Leila Khademi

Leila Khademi is Immigrant Services Calgary’s Volunteer of the Month.

Leila was born and raised in Tehran, Iran. After receiving her B.Sc. in Electrical Engineering, she moved to Calgary to be with her husband. In Canada, Leila continued her studies at the University of Calgary and received her M.Sc. Since then, Leila has been working and raising her family.

Leila joined the Volunteer Program at Immigrant Services Calgary (ISC) in January 2017 and has since completed over 170 volunteer hours. Leila has volunteered as both a translator and office support for ISC’s Language Bank as well as a tutor at the Ranchlands and Edgemont Homework Help Clubs. Regardless of the task, Leila always excels.

“Leila is amazing! Always engaged and extremely passionate about volunteering. She takes initiative to provide all kinds of high-quality administrative support in our office. We are lucky to have Leila around!” – Lisa Yi Cai, Translations Project Administrator, Language Bank

“Leila is a very committed and dedicated volunteer. She is always willing to perform new tasks with great quality and accuracy. She has a very positive attitude that makes it easy to work with her. I hope she stays with us for a long time to come” – Adriana Murcia, Access Intake Counselor, Language Bank

This is Leila’s story.

“I am a nature enthusiast, and Calgary and its surroundings have a lot to offer me. From hiking in the Canadian Rockies to cycling along the many scenic paths through the city, I enjoy every moment I spend outdoors! I have also been fortunate to travel to many different parts of Canada. From the west coast of Victoria to the east coast of Prince Edward Island, I have had the pleasure of meeting many wonderful people while exploring breath-taking sceneries.

My story of how I came to volunteer with ISC might be slightly different from others. Living in Canada for quite a few years before volunteering, I have experienced life through the eyes of a student, an employee and a parent. These experiences have allowed me to appreciate what a truly inclusive and welcoming society we have. In Canada, our differences are celebrated and considered an asset and not a hindrance. This makes me proud to be a Canadian, and as a result, I decided to give back to our wonderful society through volunteerism.

I had previously been a math and science tutor, so I thought tutoring might be a good starting point for my volunteer endeavour. I soon came across a position to volunteer with the ISC Homework Club. I volunteered with the Homework Club for a year. During this time, I met many enthusiastic and bright minded people. Later, I found a volunteer position with the ISC Language Bank (LB) that would allow me to combine my computer skills with my passion for exploring different languages and meeting new people. I enjoy the dynamic nature of LB and the staff are incredibly friendly, dedicated and hardworking. Volunteering with LB has truly been an enjoyable experience for me. Thank you, LB for letting me be part of your team!

I would like to mention that there have also been people in my life, both in Iran and in Canada, who inspired me to help others. From my parents who taught me by example that a responsible citizen always looks for ways to contribute and give back, to our wonderful first neighbours in Calgary who helped and guided us through our first Canadian winter as homeowners. All of these individuals have certainly made a lasting impression on my volunteerism”.

Thank you for your invaluable support and congratulations, Leila!