Directly go to Follow Up Questions (Part 3 Discussions)
Describe a volunteering experience you have had
- – What it was
- – Where it was
- – Why you volunteered
- – How you felt about it
Short Version:
Volunteer work is something which we do out of our own choice. We often do it free or with less salary. In Volunteer work, we do welfare activities and contribute to humanity.I have done volunteer work many times
Last year, I participated in an important Volunteer work. Actually, our community decided to convert a garbage dumping zone into a park for Children and families. This dumping zone had been spreading bad odour in residential areas and there was fear of growing mosquitoes and infections. Our Sarpanch called the local people to come forward and extend helping hands in this project. People responded to this call and welcomed the idea of fulfilling this project with help from Volunteers.
One or two persons from every home joined group of Volunteers. Then there was a group of more than 100 people. I also had a strong urge to contribute to this common project of my own community. So from my house, I joined them. Infact, my parents encouraged me for Volunteering myself in this service.
Then I along with other volunteers cleared the garbage from that place and transported it to other distant location. Then the ground was leveled with layers of new soil. Luckily, some rich people had donated cement, bricks, which were used to build boundary of park with the help of Volunteer masons. Then people brought full grown trees and saplings and planted them inside the park in beautifully designed lanes. I myself planted 10 “Neem” trees in the park.
Local Sarpanch donated swings for children. It took around 20 days to do this project. After 20 days, the site was totally transformed and became a centre point of attraction for everyone. Everyone was happy by contributing to this project. This Volunteer work raised feeling of care and brotherhood among the people. I enjoyed this Volunteer work with my friends. I felt a great sense of satisfaction and peace at my heart. There was something in our Village which actually united all the people and that was this selfless service to a common cause.
So this was the time when have had a good experience of Volunteering.
Punjabi translation of above topic
ਸਵੈਸੇਵੀ ਕੰਮ ਇੱਕ ਅਜਿਹੀ ਚੀਜ਼ ਹੈ ਜੋ ਅਸੀਂ ਆਪਣੀ ਪਸੰਦ ਤੋਂ ਬਾਹਰ ਕਰਦੇ ਹਾਂ। ਅਸੀਂ ਅਕਸਰ ਇਸਨੂੰ ਮੁਫ਼ਤ ਜਾਂ ਘੱਟ ਤਨਖਾਹ ਦੇ ਨਾਲ ਕਰਦੇ ਹਾਂ। ਸਵੈਸੇਵੀ ਕਾਰਜ ਵਿੱਚ, ਅਸੀਂ ਭਲਾਈ ਦੀਆਂ ਸਰਗਰਮੀਆਂ ਕਰਦੇ ਹਾਂ ਅਤੇ ਮਨੁੱਖਤਾ ਵਿੱਚ ਯੋਗਦਾਨ ਪਾਉਂਦੇ ਹਾਂ
