Superstar Volunteer Advisor Helps Team Go Virtual During COVID-19
Volunteering is a way of living that is giving and receiving. After a shift I feel humbled and accomplished. It's also a process of reflection and growth. During the pandemic, volunteering has connected us all to this positive energy instead of being pessimistic or anxious. We as Advisors have grown to know each other better through COVID than in the entire year before. We laugh, we joke, we talk about other things beside the pandemic. We also talk about serious stuff that has affected us. We are there for each other. And I then share stories with my family, connecting them to that positivity like a ripple effect.
– Samah Abdelaziz
Samah has been a dedicated volunteer since arriving in Toronto three years ago, and another five years before that in Jordan. After being asked to help with the logistics of a support group for mothers with special needs kids, she says she fell in love and found herself. As a stay at home mom she relished the opportunity to use her skills. Once in Canada, Samah says she had more time but lacked the work experience needed to secure a job. That’s when she found Volunteer Toronto and attended a Volunteer Ambassador workshop. Since then, she’s given back as a gift wrapper, a photographer for Coldest Night of the Year, a KidCoach, and as a Volunteer Advisor on Friday mornings.
When the pandemic hit, it was Samah who stepped up to support the entire Advisor team as we shifted to remote services. Now she hosts weekly check-in sessions over Zoom, manages the team's shifts, and identifies trends or issues that should be addressed to improve the volunteer seeker’s experience. Samah has gone above and beyond to learn new skills during the pandemic and is on her way to becoming an exceptional volunteer manager. Read our COVID-19 Case Study featuring Samah here.
