Unit 12 Want to Be a Volunteer?
1.Listen,read and practice.
Have you ever seen volunteers help peole? Why do people votunteer?
How can you become one of them?Let's see what LiMeng is doing.
LiMeng:Daniel,if you've got a minute,could I thalk to you about volunteering?
Daniel:Sure,as you know,I do some volunteering myself.
LiMeng:I know if you do volunteer work,you do it for free.Right?
Daniel:Yeah,but if you want some help with training and finding the right place to work in,
it's a good idea to become a member of a volunteer organization like"Volun-teering SA".
That costs money.
LiMeng:I heard that if you look on-line,
there are plenty of volunteer jobs available.
Daniel:Yeah,you can find a good job that way.
But if you want to do the job better,
it helps to get some training and advice from"Volunteering SA".
LiMeng:So if I join,I have to call somewhere and fill out a form?
Daniel:Right.And also pay a fee of $40 plus $4 GST.
So altogether you pay $44 a year to have a full membership.
LiMeng:What?I have to pay money in order to work for free?
Daniel:Well,you don't have to,but believe me,if you do pay
your money won't go nowhere.
You'll get lots of benefits,you know.
LiMeng:Yeah,those benefits are killing me.
Daniel:No,it's worth it and you get free training,free advice,
free newsletters and journals on volunteering,that sort of thing.
LiMeng:Pay to be a volunteer?I feel more like a customer than a volunteer!
6.Listen,read and act.
Where can you find volunteer job opportunities?
Call a volunteer centre or search on-line.It's easy and quick.
LiMeng:Xiaohong,I've found a few volunteer job opportunities on-line.
Come over and take a look.
Xiaohong:Volunteer job opportunities?Are you sure you can spare time for it?
LiMeng:Well,as long as I do it for only a couple of hours a week,
I should be able to manage it.Anyway,look at these jobs first.What do you think
Xiaohong:This one's good--helping old people in nursing homes.
Reading the newspaper,shopping...and you can decide on the days and time.
LiMeng:How about this one?
Giving one-to-one instructions in understanding and using the Internet.
Introductory level only.
Xiaohong:But it says country areas here.
Unless you could drive,this one would be difficult.
How would you go to these places?
LiMeng:You're right!Nursing home or computer job,which one shall I choose?
9.Listen,read and learn.
Volunteer service in the Weat
Do you want to work with people or animals or machines or tools?
Do you want to work indoors or outdoors,
directly serve people in need or serve people behind the scenes?
These are the typical questions that a volunteer service agency would ask.
Every year,thousands and thousands of people in the west offer volunteer services.
Vollunteering greatly strengthens the community partly because it helps the old,
the young,the weak,the sick,the disabled and the injured to overcome difficulties.
Volunteers usually help in many different ways.
They may give people advice,offer friendship to the young,
drive the elderly to church,counsel kids against drugs,
work as an assistant in a school or nursing home,raise funds,plant trees,
help out in local libraries and do many other things.
Volunteering can be a few hours a week or a few hours a month,
time during the day,evenings or weekends,either part time or full time.
Anybody who is willing to serve people in need can become a volunteer.
The art of volunteering is a process of both giving and receiving.
Volunteering allows volunteers to meet new people
and make new friends and mix with people from all walks of life.
Volunteering is an excellent way to experiment,
practice and try out new techniques and skills.
It is much more effective to practice a skillt
than to read about it or study it in a classroom.
Volunteering is a great way to develop good teamwork skills,
discover your individual talents and explore career choices.
Being a volunteer takes individuals on a wonderful journey
and helps them learn many important things beyond their school learning.
14.Listen,read and act.
Have you been to a nursing home for old people?
Do you know what they need most?How can we help them?
Mr.peterson,the manager of a nursing home,is giving LiMeng some instructions.
LiMeng:Thank you so much,Mr.Peterson.Is there anything else I should know?
Peterson:Yes.Many old people here don't hear very well,
so if you read newspaper or books to them,make sure you are loud and slow.
LiMeng:Loud and slow.OK,I'll remember that.
Peterson:And also if something urgent turns up and you can't make it here,
just give me a call so I can arrange things.
LiMeng:Sure.I've got a mobile phone.That's easy.
Peterson:Now.can you remember our address and which bus comes by our place?
LiMeng:Yeah.But I'll write them down in my notebook just in case I forget.
Peterson:Good.Well,that's all I need to tell you.
Thank you very much,young man,for your interest in helping old people.
We look forward to seeing you this coming Friday.