Developing Websites and Volunteerism | Blue Li, Swire Trust Go-Givers of 2022

Written by Time Auction ．
3 mins
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Posted on 13 October, 2022

Together with Time Auction, the Swire Trust Go-Givers Program encourages skilled volunteers for Swire Trust NGO partners from 2020 to 2022. 10 outstanding volunteers will be selected annually as the “Swire Trust Go-Givers of the Year” with special rewards & recognition. Meet our 10 Go-Givers of 2022!

Blue Li Blogpost Image

Meet Blue

Imagine living with a health issue that stops you from leaving home. Most people might get pretty depressed. Yet, some people will not get discouraged and will still strive to better their lives no matter what. Blue Li is one of these optimistic warriors of life - let's hear his story.

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The bugs in life

Born with an artistic soul, Blue was working his dream job as a graphic designer in the publishing industry a few years ago. However, his health conditions soon bound him to the walls of his home and forced his rising career to an abrupt stop. 

Although the wheel of fortune did not turn in his favor, his flexibility and growth mindset guided him to utilize his time productively by learning new skills at home. It is hard not to applaud his extraordinary will power to self-learn the extremely complicated expertise of website development. Soon, he found his alternative path as a freelance website developer.

Testing new codes

With this new career plan, Blue wanted to train and polish his skills. Having stumbled upon Time Auction's LinkedIn advertisement by chance, he seized the perfect opportunity to build his portfolio by becoming a website maintenance volunteer for the Hong Kong Children in Need Foundation (HKCIN).

When Blue first signed up, he simply thought that it was a project to solve some problems on their existing website. It turned out, however, that they were looking for an additional member to assist their current website developer in building a new website from scratch! This new website, Solab, was planned to serve as an educational platform for users, primarily students, to showcase their STEM projects. It was intended to have many advanced functions, such as uploading photos, adding descriptions, posting on discussion forums, and signing in through a membership system. These website requirements made it particularly complex to build and, actually, a little too tricky for Blue!

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Blue's debugging highlight for Hong Kong Children in Need Foundation (HKCIN)

However, he didn't just quit. The level of difficulty “was beyond my expectations,” Blue admitted, “but, since I was already onboard, I couldn't pull out, so I had to go ahead regardless.” With a courageous spirit and steadfast determination to continue what was started, he tried his very best to help solve all of the problems.

Indeed, “Blue's expertise has helped,” HKCIN’s Amy Hui commented. “Our project has gone smoothly after Blue joined. The total volunteer hours exceeded our expectations, but Blue was still willing to help us with the entire project. Also, Blue gave us a lot of advice on our organization in addition to the project he applied for. He is without a doubt the best volunteer we've recruited through Time Auction so far.”

Launching the volunteer life

This is indeed the second consecutive year that Blue has been selected as Swire Trust Go-Givers (read his interview here from last year)! You may be wondering: why does Blue treasure volunteer opportunities so much? “For the past several years, I have spent most of my time working alone at home,” Blue reflected, “but through these projects, I am able to meet other people and broaden my horizons.” 

For example, when volunteering on a project to make a website intended to be used by the visually impaired, he learned about and catered to their needs, which he had never thought much about. Such sensitivity to people from different walks of life invites Blue into a fresh perspective vastly different from commercial jobs, which are mostly targeted at consumers and used for generating profit. On the other hand, volunteering for NGOs offers the opportunity to contribute to visions and missions that are much richer and more diverse.

Maintenance of volunteerism

Likewise, developing websites and a successful launch marks the first step towards achieving the goal, while continuous maintenance is critical for long-term life goals, such as volunteering. In Blue's case, he has done a remarkably wonderful job: he is the only awardee to have received the Swire Trust Go-Givers of the Year for two years in a row!

Evidently, he demonstrates an exceeding devotion to volunteerism. When asked what fuels his drive to active volunteering, Blue simply shrugged and joked, “I know saying that helping others makes me happy sounds quite a cliche, but actually it is quite true.”

