Selina Tang, in her final year MSc Pre-registration Occupational Therapy recently received the prestigious 明星八卦 Volunteers “Outstanding Volunteering Contribution 2024" award.
She was delighted to receive this award and talked about her experiences with the 明星八卦 Volunteers programme.
“I have joined plenty of one-off events such as Social Play, Halloween Day, Christmas Light, Autumn Fayre, SEND family Santa Grotto and Christmas Market, Harrow and Hillingdon Geological Rock Show, Digi Help, Panathlon Xtend, Junior Citizen Workshop, Easter Funday, Easter Camp and the Modern Language Celebration.
The most insightful event was Panathlon Xtend, in which disabled students engaged in adaptive sports. I learned and discovered new ways, which I had never thought of, to facilitate the engagement of disabled children in sports. This significantly expanded my understanding of sports participation”
Selina added how participating in various events added value to her academic/personal life.
“Through my volunteering endeavours, I was fortunate to work with people of all ages with various needs and from diverse backgrounds. This included adults, elderly, children, parents, teachers, students, company staff, people with physical disabilities, and people with mental health conditions.
Working with them widened my horizon to the richness of different life experiences and ways of thinking. This allowed me to make more friends and enlarge my social circle, but also further developed my communication skills and gain exposure to a diverse working environment.
As an Occupational Therapy student, it was invaluable to witness how we can adapt and support people who face challenges when participating in daily activities for different reasons. I am inspired to help people to reach their full potential in life”
She also talked about her past experiences and what motivated her to start volunteering.
“I believe volunteering is a way of connecting with, learning from, and giving back to the local community. Through volunteering, I have had the opportunity to meet new people and enrich my life with their diverse experiences.
My motivation to start this journey came from the fulfilment I feel when contributing to society. This feeling will continually inspire me to persist in my volunteering efforts, fostering an ever-growing sense of belonging”