Learning what volunteering opportunities can lead to employment is especially important for newcomers to Canada. Hear from three immigrants who secured work through volunteering in their fields.

2. I
can’t
keep
calm.
I
need
a
job.
There
is
work
in
Canada?
Who
knew?!!!

3. What
we
will
cover
² Why
volunteering
ma:ers
for
finding
work
in
Canada
² Pros
and
Cons
of
volunteering
² Connec>ng
volunteering
and
work
opportuni>es
² Three
new
Canadians
share
their
experience

4. WHY
VOLUNTEERING
MATTERS
FOR
FINDING
WORK
IN
CANADA

5. Did
you
know
that…
• You
have
to
apply,
send
a
resume
and
interview
for
a
volunteer
posi>on?

6. Did
you
know
that…
• Volunteer
experience
counts
for
employers
as
“Canadian
experience”?

7. Did
you
know
that…
• Employers
hire
for
volunteer
work,
not
just
paid
work?

8. Did
you
know
that…
• Volunteering
gives
insight
into
local
experience,
issues
and
concerns?

9. Volunteering
is
a
lever
ü To
resources
ü To
people
who
can
connect
you
to
employers
ü To
organiza>ons
who
support
ü To
references
for
jobs

10. But
only
if
you
ü Treat
volunteer
work
like
a
job
ü Make
a
good
impression
ü Connect
with
decision
makers
ü Ask
for
references
and
opportuni>es

11. PROS
AND
CONS
OF
VOLUNTEERING

12. Pros
and
Cons
• Meet
people
• Improve
your
English/
French
• Enlarge
your
network
• Get
pracPcal
knowledge
of
Canadian
work
and
culture
• Increase
your
confidence
• Learn
new
skills
• Indirect
route
to
work,
not
direct
• If
you
aren’t
sincere,
it
won’t
have
an
effect
• Takes
Pme
and
effort
• You
need
money
now
• You
may
not
see
benefits
unPl
later
• You
may
feel
exploited

13. CONNECTING
VOLUNTEERING
AND
WORK
OPPORTUNITIES

14. To
connect
V
to
W
ü Go
to
a
Volunteer
Centre
(ex.
Edmonton
Volunteer
Organiza>on
EVO)
ü Use
the
connec>ng
services
at
immigrant
serving
organiza>ons
ü Look
for
mentorship
organiza>ons
and
opportuni>es

15. Volunteer
Edmonton,
Alberta

16. Getvolunteering.ca/get-­‐matched/

17. Volunteer
Toronto,
Ontario

18. To
connect
V
to
W
ü Ask
to
volunteer
for
conferences
and
events
in
your
profession
ü Go
to:
getvolunteering.ca/get-­‐
matched/
ü Google
“volunteer
in…”
your
city
ü Ask
for
>ps
on
finding
work
from
your
volunteer
buddies

19. Volunteer
Richmond,
B.C.

20. To
connect
V
to
W
ü ALWAYS
include
your
community
work
volunteering
in
your
resume
ü Men>on
your
volunteering
in
interviews
ü Ask
for
references
from
people
who
know
your
volunteer
work

21. Volunteer
Saskatchewan

22. THREE
NEW
CANADIANS
SHARE
THEIR
EXPERIENCE

24. Marsieh
Khodadady
-­‐
Accountant

25. Volunteered while I
was studying to be an
accountant.
• NAIT open house
• Annual tax
preparation
workshops
• Student organization
to help the
community
• Helping students in
courses

26. ü Gave me
confidence for real
life.
ü Helped me gain
experience and to
know myself.
ü And it helped
others too –
absolutely!

27. ü Made my resume
look better.
ü Showed people
what kind of person
I am, because of
my volunteer jobs.

28. Issa
Kamara
Social
Worker/
Execu>ve
Director

29. Volunteered when I first came
to Canada and now:
ü In Winnipeg helped others
from Sierra Leone with
settlement, job and family
issues.
ü Volunteered for at-risk
youth.
ü This allowed me to have
experience to set up my
own organization in
Edmonton.

30. ü Volunteered with community
organizations, volunteer
boards and connected small
organizations with big ones.
ü This increased my reputation
and credibility! Now I just
mention “Looking for a job”
and in a short time I have
one. Everyone wants to help
me because I help them.
ü In the African communities,
mostly men are volunteering.

32. Sandra
Cuadra
Marketer

33. Volunteered when I first
came to Canada and now:
Catholic Social Services,
ERIEC, Sombillia
• Met new people
• Made friends
• Canadian experience
• Practiced my English
• Got soft skills
• Improved references
• Win win situation!

34. ü Volunteer experience
showed on my resume that
I had Canadian
experience.
ü My volunteer placement
got me my first marketing
job.
ü Thanks to my volunteer
experience on my resume
I got three more marketing
contracts.
ü Because I met new
people, I learned about the
Canadian market.

35. Sandra:
Work
hard
to
meet
new
people
even
if
you
feel
shy.
Use
immigrant
serving
organiza>ons
and
not
for
profits.
Remember
that
you
need
help
with
resumes
to
get
volunteer
posi>ons.
Volunteering
is
why
I
have
paying
work
now.
Issa:
In
Canada
there
is
really
a
spirit
of
volunteering
and
you
have
to
be
a
part
of
it
to
understand
Canadians
and
the
workplace
here.
Most
of
my
resume
experience
has
come
either
directly
or
indirectly
as
a
result
of
volunteering.
Marsieh:
Don’t
just
focus
on
ge^ng
a
job,
think
about
mee>ng
people
and
connec>ng.
Do
what
you
can
to
help
others
and
they
then
become
references
and
connectors
for
you.
Volunteering
helps
you
learn
the
language
and
gain
confidence.
Your
connec>ons
grow.
All
my
volunteer
posi>ons
were
recommenda>ons
for
work.

36. Do
you
need
a
job?
Try
volunteering!

37. Connec>ng
with
us
h:p://shi_workplace.com
@shi_workplace
@workandculture
info@shi_workplace
Check
out
our
Work
and
Culture
course
for
newcomers
to
find
work
in
their
field.
h:p://workandculture.com
Thank you for attending the webinar!