Thank you so much to Blue for contributing 83 volunteer hours & beyond at the Hong Kong Children In Need Foundation!

To see details of the Swire Trust Go-Givers Program and support their NGO partners, head over to Time Auction website.

Written by Margaret Ng, Volunteer Copywriter

Updated on 28 October, 2022
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文章目錄 咩係義工服務？義工服務嘅定義 邊個可以係義工？ 義工服務為社會作出貢獻 義工服務帶嚟嘅好處 身體上嘅益處 心理上嘅益處 精神上嘅益處 無形中嘅經濟貢獻 點樣尋找適合嘅義工服務工作? 咩係義工服務？義工服務嘅定義 義工服務係指一個人用佢嘅空閒時間去做啲有益他人嘅事，而且係無償嘅。聯合國志願者組織將義工服務定義為「廣泛嘅活動範圍，包括自願進行嘅、為公眾利益嘅、並非以金錢獎勵為主要動機嘅活動」。而其他機構，例如Merriam-Webster詞典，將義工定義為「自願承擔或表示願意承擔服務嘅人」。 義工服務嘅好處係多方面嘅，唔單止對社區有益，對義工自己嘅個人成長同社交網絡都有正面影響。義工服務提供咗一個機會，讓人可以學習新技能、建立新關係，同時感受到自己嘅貢獻對社會嘅價值。 義工服務係一種無私嘅奉獻，係建立更加和諧社會嘅重要一環。透過義工服務，我哋可以見證到人類互助同共融嘅精神。 邊個可以係義工？ 任何人都有權利參與義工服務。義工可以係任何年紀，來自任何背景。佢哋可能係學生、上班族或者退休人士。 佢哋可能係某間公司嘅員工，有空餘時間去做義工工作。佢哋可能擁有特別嘅技能。例如，佢哋可能學過醫學又或者係法律專家。 喺香港，做義工係一種普遍嘅社會活動，好多人都會選擇喺唔同嘅領域同組織中貢獻自己嘅時間同能力。但究竟係咩原因驅使佢哋做出呢個決定呢？每位義工都有佢哋自己嘅參與理由。呢啲理由包括： 義工服務為社會作出貢獻 義工服務喺香港社會扮演咗一個重要嘅角色，佢唔單止係一種幫助他人嘅行為，更係一種促進社會進步嘅力量。義工服務可以提升社區嘅凝聚力，當義工同社區居民一齊工作，共同為社區嘅福祉出力，就可以加強佢哋之間嘅聯繫同埋理解。透過義工活動，人哋可以認識新朋友，學習新技能，同時感受到自己嘅貢獻對社會有價值。 此外，義工服務仲可以改善弱勢群體嘅生活質素。義工可以提供支援給需要幫助嘅人，例如長者、殘疾人士、低收入家庭等。佢哋嘅付出可以幫助呢啲群體改善生活條件，提供佢哋更多嘅社會資源。義工嘅參與仲可以提高公眾對社會問題嘅關注，從而推動政策嘅改變同社會嘅進步。 義工服務唔單止係一種慈善行為，更係一種社會責任嘅體現。義工服務促進咗社區嘅和諧同埋社會嘅發展，對建設一個更美好嘅香港社會貢獻咗重要嘅力量。 伸延閱讀：【公司義工活動】企業可以點樣履行企業社會責任(CSR)？ 義工服務帶嚟嘅好處 做義工唔單止係幫助社會，更加係一個提升自己嘅機會。無論係身體上、心理上，定係精神上，義工工作都能夠帶來正面嘅影響。 身體上嘅益處 透過參與義工活動，我哋可以增強體力同埋耐力。好多義工工作都需要物理活動，例如建屋、清潔環境或者係參與社區嘅重建工作。呢啲活動可以幫助我哋保持活躍，促進健康。 心理上嘅益處 做義工可以減少壓力、焦慮同埋抑鬱嘅感覺。當我哋將注意力集中喺幫助他人嘅時候，我哋嘅個人煩惱就會相對減少。此外，義工工作亦可以提供一種歸屬感同埋社會連結，令人感到更加快樂同埋滿足。 精神上嘅益處 義工工作可以係一種精神上嘅滿足。透過為社會貢獻，我哋可以感受到自己嘅價值同埋目的。這種感覺可以提升我哋嘅自尊同埋自信，並且促進內在嘅和平同埋幸福感。 伸延閱讀：【企業義工計劃】讓員工透過Time Auction尋找義工機會嘅3大好處 無形中嘅經濟貢獻 義工服務，一個無需金錢報酬嘅活動，但佢嘅價值遠遠超過咗直接嘅金錢交易。