YONSEI VOLUNTEER Coordinator encapsulates the Yonsei spirit: “serve others with an open heart, and contribute to the prosperity of humankind”[1]. Voluntarily helping people in need is an important part of being a responsible member of society. Yonsei Volunteer Coordinator is a club that epitomizes this spirit of volunteerism; its members do volunteer work in many diverse and creative ways, ranging from reading books to children to caring for abandoned dogs. The Yonsei Annals interviewed Volunteer Coordinator’s 24th president, Kim Yoo-ri (Sr., Dept. of Vocal Music) and 25th president, Jeong Hyeon-ho (Sr., Dept. of Business Admin.) to learn more about this club.

Annals: Could you briefly introduce your club, Volunteer Coordinator? 

Kim: Volunteer Coordinator was established in 2009 to “develop talent that can exercise leadership for the benefit of humanity.” The organizations that we work with differ depending on the theme we choose for each semester. Members of our club get to plan and carry out their own volunteer work projects based on this theme. 

In short, we are an independent student-led organization that promotes the importance of sharing Our work ranges from giving out briquettes to those in need to helping out abandoned pets at animal shelters. 

Annals: How is Volunteer Coordinator different from other volunteer work-related clubs?  

Jeong: Unlike other volunteer work clubs that focus on a specific field, our club members get to choose which type of volunteer work they want to focus on. Each club member shares his or her thoughts on what kind of volunteer work they would like to carry out during club meetings. Then, we vote to decide which one we’ll focus on. Because our members collectively decide what to do, instead of simply being told to do something, each individual member of the club feels a sense of responsibility about their work, 

Annals: How is the club carrying out its activities during the pandemic? 

Kim: Last year, we created “card news[2],” that showcases our work at the shelter for abandoned dogs and shared it on social media. We tried to raise awareness for abandoned pets and bring home the harsh reality that they face. 

Jeong: We reduced the number of physical activities and focused instead on doing club activities online. Despite all of our weekly meetings being held through zoom, there was still active participation, with attendance rates reaching 80-90%. As a result, many new and innovative ideas were brought up. One of them involved creating posters that showed the elderly tips on how to stretch properly. The project aimed to promote physical activity amongst the elderly during the pandemic. Through cooperation with the Seodaemun-gu senior welfare center, we managed to successfully distribute these posters. Given that the pandemic will very likely continue, we are currently coming up with more volunteer work ideas that can be implemented online. Also, we will cooperate with various other volunteer work organizations for the upcoming semester. 

Annals: What are things that you need to take into consideration while planning volunteer work projects?  

Kim: Because we don’t focus on one specific field, we try to take into account the needs of each institution that we plan on working with. This allows us to tailor our projects to meet the specific needs of the people we plan on helping. 

Jeong: Also, we think about whether people will be able to relate to our cause. If the project is only fun for us, the “spirit of volunteerism” will disappear after we are done with the project. I personally think that we were able to come up with better ideas when we consider whether what we’re doing can contribute to society and think about the goals that we seek to achieve. 

Annals: Why did you decide to join Volunteer Coordinator?

Kim: My dream after graduating college is to work in performance production. The fact that I could independently coordinate and carry out volunteer work myself was very appealing.

Jeong: As Lee said, I also liked the fact that students can plan volunteer work projects by themselves.

Annals: I am sure that volunteer work is not an easy task. What are some of the challenges you faced while running this club?

Kim: I think the most challenging part was getting in touch with outside organizations every semester. Most of the institutions would prefer volunteer work to be long-term, but our club carries out volunteer work in the form of a project that lasts only one semester. Getting in touch with outside organizations has become even more difficult recently due to COVID-19. 

Jeong: Some club members were unable to participate in Volunteer Coordinator for two consecutive semesters because they were busy doing something else. We allow members to return when they are less busy. However, because of this flexible attendance policy, it can be difficult to call for active participation, unlike other clubs with stricter attendance policies.

Annals: Could you give us an explanation of a few projects that you personally like?

Kim: The work that we did for abandoned dogs was personally very meaningful. We have been carrying out this project at the dog shelter in Goyang-si, called Ban dal i ne, since 2018. Before COVID-19, we used to go there in person and clean up the shelter and play with the dogs. We made posters to encourage student participation, and, as a result, numerous Yonsei students were also able to participate. It was a good opportunity for students to learn firsthand the harsh reality that abandoned pets face. We donated the participation fee to Ban dal i ne.

Annals: Could you share the most meaningful memory you have from the club?

Kim: The most meaningful project for me was organizing a sports day for children with the Youth Forest Institution last semester. Because I joined the club during the pandemic, this was the first club activity that I partook in that wasn’t held online. Interacting with children who were full of energy and happiness was very meaningful; their positive energy was infectious.

Jeong: I miss last fall when we could rent out a party room and have a fun time with other members of the club before the third wave began in November. It was an opportunity to get to know each other while having fun. We developed a more intimate relationship with one another as a result. This helped create a more comfortable atmosphere during zoom meetings that allowed us to share our ideas. As a result, our members brought up numerous fresh ideas during meetings.

Annals: What plans do you have for the upcoming semester?

Kim: We are planning on doing volunteer work both virtually and in-person. We plan on continuing to work with the Youth Forest Institution. We will play with the children there and also read books to them to help them academically. 

Jeong: We are also planning to conduct several fun virtual projects that everyone can participate in.

Annals: What does “volunteering” mean to you? 

Kim: For me, it means “happiness.” The fact that, with a little effort, we can actually help someone in need makes me happy. I feel like I could do volunteer work at any time and any place because of the satisfaction it gives me.

Jeong: For me, volunteer work isn’t a burdensome chore that I have to be compelled to do. Instead, it’s more like an enjoyable hobby. I enjoy the process of planning and carrying out volunteer work projects. That’s why it’s a hobby and not a chore.

Annals: Is there anything you would like to say to our readers and those who might be thinking about joining Volunteer Coordinator?

Kim: Unlike other volunteer work clubs, members of Volunteer Coordinator can experience the joy of creating and carrying out volunteer work projects that they designed themselves. We are more than a mere volunteer work club; we oversee a project from its beginning to its implementation. If you want to experience volunteer work that is different from the typical work that you would have done in high school, apply to Yonsei Volunteer Coordinator! 

Jeong: If you're looking for a more meaningful experience and opportunity to join a volunteer work-related club where you can plan your own volunteer work project, just like you would decorate your own room, then come join Volunteer Coordinator!

[1] Yonsei University website

[2] Information presented in an infographic format by combining texts and images