By Sarah Rossi, Marketing and Communications

Looking to get work experience to add on to your resumé? Don’t miss out on the Volunteer Fair Sept. 26, 10am-4pm at the New Westminster Campus in the concourse. You’ll be able to network with dozens of organizations across the Lower Mainland – all in one spot.

Read below to find out the top reasons why you should volunteer.

• “Although each person has their own reasons for volunteering, I think the top reasons for students to volunteer is to gain experience, get to know their community and build connections. We have had many Douglas College students on our volunteer team over the years and have been impressed with their contributions.  I’m looking forward to meeting some new students at the fair.” – Fay Duxbury, New Westminster Family Place

• “Connect to the community outside of school – school can be an insular world and connecting to the larger community can have benefits for the future. Volunteer at an organization that is doing what you want to do – much of what you learn at school may be theoretical and organizations may have opportunities to put those theories into practice.” – Valri Wright, Coast Mental Health.

• I think the top two reasons that students should volunteers are that they will contribute to society and apply what they’ve learned from school to a practical field.” – Michelle Cheong, Chinese Community Policing Centre.

• “Networking: the people you meet and connections you make through volunteering is something intangible, but so valuable to grow your career. Purpose: the mission behind the volunteer work will continue to inspire you.” – Amelie Nguyen, Fraser Health

• “Volunteering provides a great sense of community and allows you to see things from another person’s point of view, on a day-to-day basis, as well as their overall cultural experience. It is an excellent way to enhance your career opportunities and allows you to work with the public, while you enhance your skill set in a specific area that can lead to possible employment.” – Shelly Sarai, Burnaby Neighbourhood House

• “You’ll get to meet incredible people who are passionate about what you’re passionate about and you’ll get your foot in the door – most agencies hire directly from their volunteer pool.” – Lisa Wagner, John Howard Society of the Lower Mainland

• “You’ll gain experience and build connections.” – Dennis Chen, Vancouver Maritime Museum

• You become involved within your community and create a positive environment for other members within your local area. This allows you to see the community come together, and you create meaningful connections with likeminded individuals. Volunteering allows you to explore areas of interests that could become your passion and even your career. If you want your passion to become your career, volunteering can help develop possible options.” – Emma Cochran, Cycling BC

• “You can be a part of a team and you’ll be able to enhance community safety.” – Jen D’Souza, Surrey Crime Prevention Society

• “You will develop job skills. Volunteering is the best way to gain hands-on experience for a future career. When you help an organization achieve their goals, you are also learning how to be a valuable future employee for any employer. You are showing your commitment and loyalty which employers love to see.  Volunteering also builds relationships and connections, increases skills and knowledge and increases positive attitude and social skills.  Employers are always looking for leaders to lead a company for when someone decides to retire or move on.Volunteering builds so much confidence. It teaches you the fundamentals of communicating with people in different positions, and of different cultures and ages. It teaches you how to prioritize things in life and know what it important and set future goals. It makes you a better person because you have made someone else’s life better by providing a service.” – Pam Sidhu, CHIMO Community Services

• “Volunteering at the Canadian Mental Health Association provides rewarding opportunities to get involved and give back to the mental-health community. Volunteers gain transferable skills to help better prepare them for employment, meet new people and gain experience in an area of interest which can include administration, event support, planning, program management, recreation therapy and education.” – Kevin Inouye, Canadian Mental Health Association

• “Volunteering is an opportunity to give back to the community in a very meaningful way. It gives you the chance to help those who need it most. By being a volunteer, you will gain new skills, experiences, and relationships that can be beneficial for building your social or professional network and capabilities.” – Melissa Demeda, Canadian Red Cross

Don’t miss out on the opportunity to meet people from these organizations – and more – looking to add volunteers to their teams. Need help with prep? The Career Centre offers help with resume writing, interview tips and more. Check them out here.