The Hardest part of my volunteer job at the Dixie Bloor Neighbourhood Center, was having to leave it...
When people think of the random things that happen to me, they often see it as bad luck and sometimes it is but this time it was more than I could have wanted.
I found the Dixie Bloor Neighbourhood Center completely by chance. I had just arrived home from Carleton and I was looking for a summer job. I walked into a building which I knew housed a law firm and I saw on the Directory A sign for the Dixie Bloor Neighbourhood Center, I had never heard of it before. Wondering whether they would give me a job a walked into their office and asked if they were hiring for the summer. I was informed that they were not but that they were always accepting volunteers and then directed me to a job board which was two feet behind me. I was intrigued. I went back to the reception and asked what exactly they did at the center, and the lady said that they provided assistance in various ways to knew immigrants. This sounded right up my alley and the next thing I knew I had offered to volunteer for them, knowing nothing about the organization I was given an interview with the volunteer coordinator the following Monday.
So on that Monday I arrived bright eyed at the center having read over the information I had been given. The forms I filled out has asked me what kind of volunteer work I wanted to do and I had decided on settlement. Hazel then interviewed me and welcomed me aboard, I was asked to start volunteering the next day.
When I arrived Tuesday morning, a past intern was asked to show me around and introduce me to people and I soon discovered that the organization was not the one office I had originally thought but three in the same building, plus additional offices which were located all in the general area. I was astounded! How had I not known that this organization existed when it was so large and far reaching?
I was then introduced to Jasbir the Urdu/Punjabi/Hindi settlement worker who I would be volunteering for. She started off by asking me simple questions, about where I went to school and what I liked to do, I learned a little bit about her and realized that we were going to get along grandly, and we did.
Over the past two months I did a lot of work at the DBNC, I researched and prepared informative documents on legal issues, I even gave a presentation to most of the settlement staff about the human rights structures internationally, in Canada and in Ontario. I also had the opportunity to try my hand at some general office jobs, like filing, photocopying and faxing, experiences which I needed.
But the most rewarding part of the experience was not the work that I did or the ways that I helped, it was the people who I met. I have never been part of such a warm and welcoming environment. The people working at the center are tolerant and patient and they always love to talk. Since they're immigrants themselves they have all kinds of stories to share about different parts of the World and it was a really wonderful learning experience.
Today was my last day and all I could do was try my best not to cry. Tomorrow is Jasbir's Birthday and I brought her a cake (which is often the practice at the DBNC for peoples birthdays) to surprise her. After we sang Happy Birthday, I recieved a surprise of my own which included a memento and a touching card by signed by all of the settlement staff. Before I left I recieved at least one hug from almost everyone. I have honestly never felt so appreciated in all of my years of volunteering or even working! But unfortunately I had to leave for a new job... But never fear I've already planned several return visits and sporadic volunteering with the Center so they aren't done with me yet.
It was fate that brought me their, and now all I can ask is how did I get so lucky?
