DAS Volunteer #CARE, SUPPORT & ENGAGE
Volunteers can play a vital role in supporting students with dyslexia and especially those from low-income families. Here at DAS, we understand how volunteerism cares and supports our mission by engaging with our team and beneficiaries.
We are always on the lookout for committed and talented volunteers who like to join us for the social causes of advocating awareness to the general public, parents, schools and educators. We believe in early intervention and how you can contribute in various ways to make our DAS students’ learning journey an easy and confident one.
Do indicate your area of expertise in our volunteer sign up form and keep a lookout in our opportunities board for periodic volunteer recruits!
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INDIVIDUAL VOLUNTEERS
Volunteers are an essential part of our DAS family and you will be our advocate in our mission of helping both adults and children with dyslexia to achieve.
From dedicating your time in our various learning centres with administration support, or working remotely with DAS on our various ad hoc projects, every effort played a vital role.
- Learning Centre Support
You will be placed in one of our 14 learning centres to help in maintaining and upkeeping our libraries’ resources and notice board, liaising with parents, performing general administration and supervising our students.
- Event Organiser/ Coordinator
You will be supporting DAS in registration, ushering, logistic support and student’s performance rehearsal etc. A few of our ad hoc events include public dyslexia screenings, student graduation ceremonies, workshop seminars and conferences.
- Fundraising
You will be working closely with our Fundraising team in multiples roles relating to all fundraising efforts in achieving our goals.
- Media Communication & Marketing
You will be working closely with DAS teams on ad hoc projects. A few of the skill-based roles needed are photographer, videographer, creative video editor, content developer, illustrator, graphic designer, language translator and transcriber etc.
CORPORATE VOLUNTEERS
We welcome corporate volunteers together with your organisation expertise to come forward to create changes and make an impact on our student beneficiaries.
Support our annual events, quarterly public screenings & seminars. Through these events, corporate volunteers get to gain insights on dyslexia and have the opportunities to connect with our students & educators.
These connections do sometimes spark off some very interesting conversation and turn the ordinary into extraordinary experiences!
Collaborate with us!
If your organisation is keen to take greater action to help individuals with dyslexia by collaborating with DAS, do give us a shout out to discuss how we can make it happen.
We can provide material resources, awareness talks for the purpose of educating and fundraising.
Please write to us at ora@das.org.sg or give us a call at 6444 5700 for a discussion.
Micron volunteers supporting our public screening at Jurong Point learning centre in 2021
Marina Bay Sand (MBS) volunteers supporting our public student screening in 2018.
UOB Business Banking volunteers in our Christmas event and Paint by the River event in 2018.
VOLUNTEER UPDATES
Volunteer Appreciation Award Day 2021
On 27 March 2021, we hosted our first Volunteer Appreciation Award Day virtually to recognise the dedicated work from our volunteers.
A total of five awards were given based on their volunteer hours and commendation project works. It was a great virtual session together with our CEO, Lee Siang, to share and celebrate their contribution and each recipient was presented with a plaque, certificate and voucher.
Our top volunteer clocked over 80 hours in our learning centre while others were commended for their creative efforts in assisting DAS in our various videos editing.
Volunteer of the Year Award
Angeline Lim (2019), Sri Valli C (2020)
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Compliments for Angeline Lim “Angeline is lively and proactive in taking initiative. She has a positive attitude towards learning. She is very committed to her tasks at Tampines Learning Centre. She is always willing to help with any tasks given. She has even helped the Educational Therapists prepare teaching resources when there was a need.” - Jolin Goh – Manager Tampines Learning Centre |
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Compliments for Sri Valli “Amazing Volunteer! Extremely responsible and meticulous. Sri always takes the initiative, is very committed to her duties at Queenstown and is not afraid to take on additional tasks. Thank you, Sri!” |
Volunteer Commendation Award
Dana Chua (2020), Lihui (2020), Liau Kee Wei (2019),
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Compliments for Dana Chua “Dana was very prompt and active in communicating with the DAS Staff in ensuring that the objectives and the requirements for the video is met. Upon providing the requirements for the video, Dana provided the first draft of the video within 6 days only! Our Publicity and publications (PnP) team was also impressed by the draft video that Dana has submitted. Upon meeting with the PnP team, there were minor edits to be made and Dana promptly made the changes accordingly. Thank you for your wonderful contribution to the DAS Outreach team” |
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Compliments for Lihui “Having her own experience in creating videos, Lihui did an awesome job in creating her first draft for the online awareness talk video trailer. We were amazed at her ability to incorporate animations into the video trailer to make it more interactive. Despite having minor video software issues, Lihui persevered to ensure that she is able to provide her best video trailer for the online awareness talk. Thank you for your wonderful contribution to DAS Outreach team.” |
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Compliments for Mr Liau Kee Wei “Mr Liau Kee Wei (April to June 2019) He is helpful and kind, always willing to go the extra mile especially for the WDL kids who have had to wait around at the Library corner if they are too early while waiting to be picked up by their parents. He even donated to WDL 4 coloured bean-bag stools to make our Library corner comfier and welcoming for our kids“ |
Online Course for Volunteers
As part of the volunteer sustainability programme, it is essential that we equip our volunteers with the relevant knowledge. An online e-course was offered to our volunteers to help them gain valuable insight into understanding dyslexia. This is a collaborative project between DAS Academy and the Singapore University of Social Science (SUSS) under the Uni Learn initiative.
