Third-year marketing student Maika Archambault set out to challenge common misconceptions about programs like Community Engagement Learning (CSL) and Extracurricular Volunteering (EV). By speaking with winners of the Michaëlle-Jean Community Engagement Awards, which recognizes students, professors, and community partners for their outstanding contributions through the CSL program, she explores how volunteering can connect academic experience with real-world learning.
Volunteering opportunities exist for every field of study
Partner organizations are quick to point out that students from every program can benefit from volunteering. The award-winning students Maika interviewed spanned from human kinetics, psychology, environmental studies and communications programs, but demand for volunteers from every program is high.
Partners value the different viewpoints and expertise that students bring, regardless of their program. For example, Holly Gordon from the Office of Campus Sustainability could benefit from an engineering or computer science student to design an app. Barbara Roblin’s Dragonfly program, which develops critical thinking skills for students with Down syndrome, could use a marketing student to promote their services.
If there is a cause or organization you’re passionate about, the opportunity to make a difference is probably there, even in the most unexpected organizations.
Getting started is easier than you think
Holly Gordon said that as with any new experience, it can take effort and time to get up to speed but that even though “most of the things you do in life for the first time often feel complicated, after that, they aren't nearly as bad as you think.”
Getting a volunteer placement is straightforward: every uOttawa student has access to the Community Engagement Navigator, and the high number of opportunities means that you’ll probably find plenty that spark your interest, which you can then choose from with a simple click. “I honestly think that you could find a placement that you’re interested in in under 10 minutes and be matched with that placement and be ready to go,” said Holly.
Beyond the registration process, Barbara shared that she meets personally with student volunteers to introduce them to the Dragonfly program and to work together to align the student’s goals with the organization’s objectives.
While some organizations require that you complete a police record check, requesting one is simple and select organizations may waive the fee.
“The amount of time that you spend worried about it is probably longer than just if you were to go on the website and take a look through.”
Holly Gordon
— Senior officer of Office of Campus Sustainability
Volunteering that fits your lifestyle
Many CSL and EV opportunities are offered on campus, meaning that you won’t need to commute elsewhere to get involved. Student Amy Sisombath shared that in her experience, “volunteering through uOttawa has required no commuting; it is all super convenient, easy and accessible.”
If you’re the kind of student who worries about spreading yourself too thin and not meeting the time commitment that volunteering might entail, you should know that you can use the Navigator to find volunteer placements whose time commitments range from a few hours to a few weeks. You should also know that partner organizations are generally flexible and willing to accommodate your needs. For some positions, you’ll need to let the partner know how many hours you can commit and what type of work you can take on. These organizations care more about your reliability, engagement and commitment than the actual number of hours you work.
You should also keep in mind that that CSL opportunities integrated into courses don’t significantly increase your workload since they replace another component in the course.
Volunteering beyond the classroom
Certainly, volunteering can be a reality check for students. Barbara noted that “sometimes they've [students] never had any practical experience in that area. And therefore, they [students] will change their ideas once they see what it’s really like to work in a field. To me, the big win for a student is that they get to get their feet wet, find out what it’s really like.”
Amy also remarked that “CSL opportunities are usually related to what you’re studying” meaning that volunteering allows you to apply the theories you learn in class, helping you to understand them better.
Lastly, it’s important to note that volunteer experience is valuable when applying to graduate programs. When you volunteer, uOttawa records your hours, providing you with a co-curricular record of all your experience in an official document, which could be the difference that helps get you into your dream program.
Volunteering moves your career forward
The skills you develop through volunteering could be technical, but they could also be soft skills, and employers value both. Student Cassielle Bles expands on this, stating that you will “gain practical experience, and develop transferable skills, such as teamwork, communication and problem-solving.” Such skills are beneficial no matter what field you decide to pursue.
You will also find that the volunteer projects you work on will look good on your resume, so be sure to relate these projects back to your field of study in some way.
Certain partners have hired students who began with their organization as volunteers.
“Beyond the skills, the network of professional contacts that you will develop could facilitate your transition to the work force. [...] The people that get hired are people who have already demonstrated that they can commit”
Barbara Roblin
— Director of Education, DragonFly, The School of Dance
We hope these insights from some of our community engagement leaders have inspired you to volunteer. The reciprocal nature of volunteering means that you will not only help your community, but also benefit from this experience while at university and long after graduation.
Read about the Community Engagement Awards and their winners