Whether it's a small kindness like pointing a stranger in the right direction or taking the time to support a cause you care about, they say giving back is the secret to happiness. And there are plenty of opportunities for you to help others in Shanghai this summer, whatever your skills. From fundraising to translation to managing a market stall to just listening – these organisations are looking for helping hands right now.
Photograph: courtesy Shanghai Young Bakers
Working with underprivileged young adults from all backgrounds, Shanghai Young Bakers (SYB) offers a year of full French and Asian bakery training for free, enabling its students to forge a career and 'pull themselves out of the poverty cycle'.
SYB is always on the lookout for volunteers to help manage its market booth on weekends to promote the organisation and its programme. Other opportunities include everything from translating and troubleshooting to fundraising and graphic design. Anyone older than ten years old is welcome, although youngsters under 18 need to be accompanied by an adult.
Another great opportunity (open to Chinese nationals only) is part of SYB's plans to upscale the search for new students across rural China: SYB is looking for one or two native Chinese volunteers to travel around the country and meet local NGOs, schools and prospective students. Someone with photography skills is a plus.
To learn more, you can attend one of their monthly volunteer meetings by adding ‘shanghaiyoungbakers’ on WeChat or contact them at communication@shanghaiyoungbakers.com.
Photograph: courtesy Stepping Stones China
Summer's here and school's (almost) out! Stepping Stones is looking for help to keep the learning going over the holidays for migrant and disadvantaged children in Shanghai.
For its Shanghai English Teaching summer programme between July and August, the organisation is looking for volunteers with a strong grasp of the English language and a passion for teaching to join its team of dedicated teachers. Volunteers are expected to give a lesson (one to 1.5 hours) once a week on weekends or one to three times a week on weekdays at community centres across Shanghai. You’ll be teamed up with at least one other volunteer (together, you'll alternate working the main teacher and assistant teacher role) to read English stories for young learners or host conversational English corners for older students. The minimum commitment for volunteers is once a week for this summer with a minimum of eight lessons teaching.
Anyone over 18 years old can register
here, people aged 16 and above can apply with parental consent after submitting a statement of interest to
enquiry@steppingstoneschina.net. For more info, check the official website
here.
Photograph: courtesy Lifeline
Can you listen without judgment? Are you empathetic and quick to respond? Volunteer-run emotional support helpline Lifeline is on the lookout for new volunteers to join its Shanghai team. Established in 2004, the English-speaking hotline has been offering free, confidential and anonymous support for anything from the stresses of daily life to more acute issues.
Some of the essential criteria for this one include being an English speaker, at least 21 years old and having a minimum of one year’s personal experience living in a foreign culture and six months residence in Shanghai (
take a look at the full list here). Given the nature of the work, there are several steps to the application process – one of them being able to attend a mandatory four-day training course (scheduled on August 28-29 and September 11-12 that costs 950RMB).
Although the completion of the four-day training doesn’t guarantee work on the helpline, there are many areas at Lifeline that still need your time and skills, such as fundraising, organising community outreach events and administrative tasks. After becoming a volunteer, you’re required to work a minimum of two four-hour shifts per month. Before applying, read volunteer information
here and click
here to apply.
