Building ties and growing together
For the last two years I have been involved with an amazing project among the Hispanic community in the Vancouver Lower Mainland area, the project name is Lazos Hispanos (Hispanic Ties). It is a Spanish community school that has the mission of preserving Spanish language and Hispanic traditions among the children of the community, while also provides an opportunity for the community to maintain their cultural identity away from our counties of origin.
While I find the mission of the school very appealing, I think that the project it’s also building ties and opportunities for highly capable and professional volunteers. Through the work that we all do every Saturday in the organization there is potential for personal growth and informal learning opportunities.
Studies show that the significance of volunteering for immigrants is an important duty, a social responsibility that enhance their social identity. Immigrant volunteering, whether formal or informal, is heavily influenced by family and friends. Generally, immigrants first volunteer in their own communities before engaging in volunteer work within mainstream organizations. This is due to the fact that immigrants are most attracted to organizations that serve and speak to the needs of their communities.
When the organization was in its planning stage, it was clear to all of us involved since the beginning that through carry out the mission of the organization, this is by volunteering in the school, recent Hispanic immigrants would have a great opportunity to supplement their professional experience, develop new skills, and identify future career possibilities in Canada, while the leadership volunteer team can provide references to support them when they start a job search.
But volunteering also has a positive impact on our health. A research conducted in the US by the Corporation for National and Community Service Recent reveals that volunteer work literally makes the heart grow stronger.
If you are not yet involved in any type of charitable work in your community, I really invite you to try it for professional and personal growth. A great option to start could be the communitarian school Lazos Hispanos. Contact us for more information through Facebook:
Finally I want to end this article with a quote from Helen Keller “Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much”