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This week we are so fortunate to feature a guest blog from Volunteer Ottawa. Founded in 1957, Volunteer Ottawa is one of many volunteer centres across Canada.Volunteer Ottawa connects people to one another and to hundreds of local charities that rely on the time and talent of volunteers. We provide supports and services to promote and celebrate volunteerism, help volunteers find opportunities, strengthen non-profit capacity through training and networking, inspire diversity and inclusion, and encourage local employers to invest in the community. 

Last year, Volunteer Ottawa helped Export Development Canada (EDC) with its biggest Community Impact Day ever! VO has helped organize this annual event with EDC for 8 years, and in 2024 it coincided with EDC’s employee conference in Ottawa. 1600 EDC employees from Ottawa, across Canada, and around the world gathered on June 6 to donate their time and talent to 40 organizations across Ottawa and region.

The volunteers received a warm welcome and some of the activities were featured in local news, like the tree planting activity at Ottawa Community Housing. Roughly 4,800 hours were donated to achieve impressive results, including: 

Hundreds of sandwiches and Hope Bags made for the Ottawa Mission 

Over 60 donations of blood and plasma to the Canadian Blood Services 

Hundreds of walkers raised awareness for CARE Canada 

Piles of invasive plants like buckthorn removed for the Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society - Ottawa Valley Chapter and the Riverview Park Community Association 

Gardening, cleaning & beautification projects across the city for organizations like Ottawa Community Housing Corporation, Mādahòkì Farm, Gloucester Emergency Food Cupboard, Cumberland Heritage Village Museum, and many more

The organizations hosting volunteers reported that EDC employees were smiling (despite often being soaking wet) and worked hard – in many cases completing more work than anticipated!

Thank you to all the participating organizations and to the many EDC employees who donated time and talent.

This week we welcome guest blog writer Jason Nguyen. Jason was born and raised in Calgary, Alberta with Vietnamese origins. He graduated from the University of Calgary, Haskayne School of Business in 2019, but has a passion for the arts--most specifically writing! 

Who would have thought one randomly-presented volunteer opportunity would change the trajectory of my entire life? Not the version of me that agreed to it, that’s for sure. 

Let me tell you about the time I agreed to choreograph a dance performance for my church’s Lunar New Year festival. I must have only been 19 years-old at the time, but word got out in my church community that I was a dancer. To be clear, I was not a choreographer nor did I have any experience teaching dance. I was just a recreational breakdancer and somehow one of the members of the choir found out and approached me to ask if I could come up with a dance to perform at the annual Lunar New Year festival. Naturally, I asked if they had any dancers they could spare for the performance. I ended up with a group of about ten kids I had never met before (save for the one closest to my age with whom I attended Sunday school). 

None of these kids had any dancing experience, but I can honestly say they were all good dancers. It did not take them long to pick up the inherently basic steps that I had come up with. Remember that I had never choreographed a dance before myself so I kept things nice and easy. We performed the 2- or 3-minute-long dance at the festival for the parents and the crowd went crazy. The applause from the crowd and the smiles I saw on the faces of my makeshift dance team was enough of a reward for me to be glad I volunteered my time, but it didn’t end there. 

The next year, they asked me to choreograph another dance and this time…a group of about thirty kids showed up! Over the course of the next few months, I came up with and taught dance to this group of bright, young kids and more importantly, created long-lasting friendships and mentorship relationships. We were lucky enough to perform for another couple of years before we got too busy with our lives, but I don’t think those memories will ever fully fade from our minds. One of the guys on the dance team even asked me to be one of his groomsmen at his wedding next year! Needless to say, I am tremendously glad I was offered this volunteer opportunity and if I had the chance to do it again, I’d take it up in a heartbeat.