ਮੈਂ ਕਈ ਵਾਰ ਸਵੈਸੇਵੀ ਕੰਮ ਕੀਤਾ ਹੈ
ਪਿਛਲੇ ਸਾਲ, ਮੈਂ ਇੱਕ ਮਹੱਤਵਪੂਰਨ ਸਵੈਸੇਵੀ ਕਾਰਜ ਵਿੱਚ ਭਾਗ ਲਿਆ ਸੀ। ਅਸਲ ਵਿੱਚ, ਸਾਡੇ ਭਾਈਚਾਰੇ ਨੇ ਬੱਚਿਆਂ ਅਤੇ ਪਰਿਵਾਰਾਂ ਵਾਸਤੇ ਇੱਕ ਪਾਰਕ ਵਿੱਚ ਕੂੜੇ ਦੇ ਡੰਪਿੰਗ ਜ਼ੋਨ ਨੂੰ ਬਦਲਣ ਦਾ ਫੈਸਲਾ ਕੀਤਾ। ਇਹ ਡੰਪਿੰਗ ਜ਼ੋਨ ਰਿਹਾਇਸ਼ੀ ਇਲਾਕਿਆਂ ਵਿੱਚ ਬਦਬੂ ਫੈਲਾਉਂਦਾ ਆ ਰਿਹਾ ਸੀ ਅਤੇ ਮੱਛਰਾਂ ਅਤੇ ਲਾਗਾਂ ਵਧਣ ਦਾ ਡਰ ਸੀ। ਸਾਡੇ ਸਰਪੰਚ ਨੇ ਸਥਾਨਕ ਲੋਕਾਂ ਨੂੰ ਇਸ ਪ੍ਰੋਜੈਕਟ ਵਿੱਚ ਅੱਗੇ ਆਉਣ ਅਤੇ ਮਦਦ ਕਰਨ ਲਈ ਕਿਹਾ। ਲੋਕਾਂ ਨੇ ਇਸ ਕਾਲ ਦਾ ਜਵਾਬ ਦਿੱਤਾ ਅਤੇ ਵਲੰਟੀਅਰਾਂ ਦੀ ਮਦਦ ਨਾਲ ਇਸ ਪ੍ਰੋਜੈਕਟ ਨੂੰ ਪੂਰਾ ਕਰਨ ਦੇ ਵਿਚਾਰ ਦਾ ਸਵਾਗਤ ਕੀਤਾ।
ਹਰ ਘਰ ਦੇ ਇੱਕ ਜਾਂ ਦੋ ਵਿਅਕਤੀ ਵਲੰਟੀਅਰਾਂ ਦੇ ਗਰੁੱਪ ਵਿੱਚ ਸ਼ਾਮਲ ਹੋ ਗਏ। ਉਦੋਂ 100 ਤੋਂ ਵੱਧ ਲੋਕਾਂ ਦਾ ਸਮੂਹ ਸੀ। ਮੇਰੇ ਆਪਣੇ ਭਾਈਚਾਰੇ ਦੇ ਇਸ ਸਾਂਝੇ ਪ੍ਰੋਜੈਕਟ ਵਿੱਚ ਯੋਗਦਾਨ ਪਾਉਣ ਦੀ ਵੀ ਮੇਰੀ ਪੁਰਜ਼ੋਰ ਇੱਛਾ ਸੀ। ਇਸ ਲਈ ਮੈਂ ਆਪਣੇ ਘਰ ਤੋਂ ਹੀ ਉਨ੍ਹਾਂ ਨਾਲ ਜੁੜ ਗਿਆ. ਦਰਅਸਲ, ਮੇਰੇ ਮਾਪਿਆਂ ਨੇ ਮੈਨੂੰ ਇਸ ਸੇਵਾ ਵਿੱਚ ਸਵੈ-ਸੇਵੀ ਬਣਨ ਲਈ ਉਤਸ਼ਾਹਤ ਕੀਤਾ।
ਫਿਰ ਮੈਂ ਹੋਰ ਵਲੰਟੀਅਰਾਂ ਨਾਲ ਮਿਲ ਕੇ ਉਸ ਥਾਂ ਤੋਂ ਕੂੜਾ ਸਾਫ਼ ਕੀਤਾ ਅਤੇ ਉਸ ਨੂੰ ਹੋਰ ਦੂਰ ਦੇ ਸਥਾਨ ‘ਤੇ ਲੈ ਗਿਆ। ਫਿਰ ਜ਼ਮੀਨ ਨੂੰ ਨਵੀਂ ਮਿੱਟੀ ਦੀਆਂ ਪਰਤਾਂ ਨਾਲ ਪੱਧਰਾ ਕੀਤਾ ਗਿਆ। ਕਿਸਮਤ ਨਾਲ, ਕੁਝ ਅਮੀਰ ਲੋਕਾਂ ਨੇ ਸੀਮੈਂਟ, ਇੱਟਾਂ ਦਾਨ ਕੀਤੀਆਂ ਸਨ, ਜੋ ਕਿ ਵਲੰਟੀਅਰ ਮਿਸਤਰੀ ਦੀ ਮਦਦ ਨਾਲ ਪਾਰਕ ਦੀ ਸੀਮਾ ਬਣਾਉਣ ਲਈ ਵਰਤੀਆਂ ਜਾਂਦੀਆਂ ਸਨ। ਫਿਰ ਲੋਕ ਪੂਰੇ ਰੁੱਖ ਅਤੇ ਬੂਟੇ ਲੈ ਕੇ ਆਏ ਅਤੇ ਉਨ੍ਹਾਂ ਨੂੰ ਪਾਰਕ ਦੇ ਅੰਦਰ ਸੁੰਦਰ ਢੰਗ ਨਾਲ ਤਿਆਰ ਕੀਤੀਆਂ ਗਲੀਆਂ ਵਿਚ ਲਗਾ ਦਿੱਤਾ। ਮੈਂ ਆਪ ਪਾਰਕ ਵਿੱਚ 10 “ਨਿੰਮ” ਦੇ ਰੁੱਖ ਲਗਾਏ।
ਸਥਾਨਕ ਸਰਪੰਚ ਨੇ ਬੱਚਿਆਂ ਲਈ ਝੂਲੇ ਦਾਨ ਕੀਤੇ। ਇਸ ਪ੍ਰੋਜੈਕਟ ਨੂੰ ਕਰਨ ਵਿੱਚ ਲਗਭਗ 20 ਦਿਨ ਲੱਗਗਏ। 20 ਦਿਨਾਂ ਬਾਅਦ, ਸਾਈਟ ਪੂਰੀ ਤਰ੍ਹਾਂ ਬਦਲ ਗਈ ਅਤੇ ਇਹ ਹਰ ਕਿਸੇ ਵਾਸਤੇ ਖਿੱਚ ਦਾ ਕੇਂਦਰ ਬਣ ਗਈ। ਇਸ ਪ੍ਰੋਜੈਕਟ ਵਿੱਚ ਯੋਗਦਾਨ ਪਾ ਕੇ ਹਰ ਕੋਈ ਖੁਸ਼ ਸੀ। ਇਸ ਸਵੈਸੇਵੀ ਕਾਰਜ ਨੇ ਲੋਕਾਂ ਵਿੱਚ ਸੰਭਾਲ ਅਤੇ ਭਾਈਚਾਰੇ ਦੀ ਭਾਵਨਾ ਨੂੰ ਵਧਾਇਆ। ਮੈਂ ਆਪਣੇ ਦੋਸਤਾਂ ਨਾਲ ਇਸ ਵਲੰਟੀਅਰ ਕੰਮ ਦਾ ਅਨੰਦ ਮਾਣਿਆ। ਮੈਨੂੰ ਆਪਣੇ ਦਿਲ ਵਿੱਚ ਸੰਤੁਸ਼ਟੀ ਅਤੇ ਸ਼ਾਂਤੀ ਦੀ ਬਹੁਤ ਵੱਡੀ ਭਾਵਨਾ ਮਹਿਸੂਸ ਹੋਈ। ਸਾਡੇ ਪਿੰਡ ਵਿਚ ਕੁਝ ਅਜਿਹਾ ਸੀ, ਜੋ ਅਸਲ ਵਿਚ ਸਾਰੇ ਲੋਕਾਂ ਨੂੰ ਇਕਜੁਟ ਕਰ ਰਿਹਾ ਸੀ ਅਤੇ ਇਹ ਇਕ ਸਾਂਝੇ ਉਦੇਸ਼ ਲਈ ਇਹ ਨਿਰਸਵਾਰਥ ਸੇਵਾ ਸੀ।
ਇਸ ਲਈ ਇਹ ਉਹ ਸਮਾਂ ਸੀ ਜਦੋਂ ਸਵੈਸੇਵੀ ਬਣਨ ਦਾ ਚੰਗਾ ਅਨੁਭਵ ਹੋਇਆ ਸੀ।
Long Version:
Volunteer work is something which we do out of our own choice. We often do it free or with less salary. In Volunteer work, we do welfare activities and contribute to humanity, society and environment. This is a way to reach out to needy people with helping hands.
I have done volunteer work many times, during my schooling as well as in my Village. Our school teachers encouraged us to participate in welfare activities like cleaning school ground, planting trees in nearby villages, awareness campaigns not to use plastic, feeding the stray animals and more.
