Volunteer of the Month - February 2017

Majid moved to Canada from Iran in 2015. He is an Oil and Gas professional whose international experience in the field ranges from Operations to Engineering. Through his travels, Majid had continuously welcomed the nation of change. Yet, he knew that immigrating to Canada would not be easy.

“Needless to say, there is risk involved with immigrating and embarking upon a new path. Similar to uprooting a tree, Immigration takes well-established roots and revolutionizes the growth pattern. There is undoubtedly an element of risk and uncertainty in the unknown direction of personal and professional growth that newcomers face.”

Like all newcomers, to integrate faster Majid wanted to meet new people and expand his knowledge on the new community he and his family were now living in.  Volunteering came as the natural next step, so he joined ISC’s Volunteer Program in September 2015.

“Being a part of the community and having a positive impact is absolutely invaluable for me […] Volunteering is an attitude, not an action.”

Since then, Majid worked tirelessly helping as a volunteer tutor for immigrant and refugee kids, translator and interpreter of the Persian language, or with different community activities, contributing over 130 hours.

“Being volunteer at Immigrant Services Calgary gave me the opportunity to enhance my transferable skills, as well as enough leverage to overcome the obstacles I faced. I am able to contribute value and my thoughts to a team in a meaningful way. Jumping into volunteer work with both feet allowed me to communicate, cooperate and show the community who I am.

"By expanding my personal network, breaking down the barriers and immersing myself in my new community, I have been able to ease my transition into the new environment. My volunteer work and pursuit of my career have uncovered skills that I have been able to utilize.”

Congratulations Majid!