Christine Hung's journey as a volunteer began about ten years ago when she was still based in Kaohsiung. At that time, her daughter had just entered junior high school. She vividly recalls how her daughter's school workload was so intense that she hardly had time for anything else, and it was impacting her mental health.Coupled with her work responsibilities, Christine found quality time with her daughter very hard to come by. At this moment, she had the opportunity to participate in a volunteer training program at an ecological education center newly established by the Kaohsiung City Government. The training holds indoor and outdoor courses. In order to receive complete training, Christine even took personal leave from work to join.
Since then, there has been no looking back. Today, when not busy as an Operations Manager and a proud mother of two, Christine is at the heart of Hsinchu's corporate social responsibility (CSR) efforts.
A journey of learning by doing
Kaohsiung has always been home to Christine, who was born and raised in the city. When she initially moved to Hsinchu three years ago, she was very much alone with no social network. But her work as a volunteer helped her settle down and gave her a better work-life balance and was the impetus for forging new connections with her local community and peers.
One opportunity led to another, and it wasn't long before she started the idea of setting up a volunteer team in Hsinchu, as she’s having more spare time now since her daughter entered junior high school. Since its inception in late 2019, the Hsinchu volunteer team has organized blood donation, sharing sessions for employees, collected gifts and shoes for children in Africa, donated masks to the local government when the pandemic hit.
"Just as my work has taken me places, being a volunteer has broadened my perspective and added value to my career. I've learned that the world has many different needs, and with more hands, we can do more. There are lots of good people out there who are doing good work."
An opportunity for growth
In reflecting upon her journey as a volunteer, Christine acknowledges that she's never really seen it as purely just volunteering work. To her, it's also an opportunity to learn and to step beyond what's familiar.
"I'm incredibly proud to be part of an organization that has its ears to the ground and is supportive of local initiatives by employees. Intel has always given the Hsinchu volunteer team what we needed—then it's up to us to materialize our ideas."
For those who have been on the lookout for an opportunity to volunteer or try something new, Christine's advice is—take the leap—especially in an environment that encourages ideas and self-empowerment.
"You might feel like you still don't know yourself yet. But it is only by doing this that you gain knowledge and wisdom. For me, volunteering has deeply enriched my own life. And I've learned that I can make the world a better place, one small gesture at a time."
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