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Making a contribution to one's community, local area or nation through voluntary service is one avenue of civic involvement many people choose to undertake in nations across the Asia region. These citizens believe they have a social responsibility to assist others who need practical help and support or who want to work together as a group to develop some aspect of the community.

Visit three websites to find out about some of the different ways people who live in Singapore make a contribution through volunteer work.

1. Volunteer Action for Social Services

   The Volunteer Action for Social Services (VASS) is the volunteering arm of Singapore's National Council of Social Services. Its website has information on its services for the elderly:

   http://www.volunteers.org.sg/ncss/social_services/eds.html

   • Describe the services offered to elderly residents through VASS.

   • Why would these services be particularly helpful to elderly people?

   • In small groups, decide what volunteer services you think elderly people in your local community would find useful. Present these and your reasons to the class.

   • In pairs, interview some elderly residents to identify what programs they would like their local council to run. How reasonable are their suggestions?

   • As a class design a needs survey for the elderly. Survey residents in your local shopping centre, collate the results and present them to your council for consideration.

2. Asian Volunteer Action Network (Singapore)

   This is the Asian Volunteer Action Network (Singapore) website:

   http://youth.unesco.or.kr/avan/singapore/

   • What is the Asian Volunteer Action Network (AVAN)?

   • AVAN Singapore is supporting the work of the Japanese based ALO Foundation. Draw a diagram to illustrate the work of ALO Foundation.

   • How is AVAN Singapore giving or planning to give practical assistance to young people in Bangladesh?

   • Design a membership brochure to encourage people in Singapore to join the AVAN network.

   • Imagine you are a member of AVAN (Australia). You have decided, like AVAN Singapore, to raise funds for young people in Bangladesh. In small groups, brainstorm and create a list of possible fundraising activities that your volunteers could become involved in.

   • Find out what volunteer groups exist in your local area or state? Contact them for their information brochures and create a Volunteers Notice board. Which groups are you most attracted to and why?

3. Enable 2000

   This website contains an article about Enable 2000, a volunteer group in Singapore:

   http://www.dpa.org.sg/DPA/news/news_september_1997-2.htm#enable2000

   • Who are members of Enable 2000 and what is the aim of this volunteer group?

   • What have they achieved with their programs?

   • Enable 2000 says it needs to recruit more volunteers. Imagine that you are part of the recruitment committee. In small groups, develop a strategy to get more volunteers and design a recruitment poster for public display.

   • Hold an open forum in the class to discuss:
     • reasons why citizens might be reluctant to give time to community service
     • examples or situations where volunteers' time is more useful than money or equipment.

   • Find out how organisations in Australia that work with people who are physically disadvantaged, such as deaf people, use volunteers.