Last year, I participated in an important Volunteer work. Actually, our community decided to convert a garbage dumping zone into a park for Children and families. My whole community was keen in this project. This dumping zone had been spreading bad odour in residential areas and there was fear of growing mosquitos and infections. But local government authority refused to fund the project. So our Sarpanch called the local people to come forward and extend helping hands in this project. People responded to this call and welcomed the idea of fulfilling this project with help from Volunteers.
One or two persons from every home joined group of Volunteers. Then there was a group of more than 100 people. People who have tractors and trolleys also joined this service and brought their equipment.
I also had a strong urge to contribute to this common project of my own community. So from my house, I joined them. Infact, my parents encouraged me for Volunteering myself in this service.
Then I along with other volunteers cleared the garbage from that place and transported it to other distant location. Then the ground was leveled with layers of new soil. Luckily, some rich people had donated cement, bricks, which were used to build boundary of park, paths in the park by Volunteer masons. Then people brought full grown trees and saplings and planted them inside the park in beautifully designed lanes. I myself planted 10 “Neem” trees in the park.
Local Sarpanch donated swings for children. It took around 20 days to do this project. After 20 days, the site was totally transformed and became a centre point of attraction for everyone. Even people from nearby villages were amazed by looking at the place how we could do this with help of our own community people and without funding from government. Everyone was happy by contributing to this project. This Volunteer work raised feeling of care and brotherhood among the people. I enjoyed this Volunteer work with my friends. I felt a great sense of satisfaction and peace at my heart. There was something in our Village which actually united all the people and that was this selfless service to a common cause.
So this was the time when have had a good experience of Volunteering.
Sample 2
Volunteering offers you the opportunity to try a new career work without making a long term commitment. It is a great way to gain different experience in a new field. In some areas, you can volunteer directly at an organization that does the kind of work you’re interested in.
