Jenny’s Story: Volunteering for Persons with Special Needs

More teenagers are starting to volunteer, it’s a good thing if it’s from the heart, but can be concerning if just for brownie points”, a sentiment my interviewee, Jenny (Name changed for privacy reasons) shared with me at the start of our interview.

In Singapore, volunteerism rates among youth have increased from 23% in 2021 to 31% in 2023 and are only continuing to rise steadily. Jenny is part of that growing statistic. 

Volunteering at the Riding for the Disabled Association (RDA) once a week, Jenny attributed starting her volunteering journey with “wanting to do something meaningful with her time”. During her stint at the RDA, she has worked with multiple Persons with Special Needs (PwSNs). 

An interaction she holds close to her heart was one with Julia (Name changed for privacy reasons), a 9-year-old girl living with Rett syndrome. The syndrome, a genetic disorder that affects brain development, affects Julia’s speech and limits her mobility. During sessions, Julia requires Jenna’s physical support for balance. 

In the field of volunteer work, especially with PwSNs, patience is key — a point Jenny reiterates throughout our chat. In the face of unfamiliarity, Julia often panics and tries to find her mother. Coupled with her speech impediment, 

Jenny admits it can be a stressful situation. That's where her patience comes in handy… assessing the situation and trying to calm Julia down. A common misconception Jenny felt was so prominent was that ‘[Many] think that they don’t really understand us, because they just assume it, Persons with Special Needs mostly do understand us, they just fail to communicate back’.

Though her speech is impacted, Julia expresses her joy by singing melodies. It is special moments like these which help Jenny see the value in volunteering. 

For Persons with Special Needs, adapting to new surroundings such as the RDA typically takes time. Jenny notes that the time taken for them to open up to her ranged from 2 to 5 sessions. For Julia, though she was shy during their first session, Jenny found her occasionally glancing and smiling at her but quickly turning away, a clear sign that a bond was being forged and a moment Jenny found extremely meaningful to her. 

It's because of this that Jenny feels patience is a key part of the process, PwSNs may not be able to communicate it, but they can sense when someone interacting with them is impatient or frustrated with them which can increase their anxiety and make communication more difficult. 

If you are inspired by Jenny’s story, RDA is currently recruiting volunteers with a similar passion. More information can be found at https://rdasingapore.org/support-us/be-a-volunteer/)Be a Volunteer | RDA Singapore (https://rdasingapore.org/support-us/be-a-volunteer/