Student Volunteers are an Integral Part of our Volunteer Force
We are incredibly fortunate to be a part of a community that places such a strong emphasis on the importance and impact of volunteering. This fall, we are honoured to house a number of student volunteers at GGP who are assisting us in a variety of areas. These opportunities are incredibly important to both GGP and our student partnerships. We welcome enthusiastic and committed volunteers, and students gain invaluable experience, sensitivity, and competency in serving immigrants and refugees in the community.
We currently have students from the University of Saskatchewan’s College of Pharmacy, College of Medicine, St. Thomas More College, and the Leslie and Irene Dubé School of Nursing completing community-based learning placements at GGP. These students support a variety of programs, including our ESL and Computer Classes, CNC (Care for Newcomer Children), the Flu Clinic, Coffee & Conversation, and Family, Fun, & Fit.
We are so lucky to also have a group of second-year law students with us each Friday this school year to assist clients with Citizenship applications through PBSC (Pro Bono Students Canada). PBSC seeks to provide free legal support to people and communities facing barriers to justice. These students are able to help our clients with the complicated terminology and legalese involved in the application forms and help organize the correct documents needed. Each of these students volunteers their time outside of their required classes and has chosen GGP as their area of interest. One of the law students attributes her interest in being placed at Global Gathering Place as she is the daughter of a refugee. She states that it is an honour for her to give back to other newcomers in this meaningful way while becoming one step closer to her career in immigration law.
We are again hosting student volunteers from the University of Saskatchewan’s College of Nursing each Thursday and Friday as part of their Community Nursing Placement. These students bring a strong focus on health and wellness to everything they do and have become a wonderful addition to our programs and daily activities. This fall, they also organized a Winter Drive throughout October, collecting much-needed winter clothing for our clients – many of whom will be experiencing their first winter in Saskatoon.
The three of them reflect on their time at GGP, noting, “we’ve really enjoyed our experience at GGP so far. There has been a plethora of opportunities for us to learn, grow, and give back to our community. The staff have been incredibly supportive, inclusive, and collaborative. One highlight of our experience was our winter clothing drive. Thanks to support from staff, generous donors from our community, and our clinical instructor Dawna, the project was a huge success. We are grateful for this community nursing experience and look forward to learning more.”
Our Volunteer Coordinator, Jasmine Shahbazi Doran, says, “student volunteers are an integral part of our volunteer force here at GGP. In many cases, student volunteers are some of our most regular and reliable volunteers. Student volunteers are particularly wonderful to work with as they are often eager to learn best practices and how they can help newcomers in practical ways.”
Throughout the year, we often have between twenty and thirty student volunteers placed at GGP. Each year, we have several student volunteers who serve above and beyond their required hours and remain as volunteers for months to years after their official placement has ended.
“I love working with student volunteers,” Jasmine says. “They have a strong sense of altruism and a keen desire to positively impact their community. I particularly enjoy seeing the growth of many students throughout their placement. Some of our student volunteers are required to complete and submit mid-point and final evaluations with me as a class requirement. Many students go from wondering how their time with us relates to their field of interest to describing the invaluable experience they gained at GGP and how it will positively influence their future practice when working with newcomers.”
