Feature -- by Karen Rocznik

Many young job-seekers often find themselves in a rut because they can't find a job without some prior experience. However, there is a way to gain valuable experience that can help you score that dream job. It's as simple as lending two to three hours of your time a week to an organization that needs your help. That's right - become a volunteer! Volunteering is not just a way to spice up your resume, it provides you with experience working in a professional setting, helping people and working with others in a team or group environment. You will gain these and other valuable skills, which are necessary in today's job market. So what are you waiting for? Get out there and volunteer!

VOLUNTEER CENTRE OF CALGARY

So, you've decided you would like to dedicate some time to an organization, charity or profession that needs your help. Where do you go? If you know exactly what kind of work you would like to do, the yellow pages are a good place to start. Look under the heading "associations" and find one with which you would like to volunteer. However, not all organizations will need your help at that particular time and the extensive list of agencies might be overwhelming.

Gail Irwin Robson of the Volunteer Centre

A better place to start would be the Volunteer Centre of Calgary. They have a list of about 320 organizations that are willing to take in volunteers. If you don't have a clue what you would like to do then you can make an appointment with a volunteer interviewer. The interviewer will give you advice on what organizations would best suit your skills, interests or prospective career needs. The Volunteer Centre also keeps an updated list of current positions that need to be filled. The volunteer centres at the University of Calgary and Mount Royal also have a list of all the member agencies. Gail Irwin Robson, who heads the volunteer program, can not say enough about the benefits of volunteering. "It shows that you can make a commitment and people value that. It's not a myth. It's true." For more information about the Volunteer Centre contact them directly at 265-5633 or on the Internet at www.VolunteerCalgary.ab.ca.

YOUTH VOLUNTEER CORPS

If you have little or no experience volunteering and are in junior or senior high, you might want to check out the Youth Volunteer Corp. The organization makes the transition into volunteering an easy one. All prospective volunteers fill out an application form that lists their interests and experience. Most of the volunteers work on short-term projects with a group of others. Each project is guided by a team leader and can vary in time from one day to every week. Longer projects, ranging from full-day to part-time, are usually found in the summer. So, what kind of projects do they work on? Well, according to program co-ordinator Sarah McCoubrey, volunteers with the Youth Corps have found work with day camps, seniors, animals and special events such as Canada Day - anything and anyone that needs your help. McCoubrey says that the biggest advantage of the Youth Corps is that students don't need to know what they want to do before they get involved. "There are no six month or one-year time commitments, so if you don't like something, you can find something else that might suit you better."

McCoubrey also emphasizes the social aspect of the Youth Corps. "A lot of the work is done is groups between three to eight people. You are working with your peers and having a good time."

In the six years that the Youth Corps has been in Calgary, an estimated 800 to 1,000 youths have walked through the door. Currently, there are approximately 450 volunteers. If you are interested in getting involved with the Youth Corps call 232-0221 and leave a message. If you are interested in volunteering in a specific field or area of the city, leave all relevant information. In many cases the Youth Corps will try to match your request with an specific organization.

So, get out there and put your skills to work. Not only are you gaining valuable experience that will help you in your job search, but you are helping and contributing to the community in which you live. Good luck! For more information on volunteering contact our nextNet volunteer site.