  This week to the blog we are pleased to welcome Turlough Myers. Turlough a Philanthropy Advisor & Volunteer Manager at the Winspear Centre at the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra. He re-built the Winspear’s Volunteerism by addressing their mission, culture, and place in the organization. His focus on people, and mission brought about a fundamental change in the organization where volunteers are supporting in creative and impactful ways. His approach to volunteer management has been used as a case-study by other non-profits in the Edmonton area, he is always happy to share his passion for volunteerism and connect with others in the industry. 

If you ask any volunteer manager in the non-profit industry, almost all of them will say that they feel the crushing weight of loneliness in the workplace darn near constantly. Usually, volunteerism falls under the leadership of a singular person, and the folks who stick with the role for a long time are often extraordinarily talented - and of course they are, they wear a tonne of hats as volunteer manager, it's not all schedules and polls: they are coaches/teachers, HR professionals, philanthropy officers, relationship builders, community advocates, mediators of crucial conversations... all of these things and more under the umbrella of a single job title "Volunteer Manager/Coordinator." 
Volunteer managers are often the only ones with established relationships with an organization's volunteers and sometimes the only one aware of the impact volunteers have on an organization's success and reputation in their community, as well as volunteers capacity to do even more to achieve an organizational goal.

It can be easy to feel misunderstood or unappreciated in these circumstances. When you're already feeling isolated, accepting feedback from a superior who you feel doesn't understand you or your work can trigger a fight, flight or freeze response due to painful feelings of criticism, frustration, loneliness, and perfectionism. Perhaps you're feeling isolated in your role because you aren't part of a grander team, or feel like your role doesn't fit the goals of the team you are part of, feeling like your work is going unnoticed or misunderstood and you're taking it personally. Here are some tips for handling your painful feelings when isolation and loneliness are defining your time at work.

- Know that your feelings are valid. It's okay to take some things about your work personally, in life you're going to spend a lot of time at work, and experience all kinds of emotions. But also keep a separation of work and personal life, and define your character more by your personal life.
 
- Acknowledge and give space to the feelings of frustration, loneliness, sadness, or anger. Do this with yourself in advance of potentially draining conversations with your colleagues. When you acknowledge these feelings, and give a place for them to be, the painful feelings won't have as much power over your choices. Don't suppress these feelings, they can serve you well if you can channel them productively.

- Have a work-bestie! You need support in all aspects of life, and having someone you can share your feelings with that you trust can be very healing, and can help you productively express what your superiors need to hear. 

- Learn to let some things go. You often can't control how others see you and the work you do. but you can control your work ethic, and the way you treat people. Own your shortcomings, and celebrate your accomplishments so that you gain fulfillment from your work within yourself.

We are so excited to welcome a guest blog from Anisha and the awesome team at Volunteer Victoria. Anisha holds a B.Sc. in Biology and Psychology from the University of Victoria, and is currently pursing a part-time Global Master's in Business Administration, with a focus on non-profit management. She has been an avid volunteer since she was a teenager, with most of her work being at hospitals. Outside of Anisha's work as the Mental Health Program and Volunteering Programs Coordinator at VolVic, she is an Academic Advisor for the Abu Dhabi Department of Education and a Math, Science, and English tutor. Her hobbies include reading, dog sitting, and going on local/international adventures.

You know what’s a proven stress reliever? Helping others. Science backs this up - volunteering boosts your mood, lowers stress levels, and even reduces feelings of loneliness. Think of it as emotional cardio: it gets your heart working in the best possible way.

Take the Mental Health Visiting & Activity Program, for example. This initiative connects volunteers with individuals on a mental health and substance use recovery journey. It’s a chance to be a supportive presence for someone facing isolation, offering companionship through simple but meaningful activities like grabbing a coffee, attending a local event, or going for a walk. Volunteers not only provide connection but also gain a deeper understanding of mental health, build empathy, and develop communication skills that carry into all aspects of life. This program is especially popular among counselling, psychology, and social work undergraduate and graduate students who are looking to gain hands-on experience in the field while making a real impact.

