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Match-Making Portal for Youth Volunteers

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Match-Making Portal for Youth Volunteers

by Hajijah Koming

Volunteerism benefits both the individual volunteer and society. It contributes to a more cohesive society, builds trust and for youths, engagement, and commitment. It is with this understanding that the Youth Bank - a match-making portal for youth volunteers and organisations - was mooted.

Developed in collaboration with Nanyang Polytechnic, Heartware Network and Microsoft Singapore, the portal www.bank4u.org aspires to be a one-stop networking platform for youth to deposit - not cash but a passion for volunteerism. It seeks to match-make youth volunteers with organisations in need of help. All it takes is for a youth volunteer-to-be to input his/her profile, interest, and time available so that a match with the needs of a non-profit organisation can be made. Also on the portal are information about community that needs help, and the opportunity to share their experiences online.

Making a Start in Volunteerism
ITE student Clement Lin, who was involved in the development of the project, hailed the online portal as an interactive approach towards engaging youths in community services. “Having an online portal is the most effective way to get youths’ attention. I believe this is the way to go if we want youths to be involved in volunteering,” remarked Clement. His team leader, Roy Lew, added: “This project allows youths like us to have a better understanding of volunteerism. Not only has this project helped me improve my knowledge of the new software and database designs, it has made me keenly aware of the importance of contributing towards society. In the past, not many of my friends were involved in voluntary services. Perhaps we did not know where to start but with this online portal, we have no excuse for ignorance.”

Learning beyond the Classrooms
Project Mentor and Lecturer, Ms Zhao Chummier observed: “Our students benefited greatly through this project as it allowed them to put into practice what they learned in the classrooms. Through the process of developing the portal, the students also became more mature and responsible.”

Minister for Foreign Affairs, BG (NS) George Yeo, who launched the Youth Bank portal, was impressed with the work produced by our students. Our students’ knowledge, dedication and commitment did not go unnoticed, and since the launch, the students have received requests to develop similar portals.