It's back-to-school time, as well as time for another Volunteer Bulletin! I hope you all had a great summer, and those of you going back to school are relaxed and ready.
In this Volunteer Bulletin, you'll learn about;
- Recent events
- The I-Plan-It Program's successful first-run
- Youth Program update
- Host Program update - make friends and help families
- How to get free fruit from the fall harvest (with the MEEPle!)
- New Volunteer Training and Free Tours of VIRCS
Thank you to all of you who helped with our last event, the Summer Intercultural Gathering on August 13th.
It was a great event, with delicious food, free Henna, and a great interactive performance by Puente Theatre. Over 150 people attended despite the rain, but we couldn't do it without you!
Thank you all for your help!
I-Plan-It Program Update:
The new I-Plan-It Program for Young Adults is off to a great start, with almost every part over-booked with young newcomers!
This program offers many of VIRCS' services in a new format specifically for the needs of newcomer youth who are planning and starting their lives after highschool.
This month, we are still looking for Conversation Buddies for our Monday evening Conversation Club, as well as 1-on-1 Tutors.
Youth Program Update:
The beginning of school on September 8th also marks the beginning of our Youth Program for the fall, with the re-launch of our Homework Club and 1-on-1 Tutoring Program. This year, the programs will be run by Danny Tes, one of the newest staff members at VIRCS.
Our 1-on-1 Tutoring program offers flexible, weekly help to students struggling with a particular subject. The Homework Club every Tuesday from 4-6pm provides drop-in help, and focuses on study skills and general scholarship.
We are currently looking for volunteers for both parts of the tutoring program, so if you are interested, please contact me (Chris), or Danny.
Host Program Update:
The newest round of our Be-Friends and Family Friendship programs have begun, but there is still room for more volunteers!
Be-Friends matches volunteers with a newcomer based on common interests, and provides help and fun activities in bi-weekly events. Volunteers meet with their new friends once a week to help them adjust, do something fun, and talk about life in Victoria.
Family Friendship matches parents to other parents, and families to other families. Volunteers meet once a week with parents and their children from around the world, doing something fun in the city, and helping them and their children adjust.
These two programs run on a three-month term, and are our highest-rated Volunteer opportunity (rated by past volunteers), so don't miss out on the fun!
To sign up, contact Aviva at aviva@vircs.bc.ca, or 250-361-9433 x242.
How to get free fruit from the fall harvest (with the MEEPle)
As many of you know, the MEEPle are people who work on our Multicultural Environmental Education Program (MEEP), which helps connect newcomers with ways to be kind to the envronment. Here's a new project from Gagan, one of the MEEPle team leaders:
VIRCS Team Leader for Lifecycle's Fruit Tree Project
Do you like FREE fresh, local fruit? We are looking for a volunteer to participate in Lifecycle's volunteer training to be a Fruit Tree Project Leader. After the training you will help with organizing teams of VIRCS clients and volunteers to pick fruit (fresh cherries, plums, apples, pears and other fruit or sometimes vegetables) from private trees that would otherwise go to waste. The delicious fruit is then distributed among homeowners, volunteers, food banks and community organizations within Victoria.
For more information on how you can get involved as a Team Leader or even a Fruit Picker, please contact Gagan at gagan@vircs.bc.ca or 250.361.9433 ext. 217.
New Volunteer Training:
Thanks to your feedback on volunteering at VIRCS (especially in the ESL class!), the staff have created a new way to train VIRCS Volunteers. Beginning September 1st there will be a VIRCS orientation every Thursday at 4pm. Each orientation will end in a tour.
This orientation is open to anyone, including Volunteers, clients, and members of the public.
Following the orientation will be information and training specifically for volunteers. A different program will be highlighted each week, so that volunteers in that program will have a chance to learn specific skills and knowledge.
The orientations will be 30 minutes, and the volunteer training will be from 30 to 90 minutes, depending on the program. Programs and topics will be chosen at the request of volunteers and staff.
For more information, please contact me.
That's it for this month's Bulletin. Thank you all again for all of your help, and best wishes for the fall season!
Sincerely,
Chris Geater
Volunteer Coordinator
