Why Volunteer Work?

Speaking | English & Chinese scripts are provided below and you can understand the content easier.

https://youtube.com/@UpgradeEnglish

Hi Peter, you look so refreshing and cheerful!

Oh really! Thank you! Are you busy lately?

Yes, it’s busy and such a boring work every day. I have no passion for the work and sometimes do not feel excited recently.

It’s truly a common aspect of work and life.

I feel that you’ve elevated mood and smile. You’ve so much energy!

It’s exaggerating! No way!

Trust me. Where does your motivation come from?

Really? I guessed that it was due to the volunteer work.

Tell me more please.

Well, I feel the incredible change after joining volunteer work in the past three months. I’m filled up with sense of fulfillment.

That’s the secret.

I found that I got the opportunity to make a true difference in the lives of others. When I help others without getting paid, it turns out to expand my understanding of others. It’s amazing.

Are you kidding?

I can’t imagine that I’ve such motivation to contribute. It’s such a magic that there is meaningful impact to me by meeting new people and learning valuable knowledge. After receiving repeated appreciation from others, as a result, it’s also able to build my self-esteem.

Wow, you’re great. For me, I’m always occupied with different stuffs and hence I cannot spare extra time to be the volunteer. It’s hard for me to overcome such boundary.

Before that, I could not do it and it’s also my misconception. However, when I just tried the first volunteer work, such barrier disappeared and the work changed my view. I can spare my time regularly and volunteering becomes one of the items in my priority list now.

How’s that? My daily work is so busy and I’m exhausted after work. It also takes me transporting back-and-forth. I would rather like to take more rest during weekend rather than being a volunteer.

In fact, it’s really true that everyone would like to have the best use of the personal time during weekend.

I cannot commit the required schedule. It also causes me uncomfortable and with pressure as well.

During the first time, it was difficult to push myself from my comfort zone. It was also mainly caused by my laziness.

Yes, it’s also not flexible for me to join volunteer work. It cannot arouse me strong interest as well.

I agreed. However, as soon as you started the first step, such inertia of being volunteer would be built gradually.

However, I also think that I do not have the skill and experience to match with the volunteer work.

Please do not make it too complicated because there are different kinds of volunteer work. For example, visiting nursing home, bringing children out from the children’s home and teaching the elderly learning new things. Most of the work do not require special skills at all whereas it’s much crucial to donate your spare time.

Is that so simple?

Of course.

Is it difficult to find out the groups that need help? I’ve no such connection before.

No, it’s easy to approach the right groups. You can join me next time.

Can you give me some examples?

For myself, I have preference to volunteer with elderly. It’s a rewarding experience to sit down and chat with them. It’s nothing else.

Do you feel boring when hearing their stories?

No, it’s actually having much fun during the conversation. Those elderly is willing to share with you the memories, knowledge and experiences. You can listen to the stories and learn from them. The stories tell their unforgettable moment covering sweet, exciting, sad and memorable time at different life stages. In reality, you’re benefited from them a lot.

That’s excellent. The elderly can provide you wisdom because their stories are the precious learning and insights for us. You would be able to comprehend an important principle during the visit.

Exactly. I treasure the chatting moment because it’s totally free to absorb their priceless experience. In addition, I also sing songs and play games with them. It brings so much fun to me because they’re sometimes humorous and making me laughing.

That’s why you look so joyful and cheerful.

Yes, the more love we give, the happier we feel. I can also give back to society.

It’s also meaningful because your visit letting them feeling cared by others rather than leaving alone.

It’s true. It’s so simple because I only sit down and chat with them. I feel energetic because bonding and connection are built automatically between me and the elderly.

Hey Peter, I’m sure you’ve already improved your communication skills in addition to expanding your social network through the activities.

Yes, I’ve much self-confidence when dealing with my daily work. I’m feeling great and staying more physically healthy.

Your sincerity truly inspired me. By the way, did you volunteer for children?

Yes, I’ve volunteered at children’s hospital before and it’s also a wonderful experience.

I think those children who are unlucky to combat with illness. Their families require the support as well. They need love from the volunteers.

I remembered that I played games with patients and provided support for their families. It could relieve their parents who felt anxious about the condition of illness. It might help to get through their tough time a bit including taking medicine and treat. I felt satisfactory because they would not feel so lonely during the period.

Wow, I would like to join you next time.

Great. When dealing with children, I’m impressed by their courage and persistence. They’re the strongest children who keep extremely positive mind of surviving.

Although the up and down of the status definitely blows their mood, children still pretend to be nothing. They are so intelligent, thoughtful and sensible. Their action presents their everlasting love for avoiding too much worries from their parents.

I aware that we should take good care of family. We should live in the moment and cherish the people in front of you. 

Yes, I’m more concerned of the health of my family now. My physical and mental health was not treated as the high priority over any other matter in the past.

