Former Special Needs Client Receives Volunteer Excellence Award at YMCA-Lim Kim San Volunteer Awards Night
It was a radical shift in perspective when Ms Lee Yee Wen, a former YMCA of Singapore special needs client, made the decision to step up and serve as a volunteer back at YMCA of Singapore.
She first joined Y Camp Challenge as a client in 2013. Back then, she had little self-confidence, but through interactions with other volunteers who showed care and patience, her confidence slowly grew.
“I decided to step up to become a volunteer because I like to help people, to do what I can to help those in need, to inspire people to become independent and grow,” said Yee Wen.
As a shy person by nature, the transition from client to volunteer was not easy at the start as Yee Wen had to converse with her buddy in order to build relational bonds. However, once that barrier was broken, she gained even more confidence and now considers herself an outspoken person.
Last year, she went one step further and joined the organising committee for the September run of Y Camp Challenge, an outdoor adventure camp that seeks to strengthen special needs clients in overcoming their preconceived limits through various confidence building activities.
Being a part of the organising committee continually challenged her to look beyond her perceived limitations and it strengthened her growth through the process.
In recognition of her efforts and dedication, Yee Wen received the Volunteer Excellence Award at the annual YMCA-Lim Kim San Volunteer Awards Night on 1 February 2019.
“Here at YMCA, we strengthen our clients by helping them reach their fullest potential. We believe that if given the right opportunity and encouragement, they can be empowered to give back to others through volunteering,” said Mr Steve Loh, General Secretary & CEO of YMCA of Singapore.
As a volunteer-based organisation, volunteers are the bedrock of YMCA’s community initiatives. In 2017 alone, YMCA mobilised over 8,000 volunteers to take part and support our local and international community service programmes, reaching out to over 23,000 beneficiaries.
Specially created to thank and appreciate YMCA volunteers, YMCA-Lim Kim San Volunteer Awards Night recognises all individuals, corporations and educational institutions who have made significant and outstanding contributions through their voluntary service. Awards include the YMCA-Lim Kim San Volunteer Long Service Award and Volunteer of The Year Award. Some 89 recipients, including corporate representatives from Credit Suisse & Citibank, attended the event.