Volunteering

I volunteer with the Animal Rescue Network. I always wanted to become a vet, but somehow life led me into a different direction, so this is the closest I can get to my childhood dream, let's say. However, this is not the only reason why I decided to volunteer. I wanted to do something meaningful, something to help others, and since I'm not very good with people, I decided to work with animals. So, now I give food and medication to the sick cats in the shelter.

Last summer I also volunteered during the Week-End to End Women's Cancers. Although I didn't do much, just set up and took down the tents in which the marchers slept, I still felt good, knowing that I contributed my tiny part to the fight against cancer. Maybe next time I'll be one of the marchers, who knows?

I have volunteered at different places all of my life. In highschool I would volunteer at the children's hospital and at the Association for New Canadians as a homework tutor for refugee and immigrant children. When I got to Montreal I started volunteering with Concordia, at the Co-op bookstore, to meet new people and to learn more about what Concorida had to offer. I'm not volunteering now, but I will start again in May when I graduate. Not sure where yet though, probably something centered around helping children in school.

I presently sit on the downtown YMCA's Advisory Board, assisting with managerial decision making processes and offering suggestions in making the YMCA a better place for all.

Many people think of the Y as a place to train, however the Y is actually first and foremost a community centre offering assistance for people of all walks of life.

We have resources and programs for the elderly, the young, children, the mentally and physically disabled, the homeless, the jobless, and more.

This position allows me to expres my ideas and garner contacts as well as experience in a management position. It presents me with an opportunity to do something bigger than myself, to help those less fortunate and in need.

I volunteer for a non-profit organization called YOUths! It aims to develop leadership in high school students. I actually volunteer for the translation department (it is my field of study) but as I looked over the material I noticed that their tips could help me too! I particurlarly enjoy volunteering for YOUths! because I agree with the message they send to kids today: anyone could be a leader. The organization illustrates the different types of leadership by hosting an annual conference with educational activities. They are constantly looking for new people to help out with the leadership activities, public relations, translation, etc.

I used to volunteer for the AQST which is for the Tourette syndrome. I discover this when I was at UQAM and had to do an assignment in my journalism class. I was so touched by what happened to one kid that I have decided to do something for them. I wrote an article in UQAM newspaper to let people know what was really the Tourette syndrome and collected funds for them. I used to participate to the monthly reunion but due to my intense schedule, I had to quit at some point. I am already doing 65 hours a week with school and work combine, so, unfortunately, I had to make a choice. But volunteering can affect you in a way you couldn't imagine. I felt proud and useful. If one day, I have more time to myself, I would definitely consider going back to volunteering.

I began volunteering at 12 years old, because I was obliged to. I was in the International Baccalaureate program in High School, and we were required to volunteer about a dozen of hours every year. But truthfully, it didn't take much for most of my classmates and myself to actually enjoy it. On the last year of my high school days, my classmates and I went to Costa Rica to do some volunteer work, and we loved it. We helped the kids over there to have a better school, by renovating it. It was fun, we had a great and enriching experience. Volunteering has opened my eyes on many things in life. It brings openness to our minds, and it helps us gain and improve different skills. Since then, I have done a lot of volunteering here and there, but what moves me most is to travel to other countries to help kids. I know there are many people who need helps all around me. But I think poorer countries need our help as well; with the abundant charity organizations in our country, we have a lot more resources than them. Last year, I went to Ecuador with fellow college students, and we helped out different organizations involving kids. I helped teachers at an orphanage, and it really touched me. Now that I'm in University, I don't have much time during the term, but I will still participate in different volunteer activities. This summer, I will help out with the Canadian Cancer Society Relay for Life, for a second time.

When I was in high school, I volunteered in a French elementary school, I would help grade four to six with math, French and in most cases English. I also did the same in high school. I guess it would also be called tutoring. I have a feeling that this is one of the reasons I’ve decided to become and English second language teacher. In 2009, I volunteered at my former high school, I was very close with my high school English teachers and I asked one of them if I could follow him around for a day. I started volunteering more often, and I met other teachers that let me join them in their classrooms. I also pick up ink cartridges and I send them to the Mira Foundation, it helps them gain money to train dogs for the visually impaired.

I would greatly enjoy a trip to a village far in a 3rd world country to volunteer whether it is to teach abc's or 123 or to provide water but i have never gotten a chance but it is definitely in my plans after graduation perhaps!