 Then there’s the City of Victoria Youth Council (CVYC) - not just any youth leadership program, but a powerhouse. The council is so impactful, it’s at capacity with 25 members and even has a waitlist. Youth involved in CVYC work directly with City Council, staff, and community leaders to influence policies, advocate for their peers, and take real action on issues that matter. This council is particularly in demand among young people looking to build careers in politics, policy, and other strategic leadership roles, offering them firsthand experience in governance and civic engagement. They’re proving that young voices aren’t just influencing the future, they’re shaping the present.

 At Volunteer Victoria, we believe volunteering isn’t just about giving back—it’s about personal growth, connection, and making real change in the community. As the hub for volunteerism in Greater Victoria, we serve both volunteers and over 300 member organizations, ensuring that meaningful opportunities align with people’s passions, skills, and availability. We also maintain a comprehensive database of volunteer opportunities (similar to a job board), making it easy to find roles that match your interests. And to make the process even less overwhelming, we offer free advising services to help volunteers navigate their options and find the perfect fit. Whether you’re looking to build experience, support a cause close to your heart, or just meet like-minded people, we’re here to make that happen.

 Volunteering is the ultimate hands-on learning experience, minus the debt. You’ll make friends, boost your happiness, and leave the world a little better than you found it. So, if you’ve been waiting for a sign to get involved—this is it. Find an opportunity that excites you, jump in, and see where it takes you.

 Also, if you’ve ever wanted to be that person with the best stories at parties, volunteering is your goldmine. “Oh, that reminds me of the time I helped organize a community mural project!” is way cooler than “So, uh, the weather’s been nice.”

If you want to connect with Anisha, please do! 

To kick off 2025 we welcome guest blog writer- Jawad Gul. Jawad is a passionate member of the community and writer who has published several books. To read more writing from Jawad check him out here. 

Back in 1996, when I was in high school in my home country, I was fond of writing—mostly short stories and poems published in local newspapers. At that time, the only thought in my mind was to bring about change in society through my writings and point out the injustices in my surroundings. It was my first step toward volunteerism. I took part in social literary societies and actively participated as a freelance co-editor of the literary magazine page of a local newspaper. I also published a magazine to promote the native language of Hindko and organized fundraising weekly meetings.

However, I felt that I should engage in practical efforts as well; writing was just for the literate members of society, while the majority of people were uneducated and suffering. I wondered what I could do for them. So, I volunteered at a blood bank, donated blood, and joined campaigns against polio in rural areas of Pakistan to vaccinate children. I also joined NGOs that worked for the education of females while I was there.

One thing I would like to mention is that different phases come in our lives and change our thinking processes for a while. There was a period when I stopped my volunteer work after my marriage, thinking I should focus on my life objectives and that volunteerism was just a thankless job. After some time, I realized that when I participated in volunteer activities, my own objectives were achieved automatically, and I had no worries about accomplishing my goals. However, since I stopped volunteering, I felt stuck and had to put in a lot of effort to complete my tasks. I realized that there was some spiritual support surrounding me when I was engaged in volunteer work. From that moment on, I have never stopped volunteering in my life.

Now I am in Canada, and I have connected myself, one way or another, with volunteer associations. Currently, I am with the Affinity Mentorship Foundation, which works to inspire and empower at-risk youth through mentorship, building their strength, confidence, and resilience to shape their own positive futures.

When I participate in volunteer events, it gives me a sense of fulfilment and nourishes my thoughts. I forget my own stress and can connect with others. It creates a synergistic effect; my presence gives them hope, and ultimately, I gain energy from my volunteer work.

Life is a one-time journey, and no one is perfect. In society, volunteer work is the key to success because I have discovered the spiritual aspect of volunteering.

This week we welcome a guest blog from REALTORS Care® at the Canadian Real Estate Association. 

