Volunteering is an act of someone freely giving their time and labour for community service. Volunteering can be a great way to give back to the people around you while lending your expertise selflessly to a cause you are passionate about.
That’s what Theresa had in mind when she approached New Directions, wanting to volunteer in our Child Home Services (CHS) Program.
“I have a passion for working with kids, and I wanted to help in whatever capacity I could,” said Theresa. A passion she gets from her family, who provide social services to their church and community members in Nigeria.
Unfortunately, the Covid-19 pandemic prevented any possibility of volunteering her time with the CHS Program.
But that little setback didn’t stop Theresa from helping others. In the Fall of 2021, Theresa volunteered 285 hours with several of our Service Areas as an Administrative Assistant.
“New Directions’ goals align with my passion for helping families have a better life in society. I wanted to give my time somewhere where I could really help.”
At the time, Theresa was raising three boys and working as Admin Support at the James Armstrong Richardson International Airport, assisting in the screening of international travelers.
Over the next three months, Theresa created client e-files from physical copies and ensured our Service Areas were keeping track of clients’ information, along with other administrative tasks that came up that time.
“She was always very enthusiastic about coming into the office every day and helping my team as best as she could. While taking great initiative to complete her tasks correctly and on time,” said Johanna Haines, Business Manager at New Directions and Theresa’s Supervisor during her volunteer period.
Eventually, Theresa was hired as a full-time staff member on our Business Enterprise Resources team, one of the areas she had done her volunteer work, so she was already oriented to the job and acquainted with the team.
“When an administrative assistant position needed to be filled, it was easy to make the decision to hire her as part of my team, as a New Directions staff. A decision I am very happy with,” added Haines.
“It’s hard to come up with adequate words to describe this great opportunity. Thanks once again for letting my passion to become my work. I have made an unforgettable difference in my career growth as New Directions has impacted a good cause. Thank you, a ton, for your enthusiasm and the strength to do my bit.”\
Well, Theresa, we want to thank you for your time and all your hard work! New Directions is a better place with you on our team.
You can get involved with our Volunteer program too. Visit: https://newdirections.mb.ca/volunteer/ to learn more.
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