For Sara Abdelrahim, Calgary was a vast, abstract idea of a community, not one that she actually participated in.
This all changed when she joined the Immigrant Service’s Youth Volunteer Program back in February 2012. Since then Sara has accumulated well over 300 volunteer hours, and with her enthusiastic disposition and willingness to help and lead, has been recognized by Kids up Front and Pay it Forward for her exemplary attitude.
I was fortunate enough to communicate with Sara via phone and email, and found her to be confident, humourous, and well spoken. I was taken aback by her friendliness, even to someone who had called and requested to interview her completely out of the blue.
YAA: How has volunteering changed your perceptions of Calgary?
SA: I came to Calgary about seven years ago, and like most immigrant youth I had a hard time adjusting and fitting in. While growing up in Calgary I really felt alone, and because I grew up in a neighborhood where there was a majority of Caucasians and there was no diversity or multiculturalism. I didn’t know about how much multiculturalism there was in Calgary and how important it was. I didn’t know that there were over 2,000 organizations in Calgary to provide a light in a dark tunnel for those in need. I didn’t know that I could volunteer, or how many friends, inspirations and experience I be gifted with when I volunteered. It definitely me see the vast diversity of Calgary and how much people cared about helping each other.
YAA: What would the three best things that have happened to you while volunteering be?
SA: I’d have to say the three best things would be:
1. I met a woman this year at a seniors’ home we were volunteering at and it turns out her great, great, great uncle was James Naismith, the man who invented basketball!
2. I got to meet Alison Springer during an event I was volunteering at, she is one of my most favorite speakers who lives right here in Calgary!
3. A lot of times when we volunteer we get to sample a variety of foods, my favorite being when we volunteer for Latin community fairs and festivals and it was my first time having Latin food. My opinion is that they should have like a Latin take-out place….
YAA: How about your favorite volunteering project?
SA: I’d have to say my favorite is going to shelters that need our help, my favorite being the drop in center. It was the first homeless shelter that I volunteered at. I never actually knew what a homeless shelter was and just assumed that it was like what people told me, a “dirty” place full of “dirty” people. That was not what I saw when I went. I saw people who were normal; they just needed help to get to a better place in their life. I remember we were serving food there on my first day and as I was serving food to a man who was in a wheelchair and he smiled at me, I smiled back. It was a genuine smile. That night people had given me sad smiles, or just never smiled at all. This actually made me a bit sad. These people have almost nothing left to live for and yet a little plate of food could make them this happy. But it also made me happy because knowing that there was a place like this and volunteers to come help them so that they can be hungry free and a little bit happy at night.
YAA: Where do you see yourself going in the future? How has volunteering shaped your dreams, goals, or aspirations?
SA: As a kid all I wanted was a job that made a LOT of money, I didn’t care it was and if it made me happy or sad. Now I have a passion to help others, I was thinking of going to medical school so that I could join Doctors Without Borders in the future. I want to be able to help people all over the world, especially those in third world and developing countries.
YAA: You’ve mentioned a number of issues in our conversation. Any that you are particularly passionate about?
SA: I feel very passionate about helping others out; mostly I want to help them live a healthy life both mentally and physically and for them to be able to access these resources because everyone should be able to have access to healthcare no matter what. People should be able to talk to psychiatrists for mental health problems and not be judged. Mental health is a big issue for me because I find it is judged for the most incoherent reasons: religion, ignorance, biased views, etc.
YAA: Any advice or words for other youth interested in volunteering or getting involved in Calgary?
SA: For youth interested in volunteering I say right on and it’s really is fun! It will help you in ways for a better future and for a better you.
YAA: In your opinion, where are the best places to start volunteering as a youth?
Thanks for the interview, Sara! I wish you all the best luck for the future, and I’m certain you’re going to be one of the people to make Calgary an even more vibrant and incredible community!