Tristan Kong, a REALTOR® with the Tristan Kong Group at Keller Williams Real Estate Associates Brokerage – Glen Williams, is reducing barriers and championing the Deaf community in the Greater Toronto Area through his volunteerism, sponsorship, and social outreach.

Since he committed to lifting others up at a young age, Tristan has continued to inspire and motivate those who cross his path. Whether through his business, at local charities, or supporting youth through mentorship, this Canadian REALTORS Care® Award 2024 nominee is empowering the Deaf community, and its allies, across Canada.

As a shy youngster, Tristan learned how to come out of his shell and find his voice at the Sign Language Summer Program (SLSP) run by Silent Voice Canada. The annual day camp operates entirely in American Sign Language (ASL) and provides a fun and supportive environment for youth who are Deaf, hard of hearing, children of Deaf adults (CODA), and their siblings. For Kong, the camp was a life-changing experience that highlighted the impact positive Deaf role models and mentorship can have on youth. It was the beginning of a lifelong journey to provide that same opportunity for others. 

“Giving back to the Deaf community is deeply meaningful to me as my success and who I am today wouldn’t have been possible without the support I received from the Deaf community, and I am so grateful for that,” shared Tristan. “I believe it’s now my turn to pay it forward, offering support and opportunities to the next generation.”

Building on his transformative experience at SLSP, Tristan has continued to support Silent Voice Canada in various capacities. In addition to their summer program, Silent Voice Canada supports Deaf and hard of hearing children and adults, and their family members, with services that include immigration integration support, after-school programs, language education for individuals and professionals, and provisions of food and necessities for a population that faces chronic underemployment and societal barriers. 

Today, Tristan supports their efforts through directed donations, social media and marketing support, presentations, and as a public advocate for the organization. He was also a key sponsor and supporter of Silent Voice hosting the Canada Deaf Games in 2024, bringing Deaf athletes from across the country to Toronto to compete and vie for spots in the Pan American Games for the Deaf and the Deaflympics. His brokerage also sponsored the games.

“Canada Deaf Games is important because it allows Deaf athletes to be recognized and compete in an accessible way that they don't have the opportunity to if they were competing strictly with athletes who aren't Deaf,” shared Tristan.

Tristan’s commitment to the Deaf community extends beyond Silent Voice Canada. East of Toronto, at Durham Deaf Services (DDS), he is equally dedicated to the senior population and the small but impactful agency that is at the heart of the Durham Deaf community. Tristan began volunteering for the organization by providing workshops to seniors in ASL on a host of real estate topics. For many, this was the first time they had heard real estate information in their first language, providing a more secure and sound understanding of how they could utilize their properties to best support themselves and their families in the future. The success and impact of the program led Kong to accept a position on the Board of Directors and later the role of President, supporting the organization’s move to a new and safer location and helping build its strategic growth plan.

“Tristan is a key player on the Durham Deaf Services board,” shared fellow board member Connie Russell. “Nowadays it’s challenging to get younger people involved in their communities, Tristan stands as a role model and shows the importance of volunteerism and giving back to your community. Hopefully, future generations will see that and follow his example.”

The onset of the pandemic brought new challenges, particularly for Deaf seniors who relied on in-person communication and had little experience with technology. DDS was forced to close its physical programming, leaving many seniors isolated with little to no ability to communicate with grocery stores and pharmacies for necessities. To help keep them safe and informed, Kong began translating COVID-19 protocols and health guidelines into ASL. At the same time, thanks to the support of donors and board members like Tristan, DDS staff began delivering adaptive technology to seniors’ homes, helping them learn to use it, and connecting them back to the wider community.

In addition to his direct work with local charities, Tristan focuses on supporting the Deaf Ecosystem, a term that describes investment in Deaf-owned and operated businesses, professionals, and schools. Having experienced firsthand the barriers that Deaf job seekers face in finding traditional employment opportunities within the hearing community, Tristan works with other Deaf business owners to mentor them through the experience of building a client base. He uses his social media platform as a REALTOR® to promote their work and grow their business. He also hires and contracts within the Ecosystem, building a better business community and helping with poverty reduction in the process.

