Communication is Key
Guest Blog this week from Jacob, a grade 12 student from Ottawa, Ontario.
My volunteering journey began at Black Belt Excellence, a Taekwondo dojang I'd been a part of for around 8-9 years with my sister. I decided to quit Taekwondo when Covid hit, right after I earned my Black Belt. I started volunteering when I was about 12, joining the leadership team to help the lower belt-level students(But also to cut my mom some slack from waiting around.) Black Belt Excellence wasn't just a place to learn martial arts; it was also a hub of values that shaped me. Some of the values I learned just through training, but some of the most important ones came from volunteering. One skill that stood out as crucial was communication.
Volunteering taught me how to offer constructive feedback and communicate in a genuinely helpful way. In the beginning, I was inexperienced so I was more general, I would say "Your timing was off." But pretty quickly, I realized that such feedback didn't provide much insight, and it wasn't encouraging. So, I changed my approach. I started giving feedback that was more detailed and positive. For example, instead of just pointing out the issue, I'd say something like, "I noticed that you're not fully turning into your kicks, which might make you lose power. Maybe you could try turning your hips more during the kick? It could really help you get some more power."
This new way of correcting made a big difference. Students seemed to appreciate the more specific and understanding feedback. They understood their mistakes better while also being more motivated to work on them. This shift in how I communicated didn't just improve their techniques; it created a more positive atmosphere of learning and respect in the dojang.
Being a volunteer felt good too, being wanted and appreciated for the work you were doing, and sharing your knowledge and abilities to create a positive impact on the community felt great. Not just that but volunteering also helps to teach essential skills. Even if you are already an expert, being a volunteer offers unique challenges and opportunities to grow. Volunteering shows you new perspectives and people, allowing you to refine your leadership, communication, and interpersonal skills. The lessons I learned during my time as a volunteer continue to shape my perspective, and the skills I learned continue to help me in my day-to-day life.