Jimmy M., Community Partner (Operation Friendship Seniors Society)
“My role here as Community Relations Supervisor is to handle our volunteer program. One of the volunteer components is the CSL program. Having students come in, preparing food, serving meals, friendly visits with the seniors as well. CSL is considered a group within the volunteer program. That's my involvement, to book dates for CSL and other groups that we have come through our door.
CSL students and other students that are hoping to be in environments that may be related to the inner-city get a lot out of this placement. From learning about issues that are in place when it comes to homelessness, seniors living in poverty, just your community in general. I would actually like to see more students come through the doors. When students find jobs in 5-10 years, they’re going to be the people that are going to be making decisions in which organizations to support. Obviously, for us, we're a very small organization compared to other inner-city organizations in Edmonton. For us, the volunteers help us grow through word of mouth. When students leave here and they start a new job and they move up the ranks and they think about a charity, they'll think about Operation Friendship because that's where their experience is. They might also be parts of other groups like Rotary or church groups or other employee groups that are looking for projects. I really believe younger people hold the key for our organization to create more awareness that we're out there as well as the programming that we offer for our seniors.
When students come in, I think they learn a lot when it comes to the clientele. Their story, why they use Operation Friendship, why they use the programs that they do. A lot of the time, our seniors just fall on a bad break. Our main value is non-judgmental. We're not here to judge the lifestyles that they've chosen. For CSL students to see the other side of the line, things that we may take for granted such as heat, shelter overhead, food, clothing, things that these guys fight for -- for CSL students, the big thing they learn in their placement is just the way these people have grown up as fighters and the programs that they use. And just more about their community. I think it sets a good standard when you start doing it when you're younger, to want to be a bigger impact in the community as you move forward in your life.
When you do the CSL program, the fact is that these students, they get to know the clients. I always tell volunteers to find something that you want to do, something you're passionate about. So if you come here, you do your hours and you feel like seniors aren't your way of helping. Maybe it's families, maybe it's kids. Some people take a long time to figure out how they want to make an impact. It's finding that niche and starting younger, you kind of know but that might even open up other doors. It encourages people to try new things. It leads to better giving of their time and their efforts.
Everyone will find their niche on how they want to give back to the community. I think that we need to give back to them. If we are able to help as individuals, we should be able to give back something. For me, being in charge of our volunteer program, I've learned the power of what students in general can make in the community. I've seen so many projects, I've been here almost 7 years and to see the things that younger people do in the community is really remarkable. The power of younger people! I believe when you're younger, you're a go-getter and you want to jump on that idea and go with it and you also have that energy and positivity to get things done. It's our hope that when CSL students leave here, they get a better understanding of sense of community and feel enriched with the opportunity too.
CSL is inspiring. It's inspiring to see what young people can do, especially making a difference in their community. They want to focus on their backyard, their place that they call home.”