English Class Volunteer Discusses the Connection With Students In and Out of the Classroom
Imbisat began volunteering with Global Gathering Place in early 2025 in our Tuesday Morning ESL class with Joan. She was inspired to volunteer at GGP by her sister, who had previously volunteered with us for her first year of Pharmacy at the University of Saskatchewan. Imbisat says that her sister “had a phenomenal experience interacting with the teacher and students, where she got to share her life experiences in Canada as an immigrant and help newcomers improve their English. She recommended that I volunteer with GGP as I was looking for opportunities to give my time to be more involved in the community and sharpen my communication and people skills.”
From the very first day as a volunteer, Imbisat felt welcomed and appreciated by teachers, staff, and students. Because her volunteering schedule was able to be catered to her personal schedule and comfort level, she was motivated to make the most of her time helping students improve their English skills and offering general guidance on life in Canada. What she enjoys most about volunteering at GGP is the meaningful connections she builds. “These connections go beyond the classroom—when I see anyone in public, I interact with them as naturally and warmly as I do in class.”
Imbisat’s favourite memories from volunteering happened just recently in July, on the last day before summer break for our English Classes. “The second half of [the class] was spent playing games in groups. Students from several classes joined to play UNO in Teacher Tammi’s classroom. Almost all of them hadn’t played it before, so there were a lot of rules to remember, which meant either students forgot some of them or confused one with another. Rather than being a hurdle, this led to laughter and unforgettable interactions with new students.”
As an immigrant herself, volunteering with newcomers has allowed Imbisat to relate to and further understand the challenges others face and their resilience in starting over. “I wish more native-born Canadians realized that, regardless of the language and cultural barriers, immigrants bring a lot of skill and potential to the country.”
