Volunteer of the Month - May 2016
(From left to right) Ahmed Elorbany, Shilynn Lucas, Zack Zhang, Grace Chan, Ayman Shahriar, Karolina Krišandová, Hanhan Qi, Parastoo Hosseini are Immigrant Services Calgary’s Volunteers of the Month!
Ahmed Elorbany was born in Egypt and became a member of the Youth Volunteer Program (YVP) because he loves to volunteer. Ahmed was known for helping teachers, coaches and friends. He was encouraged by his father to go out and make a difference. For Ahmed, the best thing about the YVP is to meet the different and diverse population of Calgary. Every event provides him with new experiences and appreciation.
Shilynn Lucas was born in Nova Scotia. Before the YVP, Shilynn spent her time with friends, mostly inside. The program encouraged Shilynn to go outside, meet new people and gain new experiences. Shilynn’s favorite events include serving food to the homeless population.
Zack Zhang is from China, and has lived in Canada for five years. Zack enjoys connecting with other people, making friends, exploring new places, and helping out in the community while having lots of fun.
Grace Chan was born and raised in Canada; however, her parents emigrated from Hong Kong. The YVP was an opportunity for her to not only mentor other youth and give back to her community; but also to learn about the social issues and resources in Calgary!
Ayman Shahriar came to Canada from Bangladesh three years ago, and has been volunteering at ISC for two and a half years. Ayman enjoys making connections and getting together with other immigrant youth to help out; learning about resources available in the community; and organizing and participating in fun events.
Karolína Krisandova came from Slovakia. She has been a volunteer with the YVP for over six moths, and is really enjoying the experience. The YVP has given Karolina the opportunity to meet new people, discover different parts of the city, and try new things. As a result, she has been able to gain multiple useful skills.
Hanhan Qi was born in China and moved to Canada at an early age. She joined the YVP two years ago and has fun attending events organized by the program. Hanhan enjoys being outdoors, playing sports, and coloring.
Parastoo Hosseini grew up in Iran. Before the YVP, Parastoo didn’t have a lot of friends. The YVP helped her to communicate and become familiar with Canada. Parastoo enjoys learning new things and making new friends.
On April 22, 2016, the YVP volunteered for the Calgary Dream Centre to help individuals facing addiction recovery. Members of the YVP took the time to paint a cripplingly neglected fence at a residential treatment home. The residents all spoke highly of the YVP that day, indicating that the YVP has helped reduce stigma within their community and made a difference in their lives. The Youth Volunteer Program and ISC are very proud of our Youth!