By Emily Gvozdenovic
This pandemic has presented several unexpected situations and challenges for all Calgarians alike. Due to lockdowns and restrictions, or potential self-isolations, many of us have felt socially isolated and emotionally distant from our families, friends, colleagues and neighbours, which has had a negative impact on our collective mental wellbeing. This past year has continuously pressured us to adapt, improvise and overcome, but has also built resiliency and a stronger bond between members of our community. Countless individuals have stepped up to support those who may be struggling during these trying times and have shown immense compassion and empathy. Despite being physically apart, it is still entirely possible to create meaningful connections within one’s own community and provide service to those who may need it most. I talked to Grace Zhou, director of events at Youth Helping Youth Alberta, a student-led, non-profit organization that aims to provide youth with volunteering and leadership opportunities during the uncertain atmosphere of this pandemic.
The central goal of Youth Helping Youth (YHY) is to connect like-minded youth with opportunities that encourage engagement in their communities, prepare them with the tools they need for future experiences, and help create passionate and empowered leaders. Often, young people want to volunteer and become active in their community, but have trouble finding what to do or how to do it. Young individuals across the province can reach out to YHY through social media, organized virtual events, and partnerships with local non-profit groups and organizations, and are able to form personal connections with people of similar interests.
Recently, Youth Helping Youth organized a virtual meet-and-greet event, in which 50 representatives from 22 different organizations came into touch with students. Grace reflected that the experience was fulfilling to see how many people she could help, and that she still is connected with people that she met during the event. She expressed that organizing various events within this group has not only been a meaningful team-building experience, it’s also a lot of fun! In the month of March, Grace and her team are organizing a Virtual Volunteer Fair, where young people will be able to attend different ‘booths’ within a Zoom meeting and sign up for volunteer opportunities at the organization of their choice. Grace emphasized that the goal of the fair is to mimic an in-person experience, by grouping like-minded people together and allowing the audience to interact with the speaker. Rather than a set-in-stone question and answer meeting, they would like to create a personalized, interactive experience to help connect students with the opportunities they want.
Youth Helping Youth has grown greatly since their beginnings and continues to expand and welcome new members and positions. When asked about possible future plans, Grace expressed that their goal is to continue moving forward to help youth become better leaders. Some future ideas included presenting tips on preparing for job interviews, making comparisons of University programs, and having workshops based on what people may be interested in learning about, such as life management skills or finances.
To learn more about Youth Helping Youth as an organization or for information about the upcoming Virtual Volunteer Fair, visit their Instagram page @yhyalberta.