Engaging working youths in the corporate sector with more skills-based volunteering options

August 22, 2019 |

Mr David Chua, CEO of National Youth Council sharing the challenges that young professionals are facing today in Singapore juggling between their altruistic aspirations and their practical livelihood.

“At that critical transition, youth struggle with the dilemma of priorities and pragmatism. Consequently, social aspirations such as volunteering can be forced to take a backseat in the face of more pressing priorities of starting careers and families. But that situation does not have to persist. In a time where technology has sparked collaborative and partnership innovations in the social and volunteering space, it is possible to create opportunities for “smart volunteering” so that the barriers and inefficiencies are reduced. Digitized skills-based volunteer matching, for example, enhances the utility to both the social organization and skilled volunteer. Companies may find it good business for their staff to volunteer if it can be managed efficiently, builds culture and enhances their sense of purpose. There is so much more potential we can achieve collectively.”

He further encouraged those in the audience, particularly those from the corporate sector (where most of the young adults spend most of their time) to actively engage the aspirations of this age group of youths by creating avenues in which young working professionals can remain involved in giving through CSR programmes.

In a time where technology has sparked collaborative and partnership innovations in the social and volunteering space, it is possible to create opportunities for “smart volunteering” so that the barriers and inefficiencies are reduced.

With most corporates adopting CSR as part of their growth strategy, skills-based volunteering (SBV) is taking off steadily in Singapore as an emerging popular corporate volunteering option. Apart from providing individuals opportunities to contribute meaningfully to society, SBV also allows them to learn new skills or hone existing one. This distinct attribute of SBV would be largely appealing to young working professionals, who would be able to create their desired social impact without compromising on their free time, while simultaneously developing their social and professional skills.

“There is definitely an upward trend in how more and more corporates are adopting SBV and channelling the skills of their employees to serve the community,” said Mr Peter Yang, Founder and Executive Director of Empact. “Through our SBV programmes with corporates such as Mentoring and ProBono School, we have observed high participation among younger professionals as they are able to connect their profession with their giving.”

In the spirit of forging a greater and collective alliance among government agencies, grantmakers, corporates, social enterprises and non-profits, Empact invited Mr Anshu Gupta, Founder of an India-based enterprising non-profit – Goonj – to share his social entrepreneurial journey which he embarked on in 1999 during his youth. He was conferred the Schwab Foundation Social Entrepreneur of the Year (2012) and Asia’s Noble, the prestigious Ramon Magsaysay Award in 2015 for his social innovation and leadership for creating a sustainable model for a parallel economy based on trash, and not cash.

Panel discussion (from left): Mr Peter Yang, Founder & Executive Director of Empact; Mr Anshu Gupta, Founder of Goonj; Ms Joyce Teo, Deputy CEO for Community Foundation of Singapore; Mr Nate Low, Senior Director for Global Stakeholder Engagement, Social Impact, Visa Worldwide; and moderator, Ms Manisha Tank, News Anchor of CNN International.

Aside from Anshu Gupta’s speaking segment, a panel represented by Visa Worldwide, Community Foundation of Singapore, Empact and Goonj discussed how different stakeholders could work together to address real needs and to create and scale greater impact in Singapore through skills-based volunteerism.

Organised by Empact, a social enterprise that serves the social sector as a capacity builder, and supported by the National Youth Council, the event “Creating Partnerships that Empower Greater Social Impact” was held at the Red Box of Youth Corps Singapore with more than 50 leaders from the social, corporate and government sectors in attendance.

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