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YOUTH ARE AWESOME

Youth Are Awesome, commonly referred to as YAA, is a blog written by youth for youth. YAA provides the youth of Calgary a place to amplify their voices and perspectives on what is happening around them. Youth Are Awesome is a program of Youth Central.

Any views or opinions expressed on this blog belong solely to the author and do not represent those of people or organizations that the blog may be associated with, unless explicitly stated. All content is for informational purposes only.

HomeEventsWhy Volunteer? + MYC Volunteer Fair

Why Volunteer? + MYC Volunteer Fair

What do meeting cool people, making new friends, experiencing new moments, and helping others have in common? They are all things that are a result of volunteering!

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While volunteering at Beakerhead, I was given the chance to help build the tree hut pictured

 

Volunteering is about so much more than just looking good on the resume — I can’t personally put into words how much being an active volunteer has changed me. Before I signed up with Youth Central to join their YAA blogging program in July of 2014 (yes, blogging is a form of volunteering), I didn’t know much about our city, what I was passionate about, and what kind of a person I was. However, I did know that blogging would be a really cool way to spend my spare time, which I had tons of. I deliberately use “had” because I do admit, volunteering can be time-consuming, especially if you decide to take on many different tasks. However, if you enjoy what you do, there is no better way to spend your time.

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Ailin and I attended the Holt Renfrew Lock into Paris Fashion Show last year as media – A result from our volunteering with YAA

After starting with YAA, I quickly learned about the many other programs that Youth Central offers, such as their general volunteer activities at locations such as seniors homes and special events such as Globalfest. Through my time volunteering at various projects, blogging, and serving on various committees such as the Mayor’s Youth Council and Youth Week Committee, I discovered my passion for the arts, leadership, and the social sciences. Throughout the process, I also met and became friends with so many like-minded, passionate, and motivating individuals with whom I can even further enjoy my experience with helping out around the city. Volunteering isn’t limited to serving lunch at a shelter as many seem to think it is, even so, the many unique opportunities that you get as a volunteer open your eyes up to the world around you.

As a part of my involvement with the Mayor’s Youth Council, we will be hosting a free volunteer fair this Friday the 6th of November at the new City Hall. The event will run from 2:30pm-5:30pm, making it a great event to attend with your friends after school. This event is perfect if you are looking to start volunteering, and want to see which organizations in Calgary are looking for youth volunteers. This is a good time to sign-up with organizations, ask any questions you may have regarding volunteering, and learn about what sort of opportunities are out there. I hope to see you all there!

If you plan on attending, it is recommended that you RSVP on the Facebook event page here.

Quick Details:

When: Friday, November 11th, 2015 from 2:30pm to 5:30pm

Where: City of Calgary Municipal Building (800 Macleod Trail SE)

Why: For those interested in finding out ways in which they can get involved in volunteering and which organizations are looking for volunteers.

Cost: Absolutely free!

Hui Wen Zheng
Hui Wen Zhenghttps://www.youthareawesome.com/author/hui_wen
Hui Wen is the Arts & Culture Junior Editor for Youth Are Awesome. She is a passionate advocate of the arts, and plays both the piano and clarinet. You can often find her at the Jack Singer Concert Hall for Calgary Philharmonic concerts, or in the band room of her school. Hui Wen loves the city of Calgary and enjoys using the blog as a platform to share her thoughts and inform other youth of the interesting things going on around the city. Hui Wen is a recipient of the LORAN Scholarship and a Grade 12 student at Western Canada High School.
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