Love your volunteer gig? It just could become your career
“I never knew I had such endless patience and empathy for seniors.”
When Melissa Teo began volunteering at MWS Active Ageing Centre – GreenTops@ Sims Place (GTAAC) in May 2022, she was eager to gain experience in the social service sector. Having left the corporate world after more than 20 years to pursue a degree in guidance and counselling, Melissa saw it as a chance to discover new career possibilities.
But what started out as casual volunteering soon turned into a calling. “I came to realise that I truly love the seniors—the good, the bad and the difficult—and I wanted to continue engaging with them,” she shared.
As a volunteer, Melissa played an active role in befriending socially isolated seniors and running programmes such as bingo and sing-along sessions. “Some seniors get so excited during sing-along sessions that they even start dancing,” she laughed. “Seeing them happy makes me happy, and as Proverbs 17:22 says, ‘A joyful heart is good medicine.’”
Using her skills to help seniors avoid squabbles
Volunteering also became a meaningful way for Melissa to apply her counselling skills.
She recalled an incident where an elderly woman with a walking stick arrived late to an activity and was turned away by the groups she tried to join. Feeling excluded, she shouted in Hokkien, “I am just an old lady with walking difficulties! Why do you people push me around?” before storming out.
Melissa quickly followed, calming her down before encouraging the other seniors to put themselves in her shoes. “I asked them to consider how they would feel if they were told they didn’t belong,” she shared. “That was one of many times I was able to counsel seniors struggling with resentment and bitterness. It was fulfilling to help them find peace.”
Determined to foster a more supportive space, Melissa worked with staff to launch a six-session workshop on positive mindsets and respectful communication. Through games and skits, seniors explored topics like embracing diverse perspectives and managing emotions.
The impact was clear—more mindful and respectful environment, where seniors felt a stronger sense of belonging.
From volunteer to senior executive
When a full-time position opened up at the AAC, Melissa saw it as the perfect opportunity to turn her passion into a career. Now, as a Senior Executive responsible for Volunteer Management, she encourages other seniors to volunteer and develops innovative programmes to boost engagement. She also empowers volunteers to co- lead activities, giving them ownership in shaping an environment where seniors can thrive together.
For Melissa, this work is deeply tied to her faith. Citing Matthew 5:16, she shared, “There were times when I had the opportunity to visit sick seniors in the hospital and, with their permission, pray for them. It is truly meaningful to live out God’s word in this way.”
Melissa’s journey shows how acts of service can bring purpose and transformation—both for volunteers and those they serve. You, too, can make a difference by stepping up to serve the marginalised and vulnerable in our community.
As The Methodist Church in Singapore celebrates its 140th Anniversary, its social concerns arm, Methodist Welfare Services, is rallying members to contribute 1.4 million volunteer hours (about 35 hours per person) to uplift lives.
This article first appeared in Methodist Message produced by The Methodist Church in Singapore.
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