VOLUNTEER work is often perceived as ‘not everyone’s cup of tea’. However, 15-year-old La Lucia resident, Patrick Duncan, has urged everyone to get involved, especially the youth.
According to the young altruist, he has not only developed a passion for community service but he said he has also gained insight into the real world through his charitable work.
“It isn’t difficult to spend a few hours on a Saturday playing with the babies and children at The Domino Foundation. It gives the caregivers a bit of a break. They have a really hard job. Also, the children often come from difficult backgrounds and circumstances. This helps take their minds off of these things,” he said.
The Kearsney College pupil first volunteered at the home in October as part of an effort to earn his Pilgrim Award, an initiative encouraged among Grade 9 pupils at his school. Since then the community service bug had bitten the teen.
In addition to volunteering at the baby home, he is involved in various other organisations and initiatives, including tracking through the Mpumalanga bush learning about and aiding anti-rhino poaching efforts. Duncan has also organised a toy collection via social media for the baby home.
To earn the award, Duncan was only required to spend 24 hours doing community service, however to date he has sacrificed more than 100 hours on selfless deeds.
While chatting to the Northglen News last week, he recalled a defining moment in his altruistic standpoint: “The saddest moment was seeing the police drop off two young children at the home. I will never forget the overwhelming sadness of both the children and the staff at the home. At that point it hit me: children are abandoned and abused every day,” he said.
His ultimate goal, said Duncan, was to encourage his friends and other youth to dedicate their time volunteering. “All you really have to give is an hour of your time. It will change your life,” he said.
The Domino Foundation has welcomed assistance from the youth and urged any altruists to sign up to their yearly community service weeks – 29 March to 1 April, 27 June to 1 July or 11 July to 15 July.
“Community service is basically unpaid volunteering where you learn a lot about yourself and what it means to give back. Not only does it help with racking up your community service hours that are required by some tertiary institutions, but it builds up your CV too,” said Megan Pilditch, of The Domino Foundation.
During the supervised week, the volunteers get involved in various activities, such as making sandwiches, working in the vegetable tunnels for the feeding scheme and reading to the babies at the Domino Babies Home. Contact volunteer@domino.org.za.