After meeting the patients and parents, I learnt the importance and should not take it for granted. It’s an intangible bonus for me and far more expensive than money and wealth. I feel so grateful.

I admire you very much.

By the way, do you have interest to teach the elderly how to use social messaging?

What’s that?

I’ve joined an activity of a nursing home. The volunteer work is related to teaching the elderly how to use smart mobile phone for sending messages. The purpose is to reduce the gap between the elderly and their sons, daughters or even grandsons nowadays.

It’s so interesting!

Nowadays, using social messaging is very common. However, it’s not easy for the elderly to download the mobile application and learn it by themselves.

Yes, the elderly may feel scared for using those advanced electronic equipments. Their eyes may also not function well.

Correct, the task is to teach the elderly step-by-step including downloading application, typing messages, taking photos, recording sound, sending messages and photos. What you need to do is to demonstrate the steps and teach them slowly with patience.

I can definitely do it.

Please be reminded that they have poor memory and you may need to repeatedly talk and show the steps so that they can follow your instruction.

Understood and I’m willing to try.

When I taught them last time, they showed me some of the photos in the album of their mobile phone. Their grandsons were so innocent and cute.

The elderly was so excited that they could communicate with grandsons daily by sending photos and messages. After taking the class, they could now receive messages and photos from their families. It solved their problem of missing their families who might not be able to visit nursing home physically or due to other reasons.

Unbelievable.

I’ll add you in the volunteer list. Please mark your diary. It’ll be held at 9am next Sunday.

Sure.

I would like to share my take-away after volunteering. I believe happiness is not inevitable. Misfortune may destroy the life planning suddenly. I’m much stimulated with positive view. Whenever disappointment happens, I’m willing to tackle the problem actively.

Your working experience gained through volunteer work can bolster your resume as well.

I think it’s a more valuable opportunity than regular work. It provides me a sense of purpose. I would say that it enriches my personal growth and there is deep influence to me. When I retire in the future, I would be fully integrated into the volunteer role.

Fantastic. I would also like to join green volunteering. Are there any activities that suit for me? If I can be involved in wildlife conservation and environmental education, I can contribute to improving environment and saving the globe. It’s also a hot topic.

No worries. As soon as your heart is open for helping others, everyone can join it regardless of age, background, personality and skills.

Got it. I’ll see you next Sunday.

Great. See you!

WITH CHINESE SCRIPT

嗨，彼得，您看起來很精神開朗！

哦真的嗎！謝謝您！最近忙嗎？

是的，每天都忙著很無聊的工作，我對工作沒有熱情及沒有感到興奮。

這確實是工作和生活中的一個普遍情況。

我覺得您情緒高漲，笑容燦爛，非常有幹勁的！

太誇張了！決不！

相信我，您的動力從何而來？

真的嗎？我猜這是由於義工的工作。

請告訴我更多。

嗯，在過去的三個月裡，我感受到了參加義工工作後發生的不可思議的變化，我充滿了成就感。

這就是秘密。

我發現我有機會真正改變他人的生活，當我幫助別人而沒有得到報酬時，結果卻擴大了我對他人的了解，太奇妙了。

您在開玩笑吧？

我無法想像我有如此積極的貢獻，結識新朋友和學習有價值的知識對我產生了有意義的影響，這真是一種魔力，在得到別人的反覆讚賞後，它也能建立我的自尊心。

哇，您真棒，對我來說，我總是忙於不同的事情，因此我無法抽出額外的時間來做義工，我很難跨越這樣的界限。

那之前，我做不到，這也是我的錯誤觀念。然而，當我剛剛嘗試第一次義工工作時，這種障礙就消失了，工作改變了我的看法，我可以定期抽出時間，義工服務現在成為我優先考慮的項目之一。

怎麼樣？我每天的工作都很忙，下班後我很累，它還需要我來回運輸。我寧願在周末多休息，也不願做義工。

事實上，每個人都希望充分利用周末的私人時間。

我無法承諾可服務的時間，這也讓我感到不舒服和壓力。

第一次，很難把自己從舒適區推出來，這也主要是由於我的懶惰造成的。

是的，參加義工工作對我來說也不靈活，它也不能引起我強烈的興趣。

我同意，但是，一旦踏出第一步，這種當義工的慣性就會逐漸建立起來。

但是，我也認為自己不具備與義工工作相匹配的技能和經驗。

請不要把它搞得太複雜，因為有不同種類的義工工作，比如探訪敬老院，帶孩子從兒童之家出來，教老人學習新事物，大多數工作根本不需要特殊技能，而貢獻您的業餘時間至關重要。