義工嘅貢獻可以以多種方式量化，而其中一個最重要嘅就係對經濟嘅間接貢獻。 首先，義工服務透過提供支援同服務，幫助減輕咗政府嘅社會服務負擔。當義工參與到社區服務、照顧長者、幫助有需要嘅家庭，或者係支援教育機構嘅時候，佢哋其實係喺無形中節省咗政府嘅開支。這些節省下來嘅資源，可以再分配到其他需要更多資金支援嘅領域，例如公共衛生、基礎建設或者係創新科技。 其次，義工服務促進咗社會資本嘅建立，咁係一種無形嘅經濟資產。社會資本包括咗信任、互助、網絡同合作精神，呢啲都係社會運作同發展不可或缺嘅元素。義工嘅參與加強咗社區嘅凝聚力，促進咗居民之間嘅互相支持同合作，從而創造咗一個更加穩定同和諧嘅社會環境。 Time Auction亦有透過一隊專業技能義工，以香港嘅平均薪酬及工作經驗進行質性研究 (Qualitative Research)，整合到義工貢獻嘅實際商業價值 — 無論Time Auction嘅個人義工定企業夥伴，都可以量化義工服務為香港嘅慈善機構，對社會產生嘅真正價值。 點樣尋找適合嘅義工服務工作? 喺香港尋找適合嘅義工服務工作可以透過Time Auction呢啲創新嘅平台。Time Auction係一個技能義工配對平台；無論係Marketing、設計定翻譯，大家可以用自己嘅技能「捐贈」去幫NGO，完成後仲可以用義工時數去兌換唔同獎勵體驗，從而鼓勵更多人參與義工服務。 首先，你可以了解自己嘅興趣同專長係乜嘢。Time Auction提供咗一個篩選系統，可以幫你搵到最適合你嘅義工機會。你可以根據你嘅專業技能、可用時間、地點來篩選機會 — 例如，如果你係一個平面設計師，你可以搵需要呢種技能嘅義工項目。值得一提嘅係，Time Auction嘅技能義工配對平台，有60%以上嘅義工項目可以遙距完成，變相可以係屋企就做到，時間、地點靈活自主。 另外，Time Auction嘅義工時數系統係一個好吸引人嘅特色。當你完成義工服務後，你可以上平台紀錄義工時數，之後可以儲嚟兌換各種體驗獎勵，例如同行業領袖嘅午餐會面或者參加工作坊等等，唔單止可以幫你擴闊人際網絡，仲可以俾你機會學習新技能。 […]
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Together with Time Auction, the Swire Trust Go-Givers Program encourages skilled volunteers for Swire Trust NGO partners from 2020 to 2022. 10 outstanding volunteers will be selected annually as the “Swire Trust Go-Givers of the Year” with special rewards & recognition. Meet our 10 Go-Givers of 2022! Meet Carissa Not many people are brave enough […]
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Together with Time Auction, the Swire Trust Go-Givers Program encourages skilled volunteers for Swire Trust NGO partners from 2020 to 2022. 10 outstanding volunteers will be selected annually as the “Swire Trust Go-Givers of the Year” with special rewards & recognition. Meet our 10 Go-Givers of 2022! Meet Bryan Practising law has always been a […]
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