Unlocking New Skills through Volunteerism | Sam Wong, Swire Trust Go-Givers of 202

Together with Time Auction, the Swire Trust Go-Givers Program encourages skilled volunteers for Swire Trust NGO partners in education, marine conservation, and arts. From now to 2025. 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 2023!

Meet Sam Wong

With a flexible schedule, Sam enjoys and cherishes his volunteering opportunities. With a heart full of passion, he started his volunteering journey dating back to when he was in college. Although his journey was paused while living in China for a decade, his return to Hong Kong reignited his desire to give back to the community. His search led him to several volunteering matching platforms, and he chose Time Auction as a point to kick off as it allowed him to identify the right volunteer opportunity to participate easily.

Mutual Decision to Work Together

Volunteering, to Sam, is a two-way street as he believes it’s a mutual decision and commitment for the organiations and volunteers to work together. Through Time Auction, organisations can attract and recruit skilled volunteers like Sam, who bring unique talents to support their mission. Volunteers can also assess if their skills, experiences and availability meet the organisation’s needs. This process ensures both parties benefit from the collaboration.

Soon, Sam contributed to 2 environmentally-friendly organisations via Time Auction. He utilised his language skills to translate a beach clean up website from English to Chinese. Additionally, he conducted research on community recycling project focused on collecting plastic beverage bottles. He also lent a helping hand to another NGO by conducting workshops in primary and secondary school. 
 

From Interest to Commitment

For Sam, volunteering extends beyond simply donating his time as he searches for a position he has strong interest in. When he encountered an adertisement video by Crossroads Foundation, a Hong Kong-based NGO that globally connects people and distributes donated goods to those in need, he felt a deep connection and was touched. This led him to his commitment to work with the organisation, echoing his belief that a volunteer should relate to the cause they’re supporting, and utilise their skills effectively.

New Skills Unlocked - One has Unlimited Potential!

In his role as a volunteer distribution client care assistant at Crossroads Foundation, Sam’s bilingual skills came in handy. With the majority of the staff being English speakers, and half of the customers being local Chinese who can only converse in Cantonese, Sam was a vital link to the communication chain.

Despite Sam describing himself as an introvert and not being confident in connecting with others, volunteering brought out another side of Sam. When his manager asked him to handle clients at reception and receiving phone calls, he was doubting his own ability initially. However, Sam took the courage and stood up for the challenge, discovering that he could manage the duties with ease, even when dealing with challenging situations. “You know sometimes customers get frustrated and agitated in the moment but I still manage to talk to them patiently,” said Sam. “At the end of the day, I’d receive their appreciation and gratitude, making it a rewarding experience.” Sam is thankful of the opportunity and encouragement he received from his manager, uncovering a new strength of his.
 

Understanding and Compassion

We may be aware of the term, refugee, but we may not know a lot about their community in Hong Kong. Volunteering provided Sam with a deeper understanding of societal issues. When he first met and interacted with refugees at Crossroads Foundation, Sam took the time to study and learn about their background. Instead of rushing to judgements, Sam delved deep to understand the difficulties encountered by their community and the circumstances that shaped their lives, which led Sam to expand his empathy and curiosity of others.

The Feeling of Being Trust

Sam shared a heartwarming story, bringing to light the powerful bond of trust. Sam received a complaint which led to a dispute and argument in front of others. Throughout this incident, Sam felt misunderstood by the team as many assumed it was his fault, but Sam’s manager stood by him. He created a safe and trusting space, offered an opportunity for Sam to share his part of the story, mentioning that there must be a reason behind Sam’s actions, being one of the most polite team member within the department. This reinforced the trust within their relationship, making Sam feel valued and enjoy his volunteer experience being in a supportive environment.

Your Turn to Volunteer!

Even though the volunteer period has come to an end, Sam maintained his momentum and continued volunteering. Sam understands the constraints and challenges Crossroads Foundation faces. During the summer, many students choose to volunteer as part of their internships. However, when summer comes to an end, the manpower for operations decreases significantly as students return to school. This cuts the office hours short, impacting the operations of the organisation as they rely heavily on volunteers.

Sam commits to volunteering simply because he wants to do good for society. Receiving the Swire Trust Go-Givers of the Year award was a pleasant surprise for Sam. “I noticed many NGOs struggle with manpower shortages,” Sam raised his concern. “This may lead to meaningful and impactful projects being terminated.” Sam truly hopes more people will support the non-profit organizations so their beautiful projects can be continued and sustained.

Thank you so much to Sam Wong for contributing 171 volunteer hours & beyond at  Crossroads Foundation! 

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

Written by Kamie Lam, Volunteer Copywriter