Teen volunteer: Jonathan Li Ho-ming, 17, is a fifth-former at Hong Kong International School. He has been doing volunteer work for Hope Worldwide for two years.

'I mainly help by visiting elderly people. I clean their homes and also help primary children with their homework. You need to earn the elderly people's trust. You must also be very careful as some of them may store their money or valuables in cans and it would be a disaster if you accidentally threw them away. The cleaning is quite tiring, but it's also very good training for young people, who usually have maids doing everything for them at home and rarely do housework. Nowadays, many young people don't know how to sweep the floor, wash clothes or clean the windows.

Most elderly people are happy to have young people visit them. They are frugal about their money and never wasteful. If something is broken, they will try to mend it, instead of throwing it away and buying a new one.

I am very fond of children. I think every child is special, and hanging out with them reminds me of the days when I was young. They're also very cheerful and funny.

I won't scold them if they do something wrong, and I am also against physical punishment, because children don't learn anything from it. I'll reason with them and they always understand, as children are actually very clever and sensible.

As a volunteer, you must pay attention to your behaviour because you should be a role model for youngsters. You also don't want to leave a bad impression on the elderly and lose their trust.

Don't expect rewards for your work. You shouldn't do volunteer work just to make your resume look good. You must help people with your heart.'