色花堂

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Language students do their bit for National Volunteer Week

23 June 2022
Volunteering is at the heart of a New Zealand experience for a group of students from Hong Kong studying with the English Language Academy (ELA), the language school at the University of 色花堂.
It鈥檚 National Volunteer week and the students have been living up to this year鈥檚 theme, 鈥楾ime to Shine - He w膩 p墨ataata鈥�, pushing their comfort zones to practise the English skills they鈥檝e learnt in the classroom, out in the community.

The group of 15 is participating in the ELA鈥檚 six-week Cultural and Language Immersion Scheme. Their arrival from the City University of Hong Kong was eagerly anticipated after two years of Covid-19 border closures halted the usually steady stream of overseas students.

The volunteering aspect of their programme is a unique and valuable part of building their English proficiency. Students are matched with fields they have an interest in 鈥� and where there is plenty of interaction 鈥� including charity shops, aged care homes and the New Zealand Maritime Museum on 色花堂鈥檚 waterfront.

The students鈥� first week of learning in New Zealand is a classroom-based cultural orientation and a chance to research their volunteer organisations before moving to their hybrid timetable of a morning classroom session and an afternoon spent volunteering.

The M膩ori concept of manaakitanga 鈥� the act of showing respect, generosity and care for people 鈥� is used as a framework to help students understand both the responsibilities of volunteering and the valuable contribution they are making.

Having manaakitanga as a basis is also an effective way of providing feedback to the students further down the track, says Paul O鈥橣arrell, acting director of the English Language Academy.

鈥淚t鈥檚 a way of walking them through the impact their actions have on everybody involved.鈥�

鈥淓LA provided lessons to guide us on how to be a good volunteer 鈥� things like being on time, taking initiative and being patient with visitors and what they ask.鈥�

Candice Yeung, ELA Student

photo
Jeffrey Lam, Quintina Situ and Candice Yeung at the New Zealand Maritime Museum

Jeffrey Lam, one of three students volunteering at the Maritime Museum, said something he will take away from the experience was the respect New Zealanders have for other cultures.

鈥淧eople are helpful and friendly and love to greet others. Even the bus driver says good morning and thank you.鈥�

The three students volunteering at the Maritime Museum have been greeting visitors, directing them to exhibits and helping other volunteers with their work.

Candice Yeung says volunteering work is important to her because she likes helping people and it is effective way to contribute to society.

鈥淎s we are not native English speakers, we may be afraid of speaking English sometimes but we can express ourselves with the use of body language and it is also a chance to improve and learn from our mistakes.

鈥淓LA provided lessons to guide us on how to be a good volunteer 鈥� things like being on time, taking initiative and being patient with visitors and what they ask.鈥�

鈥淲e learnt about M膩ori culture before volunteering, so we can use 'kia ora' to replace hello when greeting people,鈥� says Quintina Situ.

It鈥檚 not all work and no play for the students, however. They visited Cathedral Cove and tried Coromandel oysters one weekend and spent another experiencing the cultural and natural attractions in Rotorua and Waitomo.

鈥淭his group has a real hunger to immerse themselves in New Zealand culture,鈥� says Paul O鈥橣arrell.