One of the key components of sustainable community development in Malaysia is volunteerism. However, basic issues such as motivating volunteers or even locating organizations which offer the volunteering activities they want in their neighbourhood are not being addressed effectively. Today’s launch of ‘Do Something Good’ (DSG) — a community-driven, volunteering platform that brings volunteering into the social networking age marks a great milestone in connecting Malaysians to one another.
Officiating the kick-off of Do Something Good, Deputy Minister of Higher Education Yang Berhormat Dato’ Saifuddin Abdullah. He was accompanied by notable NGOs such as National Cancer Society Malaysia, Yayasan Salam, Yayasan Chow Kit and House of Matahari as well as ‘Celebrity for Cause’ Ambassadors – Daphne Iking, Azlan Iskandar, Ben Ibrahim and Amber Chia.
“Back in school, there were no charitable or volunteer societies but I still wanted to contribute to society someway, somehow. The problem was I didn’t know where to start and couldn’t find any opportunities”, says DSG volunteer Yap Hui Min. “I was an individual who wanted to help others but many NGOs I rang up turned me down. It was also really difficult to reach out to the small and fragmented pockets of volunteers out there.”
Using technology and social media as enablers, DSG launched today as an online platform that aggregates volunteering information centrally, helps volunteers to sign up through their social networks and find relevant volunteering opportunities in their neighborhoods. Do Something Good employs a new development in technology start-ups called gamification that applies the key elements of games in other areas. Participants in Do Something Good gain virtual points and badges for registering for volunteering opportunities.
Empowering volunteers through DSG, volunteers especially the youth segment now have fun and simpler means of getting notified on what are the current volunteering activities NGOs are offering; as well as directions on the location for the areas of volunteer work. Meanwhile, NGOs have wider and greater access to volunteers throughout the country.
Do Something Good’s technology lead, Tandemic Director Kal Joffres shares, “We want volunteering to become a lifestyle. In order for that to happen, it needs to be extremely easy for people to find volunteering opportunities. If you can pull out your phone and easily find three restaurants to eat at this weekend, why can’t you do the same for volunteering? ‘Do Something Good’ helps people easily find volunteering activities in their neighbourhood and find out who’s participating them in a way that wasn’t possible before. At the same time, we make it simple for organisations to organise their own volunteering opportunities and publish them”
About ‘Do Something Good’ – (www.dosomething.gd)
‘Do Something Good’ is an online platform that helps people find local volunteering opportunities and gain points and badges for participating. Organisations can set up opportunities and manage registrations in an easy and real-time manner. They also have a tool to that enables registering volunteers from their own web sites.
Michael Teoh is a Malaysia Book of Records Holder for the 'Most Extraordinary Global Experience' for a Malaysian, where in 2011, he journeyed to 22 countries under a scholarship from the UK, to meet and work with entrepreneurs and NGOs. To date, he is a certified coach, trainer and internationally listed speaker, having spoken to and consulted both the public and private sectors on youth engagement, personal development and entrepreneurship.
Website: → http://www.michaelteoh.com
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