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Do you find yourself trapped in the rigmarole of Singapore’s fast-life? Or you’re not able to stop, take a break, and do something meaningful beyond office hours? Well, here’s your answer to pure sanctity and fulfilment. There are a lot of places in Singapore that let you volunteer and give back to society.

You will not only find emotionally rewarding activities to spend your free time on, but they will also be of interest. Making a charitable donation is one way to show your empathy towards causes. Although, spending time volunteering is as grand a gesture. We have listed down many ways to help uplift others while honing your skill. How fulfilling does that sound?

Willing to help animals, children, or the elderly? Here are 10 fun places to volunteer in Singapore and make a real difference in society.

1. Society of Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA)

A loud and p-awsome shout out to all the animal lovers residing in the Lion city. SPCA champions the welfare of animals. They grease the wheels for rehabilitation and find new homes for animals. They also advocate animal treatments and run as a charitable and adoption centre for them. Most importantly, they provide a long list of facilities including a 24-hour animal rescue service for emergencies. Moreover, they are a known foster care hub for young animals. 

How can you help? Feel free to sign up as a dog walker, a cat companion, or even a basic animal-caretaker/lover. As a result, your management skills can be put to use by helping them with sales for their merchandise range. In addition, you can help handle queries at the reception, promote their events and coordinate animal cruelty cases. Also, you can propagate adoption, or co-organizing the seminars, educational talks, and workshops they conduct.  

Know more: SPCA, 50 Sungei Tengah Road, Singapore 699012

2. Touch Community Services

If you’re a regular volunteer in Singapore, you should be very familiar with the reach and impact of Touch. They originally initiated the facility to support children who were a risk. Now, they have transformed into a multi-service organization. They essentially provide support to the disabled, the elderly, and others in need. Their doors are always open for volunteers since they have built a strong foundation with various routes to support the disadvantaged. 

How you can help: You can interact with senior citizens by participating in fun and engaging activities. Teach them how to use smart-phones for convenient lifestyle changes, or deliver meals to the elderly. You can also accompany them to their medical appointments. If you are creative, you can participate in programs that use art forms to help those with special needs express better.

Know more: Touch Community Services #05-3545, 162 Bukit Merah Central, Singapore 150162        

3. ReadAble

If you’re an avid reader and love the act of spreading knowledge, ReadAble is the perfect place for you to volunteer in Singapore. Their vision is to make every child literate. To achieve that, they conduct weekly language-specific art classes and interactive reading sessions. However, you can expect to hang around with children between 2 to 12 years of age. As a part of their school syllabus, ReadAble promotes the activity of learning and inculcates the habit and love for reading.  

How you can help: Firstly, volunteer by teaching or managing reading sessions. Secondly, help curate workshops with the back-end team. Thirdly, sponsor school supplies required in classroom sessions. Lastly, keep in mind that ReadAble expects a minimum of 6 months commitment from its volunteers.

Know more: ReadAble Residents’ Committee Centre, Chin Wee

4. Food from the Heart

‘Wasting food is a crime’- you must have heard this a lot from your elders. Well, countless children sleep hungry in different parts of the world every night. Unfortunately, your own country falls prey to this problem too. To solve it, Food from the Heart distributes food to the less fortunate and those starving through its massive charitable efforts. 

How you can help? They facilitate 6 programs and community-building initiatives that are available for volunteering. You can help with a weekly distribution of groceries and toiletries. Also, the daily collection of bread from bakeries and hotels to help the needy. In addition, they have a monthly distribution of food rations from teachers to underprivileged primary and secondary school families. Most excitingly, they organize birthday celebrations for the young and elderly. The cutest is their joyous toy donation drive that you can get involved with.  

Know more: Food from the Heart 130 Joo Seng Road #03-01 Singapore 368357

5. Silver Ribbon Singapore

After being struck by a worldwide pandemic, everyone’s most essential priority in 2020 has become the protection of Mental Health. We are constantly bombarded with knowledge on awareness of mental health and illnesses. Still, not everyone can detect it on time or cope with it easily. This is where Silver Ribbon comes in.

They begin with instilling awareness in individuals. They go right up to combating anxiety-driven, eating nd mood variation disorders. Silver Ribbon Singapore helps eradicate stigmas, tackle symptoms, and deal with mentally challenging behaviours. 

How you can help: Their campaigns are extremely impactful. You can be a part of its making by showcasing a skill you already hone. Like photography, event coordination, public speaking, graphic designing, administrative consultation, IT assistance, etc.  Young professionals also have the opportunity to take up internships with them.

