Written by Madisen Gee, AWE Communications and Program Support Intern
I’ve had the pleasure of sitting about 5 feet away from Idara Effiom, BA Psychology, for the better part of 10 months , where she works as the Faculty of Arts International Student Engagement Intern. During this time I’ve gotten to know Idara, and the incredible things she has done within her community. When I interview her for this article, I asked the simple question “what volunteer work have you done?”
Listening to Idara recap her volunteer history could make almost anyone feel like their resume is inadequate. She has worked everywhere from the University’s Week of Welcome orientation to JDC West, the largest business competition in Western Canada.
“I went a bit crazy in my first year… I had just moved to Edmonton from Lagos, Nigeria and I wanted to get a feel for everything while I was still trying to figure out exactly what I wanted to do in school. I also lived on the Arts Leadership Cohort floor in Lister Hall, so we volunteered at Boyle McCauley and the Cross Cancer Institute together.
I’ve also worked as a volunteer for UAlberta USchool, where I had the opportunity to share my post secondary experience with kids and could emphasize the importance of higher education. I really enjoyed my time there, since I’ve always been interested in child development.
Every September I volunteer as a Senior Peer in the U of A International Student Services Peer Program, where I do things like help new International students adjust to the university and Canada. I take them around campus and show them how do things like navigate Beartracks. Since I want to work with refugees and immigrants after I graduate, this volunteer opportunity helped give me an inside look at what a career in this field might look like.
I also currently hold a position with the Alumni Student Council, where I represent the student population and help bridge the gap between alumni and current students of the U of A. I really enjoy being able to meet and network with U of A Alumni and voicing my opinion on issues that matter to me, and my fellow students.
Idara has been exposed to so many career options and paths through her work in the mental health field and with the Undergraduate Psychology Association, so where does she want to end up? “My short term goals would be to do something like an internship with Alberta Health Services after I graduate, but long term I’m planning on going to grad school, and eventually working as a counselling Psychologist for immigrants and refugees. I would also love to work for a NGO some day, whether that means volunteering or doing an internship.”
There are many obvious ways in which Idara’s experiences align with her goals; her work with immigrants and within the mental health community have clear ties, but she’s also learned a lot about transferable skills. “Whether it's in my social life, career, and even my academic work, I’ve learned and improved upon my communication, interpersonal, project planning and management, critical thinking and problem solving skills. Even if my goals change, I know these skills will remain invaluable.”
Idara says one of the other best things that has come from her volunteer experiences has been the networking opportunities she has been presented with, “It’s been a great opportunity to meet like minded people. Some of my best friends are people I’ve met through volunteering. We’re always sharing resources with one another and helping each other out, so networking is really important to me.”
I asked Idara what she would recommend for people who want to start getting involved, “start with something you’re actually interested in. When you’re passionate about what you’re doing it won't feel like a chore.” You want to make sure to show you can commit to something for a prolonged amount of time and are reliable, so she also stresses the importance of reading the mission statements of the organizations you’re interested in, “to you know you align with their message.”
“Being nervous is also not necessarily a bad thing. You can use it as an opportunity to grow and improve” she continues to tell me about how planning an event for the Junior Peers in the International Student Services Peer Program was nerve wracking at the time, but now she does it in her position with the Faculty of Arts all the time.
For Idara, coming to the University of Alberta meant moving her entire life to a place she had never been before. Volunteering created an opportunity for her to try new things and meet new people while gaining valuable work experience and learning what she did and did not want to do with her life. “It's made me adapt to my environment better, and it's made integration to Edmonton, the University of Alberta and Canada much easier.”
