Mr Chew Han Khim

Volunteering since April 2019 

I have been a retiree since 65; having worked as a private hire driver till retirement. I have always believed in the act of giving back to society and am also very enthusiastic to help people who are in need. These had motivated me to step forward to do volunteerism.

Before joining RSVP Singapore, I did not have any prior experience in volunteering, and was eager to embark on my volunteering journey after my daughter chanced upon their website one day. I joined the Mentally Disadvantaged Outreach Programme (MDOP) in February 2019 as a volunteer at Anglican Care Centre @ Bukit Batok (ACCBB) and then in July 2019, the National Heart Centre (NHC) with Senior Guide. Unfortunately, due to COVID19, NHC had to suspend all volunteering duties.

During my volunteering experience, I have never felt more accomplished than when I saw the smiles on the clients’ faces and the achievements that they achieved. That truly motivated me to want to continue providing my best for persons with mental health issues. To many, they can be quite a handful to handle at times but throughout my volunteering experience with them, they are nothing but such sweet beings.

I would also like to honor my team leader, Gillian. She plays a huge role in our team by ensuring no one is left out and everybody’s effort will always be acknowledged. She had also strongly encouraged me to open up myself more to the clients when I was still shy and hesitant at first. She makes teamwork much more fun and bearable every time.

I hope my story could somehow inspire someone to step out of their comfort zone and to not be afraid to volunteer with persons with mental health issues. We should all have an open heart when volunteering because the sense of satisfaction you get is not what money can get you.