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Story Faculty

On my first day at SFU, I went on one of those tours and we came across the women's centre. The tour guide quickly glossed over it, but I thought it sounded interesting. When I went home, I told my mom about it and asked her what it was. My mom's actually the person who inspired me to start volunteering there because she's done work at women's centres and shelters.

I’ve helped out with tabling events, such as club days while providing supplies and resources to people who may need it and directing them to the right places. For example, the women’s centre has supplies, like tampons and pads that are available to students. These are things that we take for granted, but for other people, it could be a scarce resource. I’ve also been involved with the women centre library. The books are all written by self-identifying women and there are books from vegan cookbooks to resource guides for people who are transitioning. Many people aren’t aware it exists, but it’s such a cool resource for anyone who is interested in learning something new.

Aside from this, we also have the garden that is located in the middle of the Embark Learning Gardens. It’s been really cool helping out with their garden plot and growing vegetables because I was given this opportunity to expand my knowledge about the world and how to live sustainably. And from this opportunity, I started volunteering with Embark as well!

For me, the women’s centre is a place where I feel it's safe to be myself and I can also help others be themselves. I know so many people who attend classes and they get on the next bus ride home. There are so many opportunities and clubs, but students are afraid to take that step. The Burnaby Campus can be quite isolating which is why I think it’s so important for students to be part of the SFU community. We all have the ability to help each other out and contribute to making the university a positive and inclusive space.

Volunteer
Student
visibility  126
Sep 12, 2019