For Stephanie Houvardas, volunteering became a meaningful way to give back to the community. Stephanie volunteered remotely with and assisted the research and evaluation team at New Directions on two different projects. The first was researching the use of focus groups with program participants and the second one involved evaluating New Direction’s staff training resources.
She gained knowledge from people working in many different roles and levels. “It helped me explore future career paths and ways I can continue my involvement in the non-profit space. I gained new insights about how I can improve myself, my work, and the way I support others.”
Stephanie’s claims her volunteering at New Directions helped her grow as a professional and as a person, highlighting the Peak at Colonization training. She found it impactful, as it helped her understand oppression, colonization, and the role each of us play in reconciliation. Stephanie also had the opportunity to present her research at a staff Lunch and Learn event. She highlighted the importance of focus groups with program participants, and how we can customize them to match the specific program, population, and evaluation goals.
Stephanie learnt a lot about cultural competency and safety, and how important it is with conducting community research. People are experts of their own experiences and needs, and too often research fails to listen to the people involved and directly impacted. “If we’re going to create and evaluate programs to help support people, we need to let their voices guide the process.”
