Every Moment, Every Effort, Every Volunteer
Celebrated annually, April 14 to 20, 2024 is National Volunteer Week organized by Volunteer Canada. This week provides a dedicated celebration to the contributions made by volunteers coast to coast who support organizations like ours in advancing our work, building inclusivity, and strengthening our community. This year’s theme is Every Moment Matters.
It goes without saying that volunteers are a gift to our communities, and we could not be more appreciative of the team of volunteers that support the work we do at Voice Found. Our volunteers provide strategic support on the Board of Directors and sub-committees; they provide pro bono consultations for different projects; they compassionately draw from their lived experience to be peer supporters in our Strength Found program; and they support the continued fundraising efforts that uphold our vital operations.
Every action taken by a volunteer has a positive ripple effect on our work, and our clients, and we fully believe that every moment truly does matter, and every effort helps support our work. No matter their role, every volunteer makes a difference.
One such volunteer in our organization is Gilles who supports our Strength Found program through the Men’s Peer Support Group. Strength Found provides support to survivors of childhood sexual abuse through peer support groups, workshops, and one on one support. Gilles is a facilitator with lived experience, and has been involved with Voice Found since 2020. To celebrate National Volunteer Week 2024, we asked him some questions about his work.
What are some of the activities you do as a volunteer?
My main function is as a co-facilitator for the Strength Found program under Voice Found, supporting the men’s childhood sexual abuse group. I also create drafts for each week’s group sessions, and take time weekly to do research on my own and put together content for our group sessions.
Why is volunteering important?
Volunteering helps you build community; it helps you build a stronger foundation for non-profit organizations like Voice Found, that provides critical care for those affected by human trafficking and adult survivors of childhood sexual abuse and it also helps you socialize. For a person like me who struggled making friends growing up because of my struggles with vulnerability, I have been able to find community through volunteering.
Volunteering makes the wheels turn especially for a non-profit, where support and labour is needed. If you have the time, volunteering is a good thing to do.
What do you find most valuable about volunteering at Voice Found?
Volunteering is the one most rewarding thing a person can do. For me as a person with lived experience, seeing the personal growth of our clients through volunteering has been most valuable to me. This is my eighth Strength Found cohort, three as a participant and five as co-facilitator, and with every cohort, I achieve growth by learning from participants.
Volunteering at Voice Found also means that everyone is inclusive. Voice Found has created a platform for men to be able to come forward to recover and have growth in their life, and no longer be silent. Our men’s group is growing and growing, which means we know we are working in the right direction. Voice Found builds a sense of community and safe space; regardless of gender, they’ll open the door for you. Voice Found opens the door and keeps it open.
What does this year’s theme of Every Moment Matters mean to you?
This year’s theme is all about seizing every moment, and taking every moment in as a volunteer. You can create change without even knowing it. That’s what keeps me coming back. I love the difference you see in the people you get to work with, and it’s not until you seize the moment that you can realize the progress you made.
What is your advice for someone looking to start volunteering in their community?
If you have the time to give, give it. It’s in us to give. Time is free, we don’t have to pay for our time. My son asks me why I want to volunteer, and it’s because I want to give back. It’s so important to give to your community. I can't help the whole community but I can do my part. If you have the opportunity to do something good, do it.
Volunteers like Gilles widen the impact Voice Found has, and bring their unique talents and experiences to our organization. Thank you to our amazing volunteers for their time, efforts, passion, and energy. Voice Found is so grateful and happy to have you as part of our community!