有這麼簡單嗎？

當然。

是否很難找到需要幫助的團體？我以前沒有這樣的聯繫。

不是，接觸正確的團體很容易，下次您可以和我一起。

您能給我一些例子嗎？

就我自己而言，我更願意為老年人做義工，坐下來與他們聊天是一種有益的體驗，沒有別的。

聽到他們的故事，您會不會覺得無聊？

不，它實際上在談話中很有趣，那些老人願意與您分享回憶、知識和經驗，您可以聆聽故事並從中學習，這些故事講述了他們難忘的時刻，涵蓋了不同人生階段的甜蜜、激動、悲傷和難忘的時光，實際上，您從中受益匪淺。

那太好了，老人可以給您智慧，因為他們的故事是我們寶貴的學習和感悟，在參觀過程中，您將能夠理解一個重要原則。

正是，我珍惜聊天的時刻，因為它是完全免費的，可以吸收他們寶貴的經驗。此外，我還和他們一起唱歌、玩遊戲，這給我帶來了很多樂趣，因為他們有時很幽默，讓我開懷大笑。

這就是為什麼您看起來如此快樂和開朗。

是的，我們付出的愛越多，我們就越快樂，我也可以回饋社會。

這也很有意義，因為您的探訪讓他們感到被他人關心而不是孤單獨處。

這是真的，很簡單，因為我只是坐下來和他們聊天，我感到精力充沛，因為我和老人之間的聯繫和聯繫是自動建立的。

嗨，彼得，我相信除了通過這些活動擴大您的社交網絡之外，您已經提高了您的溝通技巧。

是的，我在處理日常工作時非常自信，我感覺很好，身體更健康。

您的真誠真的打動了我，順便問一下，您有為孩子做義工嗎？

有的，我以前在兒童醫院做過義工，這也是一次很棒的經歷。

我認為那些不幸與疾病作搏鬥的孩子，他們的家人也需要支持，他們需要義工的愛。

我記得我和病人一起玩遊戲，為他們的家人提供支持，可以減輕他們對病情感到焦慮的父母，這可能有助於度過他們的艱難時期，包括吃藥和治療，我感到很滿意，因為期間他們不會感到那麼孤獨。

哇，下次我想和您一起去。

太好了，與孩子相處時，他們的勇氣和毅力給我留下了深刻的印象，他們是最堅強的孩子，保持著極積極的求生心態。

雖然病情的起伏肯定會打擊他們的心情，但孩子們還是裝作什麼都不是，他們是如此聰明、體貼和明智，他們的行為表達了他們永恆的愛，避免父母太多的擔心。

我知道我們應該照顧好家人，應該活在當下，珍惜眼前人。

是的，我現在更關心家人的健康，過去，我的身心健康並沒有被視為高於其他任何的事情。

與患者和家長見面後，我明白了重要性，不應該認為這是理所當然的，這對我來說是一種無形的得著，比金錢和財富更昂貴，我很感恩。

我很佩服您。

順便問一下，您有興趣教老年人如何使用社交通訊嗎？

那是什麼？

我參加了一家療養院的活動，義工工作是教老人如何使用智能手機發送信息，目的是為了減低現在老人與兒子、女兒甚至孫兒之間的差距。

太有趣了！

如今，使用社交通訊傳遞信息非常普遍，然而，老年人下載手機應用程序並自行學習並不容易。

是的，老年人可能會害怕使用那些先進的電子設備，他們眼睛的能力也可能不佳。

沒錯，任務就是一步步教老人下載應用程序、輸入信息、拍照、錄音、發送信息和照片，您需要做的是示範步驟，耐心地慢慢教。

我絕對可以做到。

請注意，他們的記憶力很差，您可能需要反覆講述和展示步驟，以便他們按照您的指示進行操作。

明白了，我願意嘗試。

上次我教他們的時候，他們給我看了他們手機相冊裡的一些照片，他們的孫子們天真可愛。

老人興奮不已，每天都可以通過發照片、發信息的方式與孫兒交流，上課後，他們現在可以收到家人的信息和照片，解決了他們可能因身體或其他原因無法探訪療養院的家人的思念問題。

實在難以置信。

我會把您加入義工名單，請標記於您的日誌，將於下週日上午9點舉行。

當然。

於完成義工服務後，我想分享我的收穫，我相信幸福不是必然，不幸可能會突然破壞人生規劃，我對正面積極的看法感到非常興奮，每當沮喪出現時，我願意積極解決問題。

您通過義工工作獲得的工作經驗也可以豐富您的履歷表。

我認為這是比常規工作更有價值的機會，它給了我一種使命感，我會說它豐富了我的個人成長，對我有很深的影響，等我將來退休了，我會完全融入義工的角色。

極好的，我也想加入綠色志願服務，有適合我的活動嗎？

如果我能參與野生動物保護和環境教育，我就能為改善環境和拯救地球做出貢獻，這也是一個熱門的話題。

不用擔心，只要您願意幫助他人，無論年齡、背景、個性和技能如何，每個人都可以加入。

知道了，下週日見。

極好的，再見！