This course will provide learners with a useful foundation about specific learning differences, the assessment and support of students of dyslexia. This is an online course and learners can self-pace at their own time to complete the course within the month.
To find out more about this course visit the DAS Academy
CURRENT VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES
We are looking for volunteers to help support the following projects!
Amirah, Volunteered at Tampines Learning Centre:
“When I was a volunteer at TPN, I was mainly doing admin work and organising some cupboards like the stationery cupboard etc. It was quite free and easy like there wasn't any burden on me to complete my task asap or I have to do things perfectly and efficiently. But I tried my best to do the task assigned as fast as possible and as best as I could. Everyone was really nice and helpful. Overall, the whole experience felt like I was really helping DAS because there was always something for me to do when I was there. So it felt like I wasn't wasting my time and I was really helping people, especially the admin staff there. I also learnt a lot about DAS like the programmes and how the classes are like so it was very interesting.”
Tricia, Volunteered at Sengkang Learning Centre:
“All went well. Ms Azizah guided me to do some administrative works. I also interacted with some kids and did some storytelling to them. And having them read 1-2 paragraphs to me. Some kids have other underlying needs. So far so good, I enjoy being with them.”
Kee Wei, Volunteered at Woodlands Learning Centre and DAS Academy:
“For both centres, it’s been quite easy to get started with volunteering because the staff are helpful in guiding and walking us through what to do and expect for each task e.g. auditing and stock take. Overall I enjoy volunteering at DAS as there's exposure to people and we get to know them and what they do.”
Frequently Asked Questions:
2. How do I sign up as a volunteer?
3. Can we choose the Learning Centre we wish to volunteer at?
4. What is the level of commitment that is expected of a volunteer at DAS?
5. Can volunteers interact with DAS students?
7. Can I get CIP hours for volunteering at DAS?
8. Will there be any training required for volunteers at DAS?
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If you are 15 years old and above, you may volunteer at DAS.
2. How do I sign up as a volunteer?
Please register here (link to registration form) and you will be contacted within the week. Subsequently we will invite you to attend our mandatory “Volunteering at DAS” briefing. This process may take two weeks to a month. If you need more information, please feel free to call us at 6444 5700 or email us at volunteer@das.org.sg
3. Can we choose the Learning Centre we wish to volunteer at?
You will be asked for your preferred Learning Centre when you attend the “Volunteering at DAS” briefing and we will try our best to accommodate according to your request. If we are not able to accommodate you, we will get in touch with you to work out the next best alternative.
4. What is the level of commitment that is expected of a volunteer at DAS?
Every volunteer has to commit to at least 4 hours per week for 10 weeks.
However, DAS is open to discuss alternatives if there is a clash in scheduling or you may wish to consider volunteering for our ad-hoc projects and events.
5. Can volunteers interact with DAS students?
Volunteers will be able to interact with our students when they do buddy reading with them and provide administrative support at Learning Centres. However, volunteers will not be able to interact with our students in the classrooms when lessons are ongoing.
6. If I can’t volunteer on a particular day because I am not well or need to go away, what should I do?
If you have a pre-arranged appointment and cannot be present for your duties, you have to inform your Learning Centre Manager in advance, ideally a week beforehand. For last-minute emergencies i.e. sick, please inform your Learning Centre Manager as soon as possible.
7. Can I get CIP hours for volunteering at DAS?
Yes, we do award CIP hours for volunteering at DAS.
8. Will there be any training required for volunteers at DAS?
All volunteers will have to attend a mandatory “Volunteering at DAS” briefing before they can begin volunteering. Volunteers who are interested to do buddy reading with DAS students will be required to go for the relevant training. All trainings fees are borne by DAS.