Counseling Volunteers

	Interviewing A Counseling Volunteer
	Interviewee: Lin Mei-ling (Team leader of the counseling volunteers) Experience: 4 years, Trainee in Happiness Village (a virtual place of an organization where parents can receive training to help children to manage emotional problems) Works: life education in large-group counseling, small-group counseling, Christmas drama performance.

	Q: Do you have any other job except for being a counseling volunteer? Is there any conflict in between? In addition to being a counseling volunteer, I also participated in the volunteer activities in Wilderness Society, which is an institution dedicated in the introduction and protection of the natural ecological landscape. You can articipate in those activities if you are interested. They are really very interesting. I use most of the time to be a counseling volunteer and the rest of time as a Wilderness Society volunteer. Q: Why do you want to be a counseling volunteer? What ability does it require to be a counseling volunteer? I became a counseling volunteer because I found there was no counseling volunteer in my daughter’s class to help them to take life education courses. I came to help her class. In recent years, I have been participating in many growth courses, counseling EQ courses, flying youth and small-group counseling courses as well. No interview is required to be a school volunteers. But it is necessary to attend some courses such as the EQ courses held by Happiness Village. Q: We saw counseling volunteer take life education class last time.Have you ever taken some classes? What courses have you taken? Do you feel nervous in the presence of the home-room teacher? It is definitely required for a counseling volunteer to give classes. In addition to presentations, it’s necessary to play Big Wind Blows or Monopoly with children. At this time, there are other counseling volunteers there to be hosts of the tournaments or to give some other assistance. In small-group counseling activities, teachers are together with the counseling volunteer. They are nice, so I don’t feel nervous. They give me suggestions afterwards. However, in life education courses, the pressure could be relatively high because all the counseling volunteers are required to take classes. The home-room teachers usually sit in the back of the classroom. Most counseling volunteers may feel nervous due to the presence of the home-room teachers even if these teachers are very nice. Maybe the volunteers are not familiar with the teachers. Q: How do children feel about the courses? I think most of the students like to listen to stories, even would interactive with the counseling volunteer. But upper graders may feel bored about the stories or think the stories childish. Experienced volunteers will arrange more activities to attract students' attention. Q: What would you do if you encounter naughty children in the class? This mainly happens when some children talk without raising their hands to get permission in advance and disturb the other children to listen to stories. So I have to remind them patiently again and again to raise their hands to get permission before they talk and give them the opportunities to express their opinions. Q: Have you ever had the thought to give up the volunteer work? What is the reason if you have? I haven’t had the idea to give up because I feel much positive energy and support in the team. Q: Do you think the growth courses helpful? The courses help me to explore and re-evaluate myself. I have never had the chance to learn these when I was at school. Besides, it is great to share the thoughts in the discussion after taking classes. All the counseling volunteers can mention all the difficulties encountered in classes, then other volunteers or teachers can give good suggestions to make the future classes better. Q: Is there anything very impressive to you during the period as counseling volunteer? It’s very impressive to act in Christmas plays. We bring Christmas plays to many schools in Taoyuan City. All I want is to bring the happiness in Christmas to more people my though I am not a Christian. Q: Do you have any other things to share with us? Volunteer moms work hard to preparing for taking classes. Senior volunteers will share their experiences with the novice ones so that the novice volunteers can get their own way. Senior volunteers can also provide some good tips to do when confronting the questions or misbehavior of the children. It’s warm that there’s always someone there to be the company instead of being alone.


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