Here are Top Volunteering Opportunities for Refugees in Canada

Volunteering can be effective for a refugee in assimilation in his or her new community in Canada. It also fulfills the need to belong, as it helps a person to interact with other people and also offer working experience which translates to employment. This article has also discussed the best volunteering programs for refugees in Canada, companies and organizations involved in volunteering, volunteer’s advantage, and how to volunteer.

1. Understand the Benefits of Volunteering

As the above analysis depicts volunteering has numerous benefits for refugees who wish to start afresh in the Canadian country. It helps in skill enhancement, Canadian work experience, network enlargements and so on. Volunteering could also help in increasing your confidence, enhancing the fluency of your communication skills besides giving you the feeling of being relevant in your new society.

Skill Development: Volunteering therefore plays a crucial role in the process of preparing refugees for job market in Canada and among those skills which refugees gain are communication, teamwork, and leadership skills.
Networking: Volunteering helps in creating networks with new people who can be employees, role models or leaders, among others.
Cultural Integration: Volunteering prove to be instrumental in becoming familiar with the Canada’s culture, traditional, and beliefs, thus easing your stay back.
It is thus important to embrace the following benefits that make your transition to Canada easier and fulfilling.

2. Volunteer with Local Organizations

Most local organizations in Canada have volunteering programs through which volunteers are assigned tasks meant to assist refugees to assimilate in the society. These organisations are open for volunteers and have accommodating environment to refugees.

YMCA Canada: Refugees are allowed to volunteer in many different programs where they can offer their help to the society, for example, teach newcomers or help to organize community events or support youth initiatives in the framework of the YMCA. Get in touch with your local YMCA to find out what is possible at the present.
Canadian Red Cross: Currently, the Canadian Red Cross may require volunteers to help in the rendering of the humanitarian assistance that entails, but often some of them come from volunteering services provided while raising money for the cause. Experience gained while volunteering with the Red Cross is equally useful and the impact of the organization’s actions is very large.
Immigrant Services Association of Nova Scotia (ISANS): Another component of ISANS is that it has volunteer opportunities that enables the refugees to assist with language practice, cultural orientation and settlement services to new arrivals.
You can learn a lot of things and volunteer with these organizations since they can offer you direction as well as support in establishing beneficial relationships within society.

3. Explore Community-Based Volunteering Opportunities

Apart from national associations, there are so many groups of people in a community as well as local non profit organizations that embrace refuges as volunteers. These groups call for different activities ranging from the conservation of the environment to cultural activities and therefore they are diverse.

Food Banks and Shelters: It is possible to become volunteers at local food banks or shelters including Daily Bread Food Bank or the Salvation Army; this effectively enables the refugees provide for the community while at the same time, gaining experience in customer service and handling of products.
Community Gardens and Environmental Groups: There are so many companies like the Evergreen Canada that provide information on volunteering on community gardening, parks, and other environmental-related activities. It’s an effective way of meeting people and at the same time positively impacting the sustainability of the community.
Cultural and Arts Organizations: As for the cultural sector, there can always engage volunteers in cultural centres, museums and art galleries. It can be a good strategy for introducing one’s culture whilst at the same time learning more on the Canadian culture.
Volunteering entails being part of the community in which you have relocated to, thus enables you to be part of community and easily noticed.

4. Step by Step guide on how to apply for volunteering

In Canada, applying for volunteering jobs is easy. Many organisations have webpages which areamean where you can check out where volunteers are needed and how to volunteer. Here’s a general guide on how to apply: Here’s a general guide on how to apply:

Visit the Organization’s Website: Search the website of the organization you like by its ‘Volunteer’ or ‘Get Involved’ tab.
Fill Out the Application Form: Fill in the online application form which includes information about your experience, abilities and hobbies. Do not lie or exaggerate about what you intent to gain from the process or experience.
Attend an Orientation Session: Indeed, some organization force an individual to attend an orientation or training session before volunteering. This is a perfect chance to get to know organization better and to voice all the questions one may have.
Some of these opportunities are quite easy to apply for which makes it a good place where one can start volunteering in Canada.

5. Here are other Resources in which you can find volunteering opportunities

Several websites offer vote on volunteering in Canada and these makes it easier for refugees to get jobs that they would like to take.

Volunteer Canada: A national organization which houses a database of volunteer openings for anybody and everybody voluntary work all over the country. You can go to their website to search for opportunities that you can take locally.
GoVolunteer.ca: The resources on this website make it easier for anyone to search volunteer positions based on your location, specialty or a particular charity that you want to support.
CharityVillage: A web-based tool through which people can search for various volunteering opportunities by the field of specialization.

With these resources, one can be able to get a volunteer job that suits him or her.

Conclusion

Volunteering is a great opportunity to re-establish itself in society, to gain new experiences and to make friends in new country, namely, in Canada. You just have to look at the available opportunities with other organizations, community groups or online presence in order to be able to give back to your new community. Understand, that each move you make in volunteering is a move towards the better future in the land of Canada.