Soon Hui Yee is a BSc Computer Science student, and has volunteered with the Mandarin Club at Gospel Oaks School and with UCL Special Collections.
What do you do as a volunteer? Describe your typical session.
In Gospel Oaks I’m a mandarin club teacher... I group up with 3 other people and we teach the children about the Mandarin language and the culture while trying to maintain their attention to class.
In UCL Special Collections I basically check books to see what condition they’re in, then wrap them and shelf them as they’re going to be shifted into a new home.
What were your first impressions when you started volunteering?
Volunteering at a primary school is definitely nerve-wrecking! I wasn’t sure what the children would think of me, and I wasn’t sure how I’d react around them either! But the children were very cooperative - I was very impressed!
At UCL Special Collections, the staff made me feel at ease, showed me the ropes and were very friendly.
How do you feel about it now?
Volunteering’s made me feel like it’s something I’d like to do again, in different kinds of sectors. While I volunteer, I also learn, and I think it’s a best way to spend your free time.
What’s the best thing about volunteering?
Feeling satisfied. Volunteering’s done because you wish to benefit someone, and I’ve felt I’ve done something useful in my life. In fact, at the primary school, we’ve decided to extended our Mandarin class beyond the agreed period because it’s so much fun!
And what’s the most challenging thing?
If you’re with children, it’s definitely catching their attention while you teach! Children have short attention spans and it’s difficult trying to maintain that while you teach something.
How has volunteering changed you?
I feel like I’m progressing out of my ‘comfort’ zone. Coming to university should be a life-altering experience and I feel like volunteering has contributed to doing that.
What difference do you feel you’ve made by volunteering?
I’ve helped and affected people in a good way. No matter how small the volunteering is, a simple kind gesture is all you need to make another person happy for the rest of the day.
Would you recommend the project to anyone else?
Yes - it’s a wonderful way to spend your free time. And it’s beneficial to both you and the person you’re volunteering for as well. There is so much to learn, and while volunteering you’d get to help as well. It’s a win-win situation.