How to be a Hero with Go! Volunteer
Volunteerism has long been recognized as a win-win act. You share your time and skillswith communities in need. In return, you will have personal and knowledge development, as well as network expansion. However, even if there is a space in our hearts that desire to be of help and service to others, we are always hindered by this big question: how?
To clear the blurry spaces and to make you start your volunteerism journey, the iVolunteer Philippines, in cooperation with the Department of Social Welfare and Development, Glorietta, Works at Heart and 2nd Avenue, held the Go! Volunteer Expo last March 5-6, 2016 at Glorietta Activity Center, Makati City. The event aimed to boost further the volunteerism segment in the country.
The event was a volunteer-engaging platform that showcased 25 organizations supporting the advocacies and causes on good governance, community development and human rights, health, persons with disability, children, youth, education, environment, animal welfare, disaster risk management, and culture and sports, among others. This helps in awakening the heroes within us and at the same time, communicating with our inner selves that it is indeed fulfilling to volunteer.
Be inspired.
Aside from the small talks and discussions with fellow volunteers in the booths, there were also lightning talks and major programs, where speakers shared their volunteerism experience. The stories were intense and heartfelt, maneuvering a portion of my heart and telling me, “I can do that too.”
Kesz Valdez, of Championing Community Children, started his journey at the age of 8. Now, he is 17 and still giving back to the community. “One is never too poor to think of ways to help others. One is never too young to give back to society,” he shared. “And one is never too ordinary to be a hero.”
If he can, we, too, can.
Take Action.
Because the “what’s next?” question has also reverberated during the two-day event, the iVolunteer Philippines has encouraged the attendees to register at the iVolunteer portal and register to a volunteer opportunity that is on the page.
Former DSWD Secretary Cora De Leon said, “Napakahalaga ng sense of purpose sa volunteerism. Bakit ka ba nagvovolunteer?” From here, we can say that we want to volunteer on a personal advocacy because it will give us a sense of purpose and fulfillment, not because we have something to post and brag on social media.
Volunteerism is commitment too and finding one’s purpose. It’s like falling in love, but on a different perspective.
Start your journey and be a hero.
Once you sign up for a volunteer opportunity and you decide to be with the community that is in dire need of your skills and knowledge, you are then on your voyage. As what the iVolunteer Philippines reiterated, “Every Filipino is a hero.”
Well then, do you have a brave heart and a compassionate soul to contribute to nation-building and become today’s hero?