I always want to do some work through which I can help poor and needy people. I got a chance to volunteering work in march 2020. Corona pandemic started in India, and for the protection of the public, our prime minister ordered a complete lockdown for a few months in the whole India. We all know everything has two sides I mean to say positive side is that people stay safe in their houses and also get chance to spend time with their family which they do not spend due to their busy schedule. But lockdown proves very bad for labour class people because many people lose their job and they did not have enough money to provide food and shelter to their family.
My street people decided to help poor people so for that they announce that they needed volunteers who help them to provide medical facility to poor people and motivate them to support the government and go to the hospital for test if suffering from fever, cold, cough and some other symptoms of coronavirus, so they get proper treatment on time. We all collected some money to purchase mask, sanitizer and hand gloves for people and distribute in them.
I realized that doing work for others gives much mental peace which I did not get when I worked for my self. My way of thinking and perspective about life has changed a lot.
I did this work for two months, but It does riot mean I stop helping people even now I use my pocket money to buy some medical accessories which I distributed in poor people and admit them in the hospital if they need any treatment.
Sample 3
I have not had many volunteering experiences in my life
• But recently I got an opportunity to volunteer and I really liked it
• In March 2020 when the Corona pandemic started in India our prime minister ordered a complete lockdown in the whole of India.
• Many labour class people were jobless all of a sudden.
• These people depend on their daily earning for their living and in one blow their source of earning was gone.
• There is an NGO in my hometown which advertised through the local Cable TV that they needed volunteers to provide food and other things of need to these workers
• My friend and I decided to volunteer for this noble cause
• We called the NGO and asked them where we had to come and what we had to do?
• They told us that either we could help with the cooking or we could help with the delivery of food packets
• We volunteered for cooking, as my parents were a bit sceptical about us going out for delivering food packets
• We went for a whole month and cooked food for these labourers from morning till evening
• Of course we all took proper precautions and we were always masked.
• It was very tiring but it gave us great happiness
• I noticed that many people were donating things for these poor people
• Every day I saw hundreds of packets of grocery and cooking oil there to give to the poor
people who had suddenly lost their livelihood.
• For the first time I realised that doing for others gives a lot of mental peace.
• I also realised that we keep cribbing for our problems, which are actually very small if we compare them to what so many around us are suffering from.
• I’ve started developing empathy for others
• I feel very happy about it and it has changed my perspective about life a lot
• I have learnt to value what I have and not crib for what I do not have.
• I remember that whole week when I used to come home my mother made me go straight to the bathroom and take a bath before letting me in any other room
• She also used to wash my clothes and mask immediately
• In a way my family also supported me for doing this volunteer work
• So this was the volunteering experience that I had recently
IELTS Speaking Part 3 : Follow up Questions
Here some examples of follow up questions that you may asked during your speaking part 3 by examiner related to cue card “describe a volunteering experience you have had”.
1. What qualities are required for being a volunteer?
I think no unique qualities required in such kind of work. Reliable power is necessary to do the work but without any expectations.
2. What type of personality does a volunteer has?
A volunteer has a friendly personality. He is easily approachable by people. He always wears a smile on his face. He has good communication skills.
3. How can companies engaging in volunteering help our society?
Companies can help in many ways, like providing health services, food, and donate money to schools.
4. Do you think people nowadays should participate more in volunteering?
I think no because nowadays people are busy with their work and have no time for other people. Moreover, people become self-centered or can more selfish.
5. How do modern technologies assist volunteers and volunteering experiences?
First of all, people come to know where people need help, what type of area they go there. Through social sites, people can motivate others to help poor and needy people.
1. What qualities are required for being a volunteer?
As such no special qualities are needed to become a volunteer.The person should just be willing to provide his services without expecting anything back in return. It also depends upon the type of work.
For example, a doctor can volunteer to provide his services free of cost, a teacher can volunteer to teach for children free of cost, people can volunteer to do work like cleaning the parks or helping the poor people.
2. What type of personality does a volunteer has?
A volunteer has a friendly personality. He is easily approachable by people. He always wears a smile on his face. He has good communication skills.
3. How can companies engaging in volunteering help our society?
Companies engaging in volunteering can help the society in many ways.They can help by providing funds to schools, hospitals and in many other ways.They can also do tree plantation which would go a long way in improving the environment.
4. Do you think people nowadays should participate more in volunteering?
Yes I think people should volunteer more nowadays. As it is, people are leading self-centred lives.So, by volunteering they will be in touch with the community and it will give them a purpose in life.
5. How do modern technologies assist volunteers and volunteering experiences?
Modern technologies assist volunteers and volunteering experiences in a big way.First of all, through these technologies young people come to know where they can go out for volunteering.Secondly, they can read about the volunteering activities done by their favourite celebrities and be motivated. Social networking sites can also help to get them recognition for their volunteer work.