The SFU OLC is closing on September 19, 2024. We are no longer accepting submissions. Please see the message on the home page for further information.

Headshot

Stephen Kaita

Career Peer Educator

/ 9 October 2014 /
SFU students looking at their laptop
share
Our values and beliefs are shaped by interactions with people and the experiences we go through.

Dear Reader,

I am here to state my thoughts on why I volunteer at specific organizations. In this article, I’ll explain three of my past or present volunteer roles. I hope you can find a theme within these three organizations.

High School Wrestling Coach

As a high school wrestling coach, my duties involve teaching and explaining wrestling techniques. Additionally, I also run a Facebook page for communications throughout my town. I volunteer as a coach because I want to gain experience in explaining topics to an audience of youth aged 11-18 and create new pedagogical learning strategies through physical activity.

Volunteer Teaching Assistant

When I used to volunteer at my high school, my duties involved explaining high school physics and mathematics. Throughout the process, I was learning technological strategies in teaching subject materials, and gaining classroom experience. My favourite part of volunteering at my high school was interacting with the new student population after I had graduated.

Career Peer Educator

Finally, I volunteer at SFU Career Services as a Career Peer Educator. Some of my duties involve advising on resumes, cover letters, and interview tips and facilitating workshops. The reason I volunteer for this specific department is that I want to enhance my one-on-one communication skills through advising, as well as learn new explanation techniques through workshop facilitation.

So, I have three different volunteer positions, all at different organizations.  Could you find the theme within volunteer positions?

I volunteer with organizations that I believe in. Our values and beliefs are shaped by interactions with people and the experiences we go through. As the reader of this article, find volunteer organizations you believe in. I’m not saying you shouldn’t try anything outside your expertise (I highly encourage it), but try organizations you believe in that will also help you (this will be a cliché) get you out of your comfort zone. So, volunteer. It will shape you as a person. Thanks for reading!

Sincerely,

Stephen

P.S. If you don’t know what the theme of my three volunteer positions, I want to become an educator with the youth population.

 

Tags:
Volunteering
Life Experience
Career and Volunteer Services
Stephen Kaita
Career Peer Educator
Connect with Kaita on LinkedIn and Twitter. Stephen Kaita is a Career Peer Educator and a second-year International Studies and World Literature student. He currently volunteers as a high school wrestling coach at the Langley United Wrestling Club and aspires to become a high school teacher or career advisor. As an aspiring teacher, he wants to focus on social issues in education and how to improve the well-being of a teacher. He has also previously volunteered as a teaching assistant.
share
visibility  119
Oct 9, 2014

You Might Like These... Volunteering, Sustainability

Iceberg Melting
What’s Your Cause? Polar Regions, Climate Change, Cultural Awareness, New Immigrant
Volunteering, Sustainability

Over the course of the past semester, SFU Volunteer Services set out to learn what causes motivate SFU students to get involved in their communities–either on campus or beyond. We collected information through the ENGAGE blog and want to highlight some now in hopes of inspiring others to think about what their cause is and how they can contribute!

Volunteer SFU
visibility
155
Children playing hopscotch
An SFU student perspective on the Big Sisters Study Buddy program
Volunteering, Equity, Diversity + Inclusion, Community Engagement

You may have heard of them–you may even have an idea of what they do. But have you ever thought of being one? Big Sisters of BC Lower Mainland has been serving girls in one-to-one mentoring relationships since 1960, with the mission of “enhancing the confidence, self-esteem and well-being of girls through supportive friendships with caring women”. Each Big and Little Sister match gets together once a week for at least one year. 

OLC Editor
visibility
227
Mubnii smiling with her hands in an open position, in front of an aquarium
Health Sciences Student Profile: Mubnii Morshed
Volunteering

Heath Sciences offer students one of the most comprehensive and diverse programs, focusing on everything from epidemiology, molecular biology to political science anthropology. These days, there are many volunteer opportunities associated with the Health Sciences.

Hannah Choo
visibility
196

You Might Like These... Volunteering

Students from an orientation session
Student Profile: Pamela Santos on becoming an Orientation Leader
Volunteering

When I first met Pamela Santos at this year’s Leadership Summit, I was immediately drawn to her enthusiasm. Pamela, who is currently a third-year Business and Criminology student, introduced herself to me in an icebreaker game at the summit.

Kelvin Claveria
visibility
95
Iceberg Melting
What’s Your Cause? Polar Regions, Climate Change, Cultural Awareness, New Immigrant
Volunteering

Over the course of the past semester, SFU Volunteer Services set out to learn what causes motivate SFU students to get involved in their communities–either on campus or beyond. We collected information through the ENGAGE blog and want to highlight some now in hopes of inspiring others to think about what their cause is and how they can contribute!

Volunteer SFU
visibility
155
Children in colourful clothing playing a game
Reflecting on a Life-Changing Co-op Term
Co-op Reflections

In the fourth and final entry of her series, Kali reflects on her final weeks in India working at Destiny and the Socio Legal Aid and Research Training Centre, as well as taking time to travel and appreciate all that India has to offer before heading home to Canada.

Kali Penney
visibility
138