Canada is a big-hearted country that welcomes people from all around the globe to call it their home. Here, you can find numerous opportunities to excel in both your personal and professional lives. For newcomers, who are ready to start their life in Canada, volunteering can play a vital role in their personal growth towards integration and community engagement. You can join the Institute for Canadian Citizenship’s Newcomer Skills Accelerator Program as a volunteer here!

The benefits of volunteering can be truly significant! This blog shares with you the most important impacts that volunteering can have on your life.

Build Networks

It can be extremely challenging to move to a new country and build a life from scratch where you are on your own. Volunteering can provide newcomers with an excellent opportunity to meet new people. This will help to build a social circle and form meaningful friendships, which will eventually eliminate the feeling of isolation.

Photo of volunteers as newcomers in Canada dancing together. — Credit: Helena Lopes

Overcome Language Barriers

Newcomers can find it hard to communicate in a new environment due to the language barriers. Volunteering is a great place for newcomers to overcome this challenge because they get to practice and interact with locals. Constant practice is a sure way to improve your language skills no matter of where your starting point is.

Gain Cultural Understanding

Overtime, newcomers get a chance to build relationships with the community members that they work with. This will help to gain insight into Canadian culture and traditions! Newcomers can then better adjust and navigate the unknowns in this new country.

Obtain Canadian Work Experience

During the early days in Canada, newcomers often struggle to find a job in their own field. Volunteering can be instrumental in solving this problem because you can add volunteer experiences to resumes! You will then stand out to employers in Canada because you have proven your commitment, adaptability and that you have a true sense of giving back to the community.

Enhance Mental Health and Well-being

You may find it to be very lonely in a new country. Aside from building relationships, volunteering provides a sense of accomplishment to people. This can be a whole new purpose that you incorporate into your everyday life, which ultimately reduces stress and gloominess.

In a nutshell, volunteering in Canada provides newcomers a bridge to build a whole new network, acquire valuable skills, and gain a sense of belonging. Through these actions, newcomers can find it easier to build the life that they want for themselves in a Canada.

To learn more about our volunteering program, click here!