Get Involved

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While we do our very best for our students, we understand that we need the community – everyday people like you – to come alongside them so that they can truly be “empowered and thriving in inclusive communities”. Because while we can equip our students with the skills needed to function in community, only the community can welcome them and let them know that they belong.

Getting involved can take the form of gifts of time through volunteering, or financial gifts to allow us to create more possibilities for the people we serve, or opening up spaces or opportunities you have to our students so they can thrive beyond our school gates.

Volunteer

As a volunteer, you can make a difference by contributing your time, expertise and experience. Your presence and even the smallest of actions can touch a life.

Opportunities

We have various volunteering roles that may match your skills, talents, interests or experiences:

Type Definition Example
Skills-Based Contribute professional or specialised skills
  • Administrative support
  • Professional support eg. dental services
  • Multimedia support eg. photography, videography or copywriting.
Service-Based Work directly with our clients
  • Classroom support
  • Ad hoc activities and outings
  • Hydrotherapy
  • Sports activities (e.g. kayaking, bowling)
  • Horticulture and gardening support
  • Therapy aide
  • OOSH support (student care centre)
  • Befriending
Event-Based Get involved in the lead-up to and during events
  • Fundraising activities
  • School activities
  • Logistics support
  • Spring cleaning
Skills-Based

Contribute professional or specialised skills

  • Administrative support
  • Professional support eg. dental services
  • Multimedia support eg. photography, videography or copywriting.
Service-Based

Work directly with our clients

  • Classroom support
  • Ad hoc activities and outings
  • Hydrotherapy
  • Sports activities (e.g. kayaking, bowling)
  • Horticulture and gardening support
  • Therapy aide
  • OOSH support (student care centre)
  • Befriending
Event-Based

Get involved in the lead-up to and during events

  • Fundraising activities
  • School activities
  • Logistics support
  • Spring cleaning
Please Register Your Interest Here

Please email volunteering requests and proposals to partnership@rainbowcentre.org.sg.
We seek your understanding that volunteering activities will have to align with the needs of our programmes to support our students and their families.

Testimonials

“It is not so much of what one can do for the students; more importantly, it is to be there for them and offer assistance in any way one can. Through this humbling experience, I am able to empathise with what the children are going through and this has enabled me to be more appreciative of what I have.” Whye Mun volunteer since February 2018
“I enjoy the ‘work with teacher’ task the most. I get to help individual children in different tasks, such as learning how to count from one to ten. It’s really heartwarming to see them improve. If anyone is apprehensive about becoming a volunteer, don’t be! The children are just like us, with capabilities to learn and progress.” Lee Hui En volunteered during her gap year
“Sometimes I help out in the hydrotherapy pool, in the classroom, or help the teachers when they need to bring the class for outings. These are my favourite moments. I’m already 54, but will definitely be helping for many more years.” Nathan Nair volunteer for 18 years

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I sign up as a volunteer?

Please click here to register online. Our team will be most happy to contact you.

What is the criteria to be a volunteer?

Volunteers have to be at least 15 years old. Parental consent is required for those under 18 years old. Passion and enthusiasm are a big plus. We do screen all new volunteers carefully to ensure a good fit.

I'm new to volunteering. Will training be provided?

You will be given training through RC’s volunteer orientation talk and equipping modules that are relevant to your area of volunteering. 

What is the level of commitment expected for classroom volunteers?

As a classroom volunteer, you have an important job! To build rapport with the students and give them a good level of consistency, we ask our classroom volunteers to commit to at least six months, on a regular day and time every week. School sessions run from 8.00am to 12.30pm, or from 1.00pm to 5.15pm.

I am usually away with my kids during their school vacations; can I take 'leave' from volunteering?

Our campuses follow the MOE school terms and holidays for primary and secondary schools.

I can only help during the weekends. Are there any opportunities to volunteer then?

Yes you can be a Good Life Befriender. You can find out more in the FAQ below.

There are also volunteer opportunities on a project or ad-hoc basis, such as National Day celebrations, Children’s Day or various school outings.

I would like to help only children with autism. Can that be arranged?

We will try our best to match your requests and suitability with our students’ needs.

Is there any insurance coverage for volunteers?

Yes, group accident insurance coverage is provided for all volunteers participating in volunteering activities.

What do Good Life Befrienders do?
The Good Life Befrienders programme was started as a way to meet the unique needs of youths with disabilities and to support their post-school goals, particularly of being engaged and connected in the community. Volunteers befriend youths with disabilities and together, they engage in activities that are often typical of teenagers. This initiative helps youths with disabilities who may be otherwise relatively insulated, to connect with other members of their community. Their network expands with the befrienders visiting them and/or going out together on a regular basis. This initiative also helps to deepen the befrienders’ understanding of issues related to inclusion.
 
Volunteers are paired up with our students who are between 15 and 18 years old, and they commit to spending time together weekly, fortnightly, or monthly, over a period of at least 6 months. 

Give

Your generous gifts will help us to create more possibilities for the people we serve in these areas:

  • Financial aid for students from low income families to be in early intervention and special education
  • Vocational training and development opportunities
  • Talent development programmes (eg, painting, photography, ceramic-making)
  • Financial aid for families to benefit from support and training programmes
  • Before-and-after-school student care services
  • Innovation, development and research

Give.asia

Note: Payment processing fee: 1.5%

Donate

Giving.SG

Note: Payment processing fee: 3% + GST

Donate

Cheque Donation

  • Make cheque payable to “Rainbow Centre, Singapore”
  • Indicate clearly on the reverse side of your cheque: full name, email, NRIC/ FIN/ UEN and contact number
  • Mail and attention your cheque to:
    Head, Partnership and Engagement
    Rainbow Centre, Singapore
    501 Margaret Drive
    Singapore 149306

Cash & Other Donations

(eg, monthly or legacy giving, creating a specific fund, capital donations)

Please contact us for a discussion.
Head, Partnership and Engagement
6475 2072
partnership@rainbowcentre.org.sg

Partner

We understand that education doesn’t happen only in school. So we help our older students plan for the transition from school to community, which involves students and their families in building a shared vision to maximise the students’ independence and productivity, and matching the families to resources in the community.

Together with community partners and volunteers, we can increase the options available for them to lead independent and productive lives in an inclusive community.

Some ways you can partner with us:

  • Offer vocational training and work on internship opportunities
  • Provide opportunities for educational visits or learning journeys
  • Provide or modifying equipment and furniture
  • Provide advocacy and awareness opportunities
  • Participate in activities for persons with all abilities. Be it sports, the arts or recreation, there’s so much we can enjoy together in common spaces
  • Enjoy a cup of great coffee and light meals at Seeds Cafe, a place designed for persons of all abilities
  • Recognise that our students and any persons with disabilities are people with dreams, interests and ideas about what makes them happy and welcome them to your place of business, club, school, neighbourhood as part of the community
  • Help us fundraise
  • Help us sell gifts and art items by our students

Contact

The possibilities are endless. Email us at partnership@rainbowcentre.org.sg and we’ll be happy to explore opportunities with you.

Together, we can build a more inclusive community in these ways:

Understand: Bringing People Together

When we stop to listen, we can begin to understand. We bring people such as our students, their families, and the public together to hear and consider their voices.

Involve: Finding Common Interests

When we get involved, we discover the many shared interests between persons with different abilities. There’s so much we can enjoy together in common spaces.

Connect: Building Firm and Lasting Connections

By matching our students and their families to formal and informal resources in the community, their independence and productivity are maximised and they are better included in the community for the long term.