By Balwant Sanghera

Volunteers are the backbone of every community. Every community in Canada has many dedicated people who volunteer for numerous organizations in their communities. Volunteering offers a lot of tangible and non-tangible benefits. It is good for one’s physical and mental health. Volunteering gives one a sense of purpose and a sense of belonging. Not only that but volunteering also helps one with building interpersonal skills and self-confidence. For young people, it helps them with good job opportunities. Also, it helps the volunteers gain invaluable work experience.  Another benefit of volunteering is that it makes a positive difference in people’s lives and their communities.  

Personally speaking, since my arrival in Canada in 1966, I have enjoyed volunteering whenever and wherever possible. As an educator, I found volunteering to be very rewarding. It has helped me make new friends and get actively involved in the community.  My first posting as a teacher was in Hudson’s Hope, BC in the Peace River country. When I moved there, I did not know anybody. General George Pearkes Primary and Hudson Hope Elementary Junior Secondary School were the only schools in the community. In the evenings and on weekends, my school-Hudson Hope Elementary –Junior Secondary School (grades 4 to 10) was the hub of activity. As a teacher at this school provided me with an excellent opportunity to volunteer after school and weekend activities. It was a very enjoyable experience for me. My community involvement continued when I accepted a teaching position with Lillooet School District.  

Lillooet is Mile 0 of the Cariboo Gold Rush Trail. It was a very exciting experience for me to volunteer in various community organizations like Lillooet and District Historical Society and Recreation Commission. It helped me in becoming an integral part of the community. Here I had an opportunity to meet and work with some prominent personalities like Margaret (Ma) Murray and Dr Masajro Miyazaki. Also, I learnt a lot about the Indigenous people and their culture. After serving for 17 years in Lillooet I accepted a position as School Psychologist with Burnaby School District and my family and I moved to Richmond in 1990. Here, I have continued my volunteering in the South Asian/ Punjabi community and the mainstream community. The rewards of volunteering have been immense.  

I would like to urge especially our youth to volunteer as much as possible. It is good for one’s physical and mental health. Volunteering gives one a sense of purpose. It is very helpful in building one’s self-confidence. Another benefit of volunteering is that it gives one a sense of belonging and gratitude. Volunteers make a big difference in people’s lives. It helps develop new skills, and promotes personal growth, teamwork and leadership skills. Above all, volunteering is an excellent way to give back to our communities, province and Canada.  

Balwant Sanghera is a retired School Psychologist and Community Activist.