When December rolled in, and the Korean winter gave me a chill I wasn’t ready for, I decided to heat things up not with a heater, but with a little heartwarming volunteering experience ! I may not have a sleigh or reindeer, but my past volunteering adventure proved that holiday magic is real. So, put on your Santa hat or snow boots and get ready to hear my personal experience and tips to make your 2024/2025 year-end winter holiday in Korea unforgettable too!

A Meaningful Start to 2025 : Volunteering in Gyeongju

I’ve been accepted into a class program volunteering project this January 2025! It’s not just any ordinary volunteering but it’s an opportunity to teach Korean kids about the importance of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) while introducing them to Malaysian culture.

What makes this even more special is that it will be my first time participating in a volunteer program far away from Seoul or Chuncheon. The program is fully sponsored by a NGO called Better World. The location? Gyeongju! A city steeped in history and known as the "museum without walls" for its rich cultural heritage of Silla Dynasty. While I’ve heard so much about this ancient capital, I’ve never had the chance to visit, and now I’ll get to experience it while giving back to the community through education volunteering.

Currently, preparing for the program has been both exciting and challenging. I’ve been brainstorming creative ways to make SDGs engaging for kids while tying them to relatable scenarios and fun activities. As for the cultural part, I can’t wait to showcase Malaysian traditions, from food to historical stories. It feels like a beautiful exchange which I’ll be sharing a piece of my home while learning more about Korea in return.

How I Got Into Volunteering in Korea

As the eldest sibling with a much younger brother still in primary school, I’ve always felt at ease around kids. In fact, being with them feels almost second nature to me. So, when I started looking for ways to spend my year-end more productively, volunteering with children seemed like the perfect fit.

However, Korea's unique societal dynamics made this a bit of a challenge. With one of the lowest birth rates in the world, standing at just 0.76 as of November 2024, according to government statistics, children are not as visible in daily life here as they might be elsewhere.

Most kids are found in structured settings like kindergartens or youth centers handled by the government. By law, though, you can’t just walk in and start playing with them (and understandably so!). For university students like me, the only real way to engage with kids is through official programs, often organized by universities, local governments, or recognized NGOs. Korea's immigration policies strictly limit the types of work allowed under a student visa (D-2), especially when it involves minors.

For example, part-time work as a private tutor, home study teacher (like Kumon), or programs for kids such as English camps, are typically not allowed unless you obtain special permissions. These permissions include background checks, drug tests, and a medical exam through designated government-approved institutions. This means that, unlike working as a teacher through official contracts, students can't just hop into a part-time job to spend time with kids or earn extra cash.

Why Volunteering is a Better (and Legal) Alternative

Thankfully, volunteering provides a fantastic workaround. As a volunteer, you can contribute to the community and work with kids without violating visa restrictions. Programs at youth centers and government-supported kindergartens offer a structured and legal way to engage with children. While these don’t involve pay, the experience you gain is priceless, especially when you're someone like me who naturally gravitates towards working with kids.

My Past Volunteering Experience

Website: https://www.aiesecinkorea.org/i

Reflecting on my journey in Korea, my rewarding experiences has always been about teaching the young children on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and sharing Malaysian culture at local youth centers around Seoul. These opportunities were made possible through my involvement with AIESEC Korea, specifically with the teams at AIESEC Sookmyung Womans University and AIESEC Seoul Womans University.

Each session was always fun. Introducing SDGs to kids might sound challenging at first, but it became such a fulfilling process to break down these global goals into relatable stories and engaging activities. For example, I explained Goal 13: Climate Action by talking about waste reduction through simple habits like recycling. Sometimes, I showed them actual incidents related to climate change !

Sharing Malaysian culture was another highlight. From teaching kids to say simple Malay greetings like "Apa khabar?" to showing photos of our local tropical rainforests and letting them try traditional Malaysian games, every moment was filled with curiosity and warmth.