SaskCulture
About Us
Our People
Board of Directors
Volunteers
Staff
Volunteer Peer Assessor
Our Role
Overview
History
Strategic Plan
Year in Review
Other Resources
Our Annual Events
Annual General Meeting
Programs
Funding Programs
Our Grants
Logos & Acknowledgement
Find a Grant
How to use the Online Grant Platform (OGP)
Funding Program Renewal Project
Application Assistance
Accessibility Fund
SaskCulture Programs
Creative Kids
Culture Days
Organizational Support
Indigenous Awareness Hub
Organizational Resources
Diversity and Inclusiveness
Cultural Planning
Nonprofit Lifecycles
Consultant Directory
SaskCulture Respect Resource Line
Impact
Our Reach
Success Stories
iheartculture.ca
What is Culture?
Cultural Benefits
E-Update
News
Careers in Culture
Important and Commemorative Days
Network
Members
Member Benefits
Member Directory
Become a Member
Membership Renewal
SaskCulture Members Say...
Bouncing Back Survey Says
Partners & Initiatives
Our Partners
Tri-Global Partnership
Resilience & Respect: Canada 150 & Beyond
Our Grants
calendar_month Events work Jobs & Opportunities menu_book Engage login Grants Login g_translate Translate
  • Our Reach
  • Success Stories
  • iheartculture.ca
  • What is Culture?
  • Cultural Benefits
  • E-Update
  • News
  • Careers in Culture
  • Important and Commemorative Days

Involving Newcomers as Future Volunteers

By: Danica Lorer January, 2014
Share Tweet

Cultural Areas

Multiculturalism

Keywords

AR - 2014

The need for volunteers is great, and with the influx people from around the world coming to Saskatchewan - an untapped resource - has now been opened thanks to a new program connecting newcomers with opportunities within their new community.

INVOLVE stands for Integrating Newcomers with Volunteer Opportunities to add Leadership Value through Education. It was developed as a pilot project and partnership between Regina Open Door Society (RODS), the Multicultural Council of Saskatchewan and SaskCulture. SaskCulture supported this initiative as part of the work to increase inclusiveness as part of the Diversity Strategy. The program ran in March for newcomers with Canadian Language Benchmark 4 or higher, the desire to volunteer, and has been in Canada for at least a year.

“INVOLVE provides an opportunity to bridge a gap in our communities as they become more and more diverse in nature,” says Bonnie Soerensen, volunteer co-ordinator, or as she called herself, a navigator of opportunities, RODS.

Participants came to the program with a range of experience. “Some called it giving back or helping, didn’t have the word ‘volunteer’,” says Soerensen. They participated to gain understanding of the culture of their new home, to make connections, to learn about the role and history of volunteering in Saskatchewan, and to identify their own skills and attributes.

Zainabu Mwangongi, originally from Kenya, and Roberto Misterio, from the Philippines, were two of the participants in the program. They had varied experiences in volunteering in their home countries and recognize that there are differences in Canada.

Mwangongi is passionate about working with the vulnerable. “That is my motivation, every morning I wake up with this passion and spirit for working in this sector with women and children, and I’m going to share it with Regina, Saskatchewan,” she says. She respects Canada’s structured volunteer system and is particularly impressed by the criminal record checks required.

Misterio says, “I had been involved in social development activities through the non-profit organizations in the Philippines, including youth engagement and outreach programs. Experiences I had back home can be applied here in Canada.”

The pilot project generated excitement for the future. The youth workers at RODS are developing a program for their young clients. An agency in Prince Albert is planning a similar training series and RODS is already receiving calls about their next session, which they hope to host in the fall.

“INVOLVE taught us how to volunteer in Canada, the legal requirements, the pros and cons of being a volunteer, the steps to becoming a volunteer, and choosing the right path to match with qualifications and experience,” says Misterio, who has already benefitted from the networking opportunities. “Before INVOLVE, I was doing other jobs, blue collar jobs, very irrelevant to my profession back home, through this program I was able to make a big leap for my career.”

We are Treaty people

SaskCulture's work and support reaches lands covered by Treaties 2, 4, 5, 6, 8, and 10, the traditional lands of the Cree, Dakota, Dene, Lakota, Nakota and Saulteaux peoples, as well as homeland of the Métis.

We aim to be accessible and safe for everyone

Our office, including front door and washrooms, is wheelchair-accessible (building access at Cornwall Street entrance) during regular office hours. A proud supporter of safer and inclusive spaces initiatives, we are committed to a workplace free from hate, discrimination or harassment, where everyone is welcome.

Get the SaskCulture e-Update

Get the news on funding deadlines, development opportunities, job opportunities, award winners, community highlights and more.

Sign Up

Funded by

Funded by Sask Lotteries

Contact Us

  • #404, 2125 - 11th Avenue
    Regina, SK   S4P 3X3
  • info@saskculture.ca
  • (306) 780-9284
  • Office Hours:

    8:30 am - 12:00 pm
    12:30 pm - 4:00 pm

Connect with Us

Disclaimer
Design + Development: Structured Abstraction