Know more: Silver Ribbon Singapore C/O H.O.L.A., Block 208 Serangoon Central, #01-238, Singapore 550208

6. Babes Pregnancy Support Crisis

Young-age-pregnancy is not only life-transforming but also anxiety-inducing on a whole new level. Babes Pregnancy Crisis Support is popularly known as “Babes” was launched with the aim of giving 100% guidance and support to pregnant teenagers. Although, it has evolved into a legitimate organization for pregnant girls under 21 years of age. These girls need all kinds of help so their present, as well as the future, is in safe hands.

How you can help: Babes does not have a set volunteering system as such, so your support completely depends on the skillset you possess. For instance, you can spontaneously help organize fundraising events. You can also help a girl who wants to learn a certain subject like Math or offer tech support to their core team. Above all, you can casually befriend the young girls, offer emotional support, and help brighten their smiles.  

Know more: Babes, Blk 26 #01-42/52, Jalan Klinik, Singapore 160026 

7. Animal Concerns Research and Education Society (ACRES)

Are you the wildlife enthusiast of your group who falls in love with every animal you spot? Then ACRES is your haven! They are a non-profit establishment that goes leaps and bounds to action animal protection. From birds and monkeys to snakes and sugar gliders, ACRES leaves no stone unturned to involve all the animals they can. They also deal with the trade of illegal wildlife and conduct rescue operations. Similarly, they provide rehabilitation and community outreach programs for animal protection. Moreover, they are renowned advocates for education and awareness of animal welfare in Singapore.

How you can help: ACRES provides multiple volunteering opportunities. Like working hands-on at their wildlife sanctuary with animals, indulging in wildlife rescue operations. and event organizing, etc. Above all, they train you for safety and protection before you decide to get your hands dirty.

Know more: ACRES Wildlife Rescue Centre (AWRC), 91 Jalan Lekar, Singapore 698917

8. Association Of Women For Action And Research (AWARE)

In today’s day and age, everyone happens to voice their opinion on gender equality. At the risk of coming across as an activist, most of them constitute women’s rights due to the lack of advocacy. If you’re one of them, you should definitely spend your precious time volunteering at AWARE.

The team at AWARE are pioneers of their spectrum and cause. They promote and stand strong for gender equality and women’s rights in Singapore. At AWARE, they act as warriors that pillar anti-violence, sexual and reproductive justice. Neither do they leave behind the propagation of economic inclusivity, and female’s rights in the family.

How can you help: At AWARE, they have flexible volunteering options. You could choose to work remotely, work out of their centres, or even avail a mix of both. Based on your knowledge, feel free to help with legal matters, research and analytics of data. As per your skills, you can also write and edit articles for publications. Besides, they always require graphic designers and those who can simply give them a hand with their helpline queries.

9. Lion’s Befrienders

They say you count your age by friends, not by years. This is precisely what Lion’s Befrienders base their motto on. This non-profit organization allows pure friendships to bloom. Here, bonding is based on real connection, compatibility, and emotions. Not much on age, status, or roots. Therefore, volunteers are given a platform to make the senior citizen’s golden days a smoother ride. As a result, their bond gets stronger day-by-day due to transitioning from strangers to ‘befrienders’.

How you can help: Your contribution as a volunteer involves reminding them about their medicine patterns. You can choose to accompany the elderly for doctor appointments, thus being supportive in all ways you can. Overall, making the journey heartfelt as well as fun.

Know more: Lion’s Befrienders  130 Bukit Merah View, #01- 358, Singapore 150130

10. Mummy Yummy Singapore

There are days when some Singaporeans have to deal with hardships like poverty and starvation. For all such days, Mummy Yummy Singapore comes to the rescue. They provide tireless and generous door-to-door services. Above all, they deliver freshly-cooked food (vegetarian) to many underprivileged families. Generously, they extend their empathy and services to the elderly living in rented spaces.  

How you can help: You can simply gather a couple of your friends, select a neighbourhood, and drop off monthly food parcels on their behalf. It is a fun and selfless task to perform with your peers in your free time. Alternately, if you do not have lots of free time and still want to contribute, you have an option to donate $1 to provide each food item. After all, every little move helps the bigger movement.

Know more: Mummy Yummy Singapore 20 Jalan Pari Burong, Singapore 488686

So, take the leap and make a real difference by volunteering in Singapore, one good deed at a time!