WUSC : Local Action, Global Belonging: Volunteers strengthening communities

Locally or internationally, volunteers’ time and skills are key to global development efforts.

In Canada, the WUSC network of Local Committees is active across more than 100 post-secondary campuses, and are led by more than 1000 volunteer members across the country. It is through this network of volunteers that WUSC is able to operate its Student Refugee Program, which provides the opportunity for over 150 refugee youth to resettle in Canada to pursue post-secondary education at universities, colleges and CEGEPs across the country. Local Committee members are responsible for supporting refugee students throughout their resettlement journey, providing financial, academic, social, health and wellness support, as well as helping them prepare for the post-sponsorship period and life in Canada. The work done by these youth volunteers not only has a direct impact on the lives of former refugees now living in Canada, but also provides them with an invaluable leadership development experience.

“As the Queen’s team supporting the sponsored students, we have the honour of witnessing their perseverance through uncertainty and challenges; to appreciate their curiosity and adaptability, to marvel at their determination to succeed and to meet the expectations they have for themselves; and to observe their growth in confidence as they proceed through their degrees and begin journeys in their desired careers.

We are so excited to be active participants and supporters in this settlement chapter of their life experience.” 

– Queen’s University Local Committee, Outstanding Contribution to the Student Refugee Program Award Winner.

Our volunteers are an integral part of WUSC’s mission to enable young people—particularly women and displaced populations—to thrive and belong. By exchanging their time and skills for the opportunity to advance education, economic opportunities and gender equality around the globe, volunteers are able to connect directly with the local communities, interact with various partner organizations, and bring their own unique experiences to the global development field. 

Not only are volunteers working to support the local communities, they are also sharing their volunteering experiences with Canadians and the world through additional awareness raising events that they each plan and host themselves. The purpose of these events is to shed light onto the plethora of situations, hardships, and areas in need of support. With the firsthand experience that volunteers gain while on assignment – such as being immersed into a new culture, working with new communities and so on –  they are humbly able to highlight global issues to an audience, without any political jargon or nuance, thus bridging the gap between those in the global development field and those who are not. 

“While the majority of people in the developing world are living more prosperous lives now than they did before, many are still worse off. There is still need for continuous efforts to enable the realisation of global development and one way to do this is through volunteerism.”

– Albert Kwawan, WUSC Volunteer Gender Advisor, Kenya

Through their involvement, Local Committee members and international volunteers help spread the word about Canada’s contribution to global development efforts by sharing success stories and raising awareness among Canadians about global issues such as gender inequality, access to education, social and economic inequality, and forced displacement.

“It is important to be aware of the impact of these global issues, and that we as students, as young people have the power to change and create change, and contribute to meaningful change, whether big or small. This is especially important so that issues aren’t overlooked and voices aren’t silenced.”

– Christeen Kurian, WUSC Local Committee member at Ontario Tech University

“Global citizenship begins at an early age and it is through our actions at school that we will be able to develop our citizen education at both the national and global levels.”

– Myriam Bravo, WUSC Local Committee member at the Université du Québec à Montréal