SEEK volunteer

I should be proud of myself with my spirit to blog lately!!! Or probably I am just playing with the new 'toy' as I'm still new in blogging network.....muHAHAHAHAHa!!!!!

Anyway, today's update will be on the recent 'Nuffnang SEEK volunteer blogger activity'....
SEEK is the No. 1 job site network not only in Australia but also UK!!! When I didn't have a job, I used to wake up every morning and log into SEEK...:)))) and I want to thank SEEK that I found my current casual job to fill in my uni hours...
So, SEEK volunteer department is looking for volunteer bloggers to either share their experience in volunteering to online community, or do a day/s volunteering with the assigned organization...(for those interested)...and SEEK found Nuffnang to help them spread the words...



At the end of the day, you get to donate $100 to the charity organization of your choice and under your name!!!! Of course sponsored by SEEK volunteer!!! Isn't that exciting???

So, I don't want to be left behind for this exciting event and do good karma!!! :))) i always want to volunteer for a day or so...and so, I got the opportunity to join one of the charity organization which the time and day are yet to be confirmed :)

In addition, I was also thinking of sharing an experience of mine on community service that I did back in Malaysia...I would consider it as volunteering as I wasn't paid for it... On the other hand, it was actually part of my course assessment. So, I wouldn't have found such great experience if it was not because I took the subject!! :))

We (my groupmates and I) started it by enrolling to abnormal psychology subject back when I was studying at Malaysia for 2 and a half years. Part of that subject required us to do 20 hours of community service and develop a project for the betterment of particular centre where we chose to be!

Some of the options are Autistic centre, centre for disable people etc and SO, when it comes to us, we chose SHELTER!!!! I would think that it was for orphans mostly when I visited for the first time...However, I was wrong! The shelter filled with mostly children despite of race, age, and ethnicity. I was shocked that even children with parents can be in the shelter as ORPHAN!!!
What the hell?????

Anyway, the name of the shelter is 'Agathians shelter' with currently 2 shelters... It does not only accept children without guardians but also children who come from abusive family background etc..you can visit the website by clicking the word above...and you will find some unbelievable stories...I just can't believe how parents could do that to their own kids!!!

The children mostly Indian and can't speak English very well...So, at first we went through hard time because of communication interference, thanks to one of our groupmates who know how to speak Tamil to help us out sometimes...We taught the kids English, maths. check their homeworks, and whatelse if not to play with them??? Slowly we got closer and closer towards the children and I felt sad when one of the kids confessed that they sort of create a boundary as not to get too close...One of the kids would say "You won't come back and see us anymore" How heartbreaking it is when we knew it was true????

In the end, we expand the hours to more than 20 hours because after all ..somehow, you would form an attachment ;p

As part of our course, we have to form a long-term project that could help the shelter and we found trouble thinking of one...As when we consult the person-in-charge of the shelter to find out what they need the most, they would say they need more volunteers, and for sure monetary needs in top....

So we decided to come up with fund raising through donation...not a new thing....but still!!!!
We decided to put up 10 securely-locked donation boxes throughout restaurants on the street and allowed it to be put at counters for up to 3 months!!

and for those who think it is easy, I will bet $100 that it is not at all easy!!!
We thought so....but know what??? It took literarily 3 whole days to find restaurants who would accept our (only 10) boxes as they have other donation boxes as well....
We approached almost 30 restaurants and refused harshly or softly everytime!!!
There was one rude restaurant that shoooed us right away!!! It was tough man!!!
our journey to find 'shelter' for the box:



Us with the box...I remembered we were so happy because there was one western restaurant who accepted!!! The owner was soooo kind!!!!



I cropped out my friends because i have not got the permission to upload their pic...
Gosh, I was so ugly in this pic!!!! It has been 2 years....:(((

I had loads more of the pic...but I lost them!!!! T.T because I formatted and changed laptop 2 years ago....and I have been harassing my friend for the pic...but she lost it too!!!! Damnnnn!!!

In the end, after days and night of travelling on foot and car, we managed to place all of the 10 boxes....YAY!!!! but we return the keys to the owner of the shelter as he will collect after 3 months...for safety purposes....and we also monitored how the donation boxes go...

It was absolutely a great experience I had oversea!!! Not only I learnt alot from the kids, but also of life...That I should be thankful of what I have and not to complaint on what I don't have!!
With what I have, I should help others in need...Don't need to be with money all the time....
But by volunteering....lend them your hands. Though I believe monetary needs are at the same time very important...

That is my reason why I want to join SEEK volunteer this time in Australia because there is no excuse as no time to volunteer...Just let go of your favourite show for a moment, don't log into FaceBook, Twitter or whatever for one day, don't play game for couple of hours, you could help make a difference!!!



Now that some of us are in Australia, US, etc, however we know that we don't forget about them and we will still go back and visit them once the opportunity comes :)