her, Kelda recommends understanding your values and seeing whether those aligns with your actions.

“Volunteer management is purpose-driven and having a clear motivation will keep you grounded, especially when it gets challenging,” she adds.

Inspired by Kelda’s story and ready to turn your passion for volunteering into a meaningful career? Explore SSI’s volunteer management courses or discover more about volunteer management in the social service sector.