Please Don’t Sign Up as a Volunteer at Yuva

Team Yuva
Jun 25
3 min read

We know this sounds strange—an NGO asking you not to volunteer.But at Yuva Bengaluru Trust, we’re not looking for everyone.We’re only looking for the right ones.

Because volunteering with Yuva is not about joining a group.It’s about joining a mission.

A mission that demands your time. Your energy. Your consistency.Not just your intention, but your action.

Why You Shouldn’t Join

If you’re looking to volunteer once and vanish.
If your goal is a certificate or a selfie.
If you can’t commit even 2 hours a month consistently.
If you get discouraged when there are no immediate results.
If you don’t believe in teamwork, ownership, and responsibility.

Then please don’t sign up. Because this space isn’t for everyone.

But if you’re still reading… let these 5 stories speak to you.

5 Real Stories from the Ground

1. Priya – The One-Time Volunteer

Priya was excited. She joined a school kit distribution event, clicked pictures, and posted “Feeling blessed to give back” on Instagram.

But when asked to come back the next weekend to help organize a sanitary kit drive, she never responded.

Result: No impact. Reflection: Volunteering is not an event. It’s a journey.

2. Arjun – The Quiet Transformer

Arjun didn’t speak much. But every Saturday, he was there. Same school, same class, same students. He taught English, encouraged questions, and helped kids speak confidently.

Months later, a 10-year-old girl said,

“Arjun Sir told me my voice matters. That’s why I speak up now.”

Impact: 28 students now speak basic English confidently.

Reflection: Consistency builds confidence. Quiet efforts create loud impact.

3. Sahana – The Sweater Warrior

Given a task to raise funds for 25 sweaters, Sahana took it seriously. She reached out to friends, ran a campaign, and raised enough for 105 sweaters. She traveled 40 km to personally hand them over.

A parent came up and said,

“My son has never owned new clothes for winter. Thank you.”

Impact: Children in 3 villages stayed warm.

Reflection: Leadership is about ownership, not title.

4. Shivu – The ‘Idea Guy’

Shivu joined our volunteer leaders’ group. Every meeting, he had “great ideas” but never followed through.

“Let’s do a blood donation camp!”“Let’s build a mobile library!”

But when asked to lead even a small task like calling 10 parents for feedback—he’d disappear.

Impact: 0.

Reflection: Ideas are useless without execution. We need doers, not dreamers.

5. Anjali – The Relentless Mentor

Anjali took a mentee under Yuva’s scholarship program. She called her every Sunday, helped with homework, guided her through family problems, and even helped her prepare for her SSLC board exams.

Today, that girl is in college, the first in her family.

Impact: A life transformed.

Reflection: Mentorship isn’t a program. It’s a commitment.