“It was really touching for Tristan to post about my business,” shared Dallas Boyd-Zagozdzon, owner of Zago Creations “It's been a difficult journey for me, and one that was filled with a lot of doubts. Seeing that Tristan was willing to share the word about my business and help me achieve success as a business owner really meant a lot to me.”

If there’s a REALTOR® in your community whose commitment to their community reminds you of Tristan, nominate them at REALTORSCare.ca/nominate by December 1, 2025 at midnight Eastern so they can be in the running for the Canadian REALTORS Care® Award 2025 Proudly Presented by REALTOR.ca! In honour of 10 years of celebrating REALTOR® impact, CREA has doubled the donation that the recipient’s charity of choice receives to $10,000 and the winner and their charity will be announced in April  2025 at their AGM.

REALTORS Care® Spotlight shares stories of how featured nominees the Canadian Real Estate Association’s Canadian REALTORS Care® Award are working to make their communities a better place for all.

This week's guest blog is brought to you by Ghazi Abid. He believes education and art can change the world, which is why he is a practitioner of both. With experience in teaching, curriculum design and career development, Ghazi loves working with students from all age groups. As a newcomer to Canada, he is enjoying the pursuit of my varied hobbies: reading, biking, playing soccer and volunteering. To connect with Ghazi you can look for him on LinkedIn or Substack. 

She was hunched over me closely inspecting my every move and even though I sensed some doubt emanating from her demeanor, the air of hope was much stronger. I continued diligently, my latex gloves now torn from the friction generated by the wrench I held. I wrestled with the frequent thoughts of failure and subsequent shame which put my sweat glands into overdrive in the industrious yet warm confines of Bike Root. “Oh wow, you did it, he did it!”, she exclaimed and gently patted my back as I straightened and pointed towards the stand I had just installed on the frame of her bike. She was motioning for Tom, the actual mechanic, to come and see the job I had done which she had felt was impossible to do herself. As I marveled at the work I had done, having no experience as a mechanic, I felt as if I was standing on a podium in front of a crowd of loving supporters. She immediately tested the newly installed stand, her eyes gleaming with joy. I could tell it meant so much to her because she had earlier mentioned how difficult it had been to keep her bike upright as she struggled with a loss of dexterity that comes with old age. I have ever since forgotten her name, but never will I forget that one cold winter evening, in a small workshop in a tiny corner of the world a fledgling immigrant from Pakistan brought joy to a stranger just by volunteering a moment of his time.  

This week we are excited to feature guest blog writer; Lori Gotlieb. She is the founder of Lori Gotlieb Consulting as well as Co-developer and faculty for Humber College Volunteer Management Leadership Certificate. Lori is a well-respected author and subject matter expert and continues to challenge the boundaries of volunteerism to creatively engage communities with non-profit organizations and associations.To connect with Lori check out her website.

The following are some helpful tips for off boarding volunteers.

Develop a clear offboarding policy: Establish a standardized process for offboarding volunteers, which includes steps such as notification, exit interviews and post-departure follow-up. 

Communication: Notify the volunteer about their offboarding in a timely manner and provide the reason for their departure if applicable. 

Exit interviews: Conduct an exit interview with the volunteer to gather feedback on their experience, identify areas for improvement and learn about their reasons for leaving. 

Show gratitude:  Take the time to acknowledge the volunteer’s contributions. Whether you’re celebrating them at your annual meeting, hosting a farewell event or simply sending a personalized thank-you note. 

Knowledge transfer: Ensure that the volunteer’s knowledge, skills, and experiences are documented and passed on. This is also a great opportunity to establish a mentorship opportunity for your incoming volunteers. 

