Jana gregorio
Engaging in volunteer work benefits both the individual and the community and has the potential to bring a positive change in our lives. Volunteering as a newcomer can provide you with a rich and meaningful experience. It serves as a gateway to cultural exchange, personal growth, and skill development.
Canada offers a welcoming environment for newcomers. Volunteering in Canada as a newcomer opens up a world of opportunities and rewards. Here are some of the benefits of engaging in volunteer work as a newcomer.
Build Your Network
Volunteering can give you great opportunities to connect with new people. You can boost your social skills by interacting with fellow volunteers and meeting professionals from different fields of work. These people can help you settle in your community by providing valuable insights and sharing their experiences, which can benefit you as a newcomer in Canada.
Improve Language Skills
As a volunteer, you can improve your English or French language skills. Regular interactions with native speakers can enhance your fluency and confidence in language speaking.
Gain Canadian Work Experience
Volunteering benefits newcomers by enhancing their employability. Those searching for jobs can add volunteer experience to their resume, which counts as Canadian work experience. Volunteering can also help you bridge gaps in your work history while you look for a job. You can ask the company you volunteered with to provide reference letters, which can be useful in your job applications.
Discover Your Career Path
Volunteering not only adds meaningful work experience to your resume but also provides you with valuable career information regarding your preferences and work habits. It can help you determine whether a career path interests you so you can make the right career choice. Volunteering can provide practical work experience in your field of interest.
Learn New Skills
With volunteer work comes the advantage of developing and enhancing a wide range of skills, such as communication, teamwork, leadership, problem-solving, and organizational skills. These working skills can be used in your professional job in the coming times to improve your work efficiency. If you are a student, you learn to balance your school, work and home life at the same time. Even though it sounds challenging, it can be a great opportunity to develop your time management skills.
Contribute to Personal Growth
With volunteer work, you gain self-confidence that contributes to your personal growth. It provides opportunities to step out of your comfort zone, take on new challenges and gather positive life experiences. Volunteering is also a great way to discover new interests and hobbies and visit different parts of the city. It can help you reduce stress and provides a sense of purpose.
Community Involvement
As a newcomer in a foreign land, away from your friends and family, it’s very easy to feel isolated. Volunteering can help keep yourself occupied by being involved with the community. Volunteering allows you to give back to the Canadian community that has welcomed you as a newcomer. By offering your time and skills to local organizations, you can make a positive impact on individuals and communities in need. This sense of contribution can be fulfilling and rewarding.
Gain Recognition
Volunteering is highly valued in Canada, and your efforts will likely be recognized and appreciated by both the organization you volunteer with and the broader community. This recognition can further strengthen your sense of belonging and make you feel more integrated into Canadian society.
Some people may prefer home-based volunteering due to a lack of transportation, time constraints, a disability or other reasons. Some organizations may offer remote volunteering opportunities via phone or computer. They may also require you to attend initial training or periodic meetings.
Volunteering is an integral part of the Canadian work culture. It allows you to interact with people from diverse backgrounds, enabling you to immerse yourself in Canadian culture.
As a newcomer to Canada, you can search for volunteer opportunities depending on your interest and career goals. You can volunteer at your local community centre, schools, libraries, hospitals and animal shelters. Volunteer opportunities can be searched online or by visiting some of these places in person. You may also ask your friends or family to refer you to an organization for volunteer work.
At Achēv, our newcomer services offer a wide range of services to help newcomers settle smoothly in Canada. Contact us today to register for our free newcomer services.
