Today we present to you, our youth volunteer: Hazmi Mohamed Noor, 24. He has been volunteering for 5 years, and 3 of those years, withย #RLAFSG.
Q: Tell us a little bit about yourself.
I love spreading positive vibes. I’ve clocked a good amount of time working with the elderly. I would probably say that is my niche. Aside from spearheading elderly engagement projects with RLAF and the team, my internship at Changi General Hospital during my polytechnic days was to cater to the senior residents in need in the community. .
Q: What made you want to be a volunteer?
I was captivated with the opportunities presented to experience volunteering for various causes. Also, the jovial and super welcoming RLAF team, makes volunteering with them super joyful.
Q: Where did you start volunteering?
Abdul Aleem Siddique Mosque. The mosque religious officer at the time then sent me to a Project Management Bootcamp, and that was my first engagement with RLAF. .
Q: How has your volunteering journey been?
I’ve learned much and am still keen to learn. This journey has given me a skills upgrade by allowing me to liaise with organisations through e-mail (which I have not done before, until I volunteered with RLAF). I’ve also been given a significant dose of confidence to engage with people, volunteers and beneficiaries.
Initially I saw overseas humanitarian volunteering opportunities present in RLAF. And while those projects are still ongoing, as time goes by, I realised there were problems faced by the locals too and humanitarian aid can and should also be administered to them. .
Through my experience, I learnt to be more thankful and cherish my blessings. I have developed an approach towards things that will now come from the heart, more than any other external factors.
Q: What keeps you going to consistently volunteer?
Knowing that every small effort can bring a smile and joy to someone. Also, on a personal level, I feel a great sense of responsibility to help those in need. .
Q: How has volunteering benefitted you?
It has opened up different perspectives and my views towards certain things. RLAF boosted my confidence in managing programmes and volunteers. The experience I had from going for various courses and engaging with people of different social classes and calibre made me more comfortable in interacting with them especially at the mosque where I usually volunteer my time and eventually became part of the board.
Q: If there is one advice you would give to budding youth volunteer..
Jump into volunteering with an open heart and the right intentions to learn to be able to effectively administer assistance in any way possible.
That concludes our first ever edition ofย #theheartbeat. We thank Hazmi for his relentless contribution in RLAF and for his honest thoughts on volunteering. Our next volunteer will be featured next month!