Reassignment opportunities: Of course, just because they’re no longer in a specific role, that doesn’t mean they’re out of the organization. Offering alternative volunteer opportunities can help re-engage your departing volunteers and avoid those hard feelings.   

Things to consider:

Is there an opportunity to engage the volunteer in mentorship or coaching new volunteers?

Is there an opportunity to engage the volunteer in special projects. 

Are there opportunities to acknowledge the volunteer in a public forum (award nomination, impact stories for publications)

Have you provided and/or reviewed the following:

Opportunity to provide feedback through exit survey or interview.

Letter of appreciation and/or certificate of appreciation 

Final review and knowledge transfer

Informed appropriate volunteers/staff of exit. 

We are so pleased to welcome Ali Alzahrani as our guest writer this week. You can read more of his work on his page. 

Volunteering is the power that may bring the social change we all crave. 

In an era characterized by growing individualism and digital isolation, I prefer to give my time and energy free of charge. This is a courageous human gesture and a great way to connect. I am not doing this only for leisure or to pass my idle time; instead, it is my strong protest against the wave of selfishness that puts our unity in jeopardy. As Winston Churchill wisely noted, "We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give". This idea is a good example of the reason why volunteering happens to be the main blueprint of my life. 

The process or the desire to volunteer was a result of witnessing the growing consumer culture in our society. I have seen that we can often be disconnected from others, both in childhood and adulthood, since we feel separated in our daily digital interfaces. This not only impacts the tangible community needs but also builds tines of isolation and sorrow. One of the remedies against this is the volunteerism idea, as it provides us the possibility of reconnecting not only with our shared human nature but also with the local communities we live in. This was a great opportunity, a huge spark for me that I could not resist, so simply I’m jumping in. Joyce Bertram (2015) said in her TEDxVilnius "If you come across something that sparks something in you, that sparks a passion that fills you with excitement, that you feel should happen, don't wait for others to take the initiative. Step up and do it." 

I agree completely with Joyce Bertram (2015) when she correctly claimed that volunteering is a good place to call home for skill and character development. She said "Every single individual, regardless of their backgrounds, has valuable information that is worth sharing." This democratic view of knowledge and skills is what makes volunteering unique. From my volunteer work, I have discovered a number of talents I never thought I was capable of having and have also been taught valuable lessons by others in ways that I could never have experienced in my professional or personal life. 

The concept of volunteerism really is a prominent part of the idea of altruism, but at the same time, it is not just selflessness. The concept of volunteering is about the reciprocal relation of giving and getting that nurtures both the volunteer and the community. According to research by social scientists, volunteers usually report better mental health, increased life satisfaction, and stronger social relationships (Wilson, 2000). The mutual benefit of volunteering lies in its promotion of a more compassionate and interconnected society. 

Moreover, volunteering is one of the mighty methods that can bring about social change. I mean real change. People will join organizations because they want to do something a little bit better than themselves. This willingness to be a part of a project that is bigger than oneself is the chief engine of a huge number of volunteer activities. Instead of being content with surviving the world's massive waves, by volunteering, I attach myself to the efforts of remarkable human beings who are not mere spectators but really are active participants in the movement to solve these issues once and for all from the grassroots level on up. 

The influence of voluntary work goes far beyond the immediate gains individuals and organizations experience from it. Volunteering plays a significant role in developing social capital and building the social fabric. In the United States alone, the economic evaluation of volunteer time is around $33.48 per hour (Independent Sector, 2021), which translates to billions of dollars in support for causes and organizations that would have otherwise gone unfulfilled. However, the true essence of volunteering cannot be determined monetarily; it is found in the skills that it instills in people, like compassion, the ability to understand, and excellent social connection. 

But when I Look towards the future, I see the landscape of volunteering most likely to evolve with technological advancements. There are going to be a Virtual or remote volunteering opportunities for those interested to be part of the volunteering community from the ease of their home or offices. These ways may become more known and used in the future, but the fundamental human need to connect with no doubt will remain fixed, because this this what it means to be a human.  

