Volunteerism a two-way street - CampusImpact

Resource sustainability is essential for social service agencies (SSAs) to continuously support communities in need. Volunteers play a crucial role, as they not only provide valuable resources — such as their time, expertise, and skills — but also enhance well-being of volunteers themselves, and nurture strong, resilient communities. By fostering a mutually beneficial relationship, both volunteers and SSAs can continue to thrive, creating a positive and meaningful experience for them as they journey together towards sustainable social impact.

“We need to see them not as vehicles,” said Ryan Tan, Programme Executive at CampusImpact, suggesting that volunteers should not be perceived as a means to an end.

“Volunteers are individuals who want to learn something as well. While they are here to support us, there are ways that we can give back to them so it’s a win-win situation,” he continued.

Volunteers at the heart of CampusImpact’s operations

Since 2006, CampusImpact has been focused on preparing the next generation to lead fulfilling lives. The social service agency looks after children aged 7 to 17, providing them with space to grow in a safe and supportive environment.

Afterschool programmes offer academic support and holistic character development including counselling, art and play therapy.

Beyond the programmes, the team also conducts regular check-ins with their families to establish the kids’ well-being and development at home.

With a lean team of full-time staff, volunteers play an essential role in uplifting the various functions at CampusImpact, including tutoring, befriending and administrative support.

Volunteers come with vast and varied experience

SSAs may also find a wealth of talent, network, and resources with volunteers on board, as they come from varying backgrounds, lived experiences, and expertise. By harnessing their unique strengths, agencies can strive to show volunteers how their skills can lead to creating a positive impact on the communities they serve.

When volunteers register their interest with CampusImpact, the volunteer management team will initiate an informal chat to get to know them better.

“The most important thing to us is the intent of their volunteering, whether it's for their personal growth or supporting the kids,” said Rebecca Thng, Senior Community Outreach Executive.

Volunteers often seek to build empathy, connect with students, or inspire children to learn.

The team then tailors the support and resources provided to the volunteer according to their motivations and skills to give them a fulfilling volunteer experience.

The team also noted that some volunteers may have more practical goals, such as strengthening their portfolio for academic or job applications. The CampusImpact team remains open and welcoming to receiving them, seeing their diverse motivations as an opportunity for growth.

Opening up conversations, making volunteers feel heard

CampusImpact prides itself on its supportive environment and strives to create a safe space for both its students and volunteers alike.

Quarterly meetings are held to give volunteers the time and space to share challenges, seek advice or connect with like-minded peers.

“The staff are there to facilitate the discussion, take in their feedback, and give the volunteers the autonomy to share freely on some of the changes they want to see,” Ryan noted.

Feedback channels, both formal and informal, are also open for volunteers to communicate their concerns to staff at any point during their volunteer journey. These active feedback loops help the volunteers feel like they are part of a team, helping everyone thrive in the co-creation of a more collaborative and open environment.

Anyone can give back to society at their own pace

CampusImpact also serves as one of the 24 appointed SG Cares Volunteer Centre (VC) for Yishun. These SG Cares VCs are responsible for building up volunteer capacity, developing volunteer management capabilities, as well as fostering volunteer partnerships to strengthen the effectiveness of meeting the community's needs.

Kampung Giveback is an SG Cares VC @ Yishun initiative that encourages service users to contribute to the community. This means that the students at CampusImpact can volunteer to engage meaningfully with service users of other social service agencies so that they too, can come to know the joys of giving back in their own capacities.

“The idea behind Kampung Giveback is to give empowerment to our kids, to show them that we’re not just on the receiving end, we can also be on the side of giving,” said Rebecca.

In doing so, the initiative hopes to spark a continuous cycle of giving, inspiring different segments of society to volunteer their skills and do good for one another, thereby resulting in resource sustainability for SSAs.

Volunteer management a continuous process

Volunteers often come from diverse backgrounds, with varying experiences, motivations, or resources. As such, having institutionalised processes and standards is essential to effective volunteer management.  Denise Foo, Volunteer Manager emphasised focusing beyond ‘short-term’ objectives when engaging volunteers.

“Understand the whys. Why do you need volunteers? What do you want them to achieve? Is it aligned with your needs? I think then by having those in place you can marry the varied motivations of the volunteer and your own organisation so that the outcome can be more fruitful,” explained Denise.

CampusImpact demonstrates that a successful volunteer management strategy is built on collaboration and mutual understanding. Continued efforts of SSAs to engage with volunteers fosters a mutually beneficial relationship, allowing both parties to grow together in their shared purpose of bettering the lives of others.

Inspired by this article and looking to enhance your agency’s volunteer management skills? Explore our NCSS Volunteer Resource Hub.