Photo Credit: Maggie Perreault
Hamber staff and students have extensive experience with volunteering opportunities, whether by helping connect students with organizations or by giving their time directly. No matter a student’s field of interest, Hamber offers opportunities for everyone.
Ms. D. Peters (Community Schools), Hamber’s volunteer coordinator, said one of the best places to start volunteering is Service Club. Service Club’s main purpose is to connect students to volunteering opportunities around the school, such as setting up for school picture day and preparing the auditorium for events. She added that students interested in volunteering at elementary schools should reach out to her, since she is in charge of coordinating high school leadership opportunities at elementary school events.
For students looking for more specific volunteer work, there are also out-of-school opportunities.
Ms. E. James (Career Education), Hamber’s Work Experience teacher, said that the best opportunity to volunteer is to sign up for WEX 11, a two-year course where students can take steps towards pursuing a career path of interest.
“For students, I think it's also a great opportunity to try out different pathways before you commit to that post-secondary pathway,” she stated in an interview with The Nest.
After students complete the initial WEX program, Ms. James sends them to related paid work or volunteer postings. She said that it’s beneficial to try out everything if you are unsure about what job to pursue in the future, and that putting in hours of volunteer work can show commitment to future employers.
In addition to the opportunities provided by Ms. James and Ms. Peters, students have found other ways to get involved in volunteer work. Jeremy Smith (10) says he volunteers and participates in Scorekeeping Club. “I notice that [being a scorekeeper is] a really great way for students who aren’t part of any sports teams to get involved in the school’s sport community,” he said.
Yuree Na (12) volunteers with Student Council and helps organize school-sanctioned events. She says some positive effects she has noticed when volunteering are that it’s a good way to connect with the community and staff behind the scenes. Volunteering means meeting many people, usually with similar interests, and that can help with making friends.
“I always found volunteering fun and a great way to get more involved in the school community, and once you're more involved, school feels more fun,” she said.
There are also many opportunities that extend outside of the school community. Riley Ho (10) shared her experience with Rabbitats, a bunny rescue organization. Riley has been volunteering there since grade 6. She takes care of the bunnies and cleans their enclosures.
“Most times they are short on volunteers, so it is hard for all the rabbits to get the care they need. With over 300 rabbits at the sanctuary, it is a lot of work, so I like to help as much as I can,” explained Ho. During the Rabbitats fundraising events, she helps attract more volunteers and raise money to support the organization.