When I choose to volunteer, I made a conscious decision to be part of the treatment (hopefully) to the challenges facing the whole world, I mean not me as a person, but me as an individual, as one part of our world population. It is a rejection of the notion that individual success and comfort are the ultimate goals of life. Instead, it is an embrace of the idea that real fulfillment comes from being one part of the well-being of others and building towards a more just and equitable society. 

Volunteering stands as the hope, when we face global challenges that require a collective action. Volunteering is a testament to the potential power of our human compassion and solidarity. It works as a reminder that we are all connected and that each action from each one of us can have far-reaching results, and long-lasting outputs. The anthropologist Margaret Mead, once said "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. (r)" - Margaret Mead. Used with permission. (Institute for Intercultural Studies, 2009). 

In conclusion, I chose to volunteer because it offers a great opportunity to create a difference, meaningful one. This difference is not going to impact the world or only the community, instead it is going to simultaneously enrich my own life and the lives of those around me. It is our powerful tool we peacefully may use to combat the ugly individualism in the society and instill the values of connected humanity, empathetic society, and a very socially responsible community.  

References 

Bertram, J. (2015). How volunteerism can change your world. TEDx Talks. [Link] 

Independent Sector. (2021). Value of Volunteer Time. [Link] 

Institute for Intercultural Studies. (2009). Margaret Mead quotes. [Link] 

Wilson, J. (2000). Volunteering. Annual Review of Sociology, 26(1), 215-240. [Link] 

This week we welcome guest blog writer Ashley. Ashley lived and worked in Calgary for more than 25 years, but now resides in B.C. She volunteered with the 39th Rangers in Calgary for three years. Ashley loves all things outdoors and adventure, is meticulously organized with a safety mindset, so Girl Guides was a natural fit. She loves to travel, write anything and everything and truly believe in the power of volunteering and education to better the world. Ashley currently work as a substitute teacher, tutor and freelance communications specialist in Vernon. She firmly believes her dog, while a menace, is also the cutest dog ever.

When I first began volunteering with Girl Guides, it was a way to fill my free time and give back to the community. Little did I know, it was the beginning of a transformative journey. 

I had just left my corporate office job and was searching for a career path with more meaning when a friend had suggested joining her in leading a Ranger unit (girls aged 15-17) in need of Guiders. I had no idea how much saying yes would change the trajectory of my life. Through volunteering with Girl Guides, I rediscovered my passion for mentoring and teaching, which led me to pursue a career in education. 

I was a little intimidated to be joining an organization I had not been a part of growing up - I worried that I didn’t know as much as the girls I’d be leading, as most of them had been in Guides since they were young. I couldn’t have been more wrong! They were so welcoming and I was amazed by the enthusiasm, openness and supportiveness they brought to every meeting. Guiding them through their planning, helping them develop new skills and watching their confidence grow reignited a spark in me. It was in these moments that I realized how much I had to offer and how deeply I enjoyed inspiring young minds and witnessing the girls become empowered. 

Encouraged by my experience with the Rangers, I took the leap and went back to school (well into my late 30s) to earn my Bachelor of Education. It was a busy and rewarding two years of intense learning, and I remained a volunteer guide leader throughout. My ongoing involvement with the Rangers was so beneficial to my classroom learning - they taught me so much about inclusiveness, equity and capability, and patiently bore with me as I tried new teaching tools and techniques with them. 

After graduating, I began working full-time as a substitute teacher and had to take a step back from guiding as I navigated a new and challenging career. Looking back, I am so grateful to the friend that extended her hand and the people that guided me along this path. Volunteering with the Girl Guides was the catalyst that ignited a passion for teaching. Each day brings new challenges and rewards. When it gets tough, I take a deep breath and remember what volunteering with the Rangers taught me - be positive, supportive and inclusive and your students can surprise and amaze you.