Meet our volunteers!
Grandview Kids is fortunate to have a team of more than 150 incredibly talented and caring volunteers across all of our sites. To continue our National Volunteer Week celebration, we interviewed 5 of our volunteers to get insight into their work with Grandview. In this series of interviews, you will meet Norma-Jean, Taaha, Kirsty, Natalie and Elliot, who will express what volunteering means to them.
Meet Norma-Jean!
What is it about volunteering at Grandview Kids that appeals to you personally?
I’ve been fortunate with my family and see that GV provides many much-needed services in the community. I’m grateful for the opportunity to be part of such a worthy cause.
How has volunteer work had an impact on your life?
[It] keeps me busy and fulfills a personal duty in me to give back.
What has your favourite event or volunteer assignment been with Grandview Kids and why?
I’m on the committee for the GV Foundation’s Annual Golf Tournament. I interact with a variety of GV Staff / Ambassador Families other volunteers, donors/sponsors and tournament participants. It’s such a huge event and seeing the results of everyone’s hard work every year really is very satisfying to be a part of it all.
Meet Taaha!
What is it about volunteering at Grandview Kids that appeals to you personally?
To me, the most appealing aspect of Grandview Kids is how dedicated everyone is in providing compassionate family-centred care. Volunteering at Grandview Kids allows me to be a part of providing such care to an exceptional group of clients in our community. In addition, volunteering at Grandview Kids has allowed me to work with a fantastic group of clinicians who are always willing to answer questions I may have regarding their specialty.
How has volunteer work had an impact on your life?
Volunteering at Grandview Kids has made a huge impact on my life. I have been able to learn so many different skills while volunteering. My communication skills with children and their parents have improved significantly – you can read all you want about communication skills, but until you apply them you’ll never develop those skills. I have learned so much about prioritizing especially when there is a rush of clients and their families coming in through the door. Lastly, volunteering at Grandview Kids has also helped me understand the importance of establishing and advocating for more pediatric care centres. Facilities such as Grandview Kids are necessary if we want to help children reach their potential.
What has your favourite event or volunteer assignment been with Grandview Kids and why?
I truly enjoyed volunteering at the Covid-19 vaccine clinic organized by Grandview Kids. Helping children overcome their fear of needles was extremely rewarding.
What do you like to do when you are not volunteering?
I recently learned how to swim, so anytime I’m not volunteering or busy with school you can find me at the pool.
Meet Kirsty!
What is it about volunteering at Grandview Kids that appeals to you personally?
I like to help the kids and be able to get out of the house to do something worthwhile.
How has volunteer work had an impact on your life?
It makes me happy to see that I can help children and it shows me how much the children can improve and be part of the community.
What has your favourite event or volunteer assignment been with Grandview Kids and why?
(Prior to COVID) I loved to do the Free to Read program and I was able to walk around the atrium and interact with the kids as well as giving parents books to read to their kids.
Also, I loved doing the McHappy Day. I liked to see the faces of kids when I gave them balloons and it was great to see people give money to support Grandview.
What do you like to do when you are not volunteering?
When I am not volunteering I like to go to the movies, hang out with my friend Terri and watch wrestling. I enjoy going to the Abilities Centre. I also loved working at The Bistro 67 in Whitby before COVID. I will hopefully get back to work.
Meet Natalie!
What is it about volunteering at Grandview Kids that appeals to you personally?
The most appealing aspect about volunteering at Grandview kids is the wide sense of availability that is presented to volunteers. While volunteers are meant to provide aid in certain positions, one rarely remains in the same setting. We are exposed to various programs within the centre and are always learning more about all of the services that Grandview offers to their clients and families as well as more about the services themselves, ranging from rehabilitation programs to family services. It is not only a beneficial setting for both the individual and the centre, but in turn, the volunteer learns more about the community and the various aspects that go into running such a smooth and lively setting.
How has volunteer work had an impact on your life?
Volunteering has had a major impact on my life in many ways. Although I can positively say that volunteering has allowed me to grow in ways that I believe no other setting would have, I also attribute my weekly contribution as a way of allowing myself to become more certain of the path I would like to take on as my future profession. I started volunteering for Grandview when I was in my second year of university and like many, was somewhat uncertain of what I wanted for my future. It was through volunteering that I was able to learn about various rehabilitation therapists and therapy assistants and the impact such services have on children and youth.
What has your favourite event or volunteer assignment been with Grandview Kids and why?
While it is hard to distinguish a specific volunteer assignment, it would seem that my favourite volunteer assignment at Grandview has been the ability to volunteer within the Speech-Language Pathologist (SLP) and Speech-Language Therapy Assistant (SLTA) therapy groups. Alongside being able to learn more about the various aspects that are involved in each session, it was very interesting to learn about the different ways in which clinicians incorporate to continue to target their clients’ needs while also being able to keep them engaged without trying to make it seem like therapy.
It was enjoyable to be able to see and hear of the progress that some of the clients were making throughout their time at Grandview and to learn about the various skills and actions that are provided for Grandview clients and their families from before they are provided direct support to well after. It was a truly exceptional experience that has cultivated my favourite volunteer assignment so far.
What drives you to keep coming back to Grandview?
What continuously keeps me coming back to Grandview is the sense of community and belonging that is harvested amongst both clinicians and staff members as well as between clinicians and clients/families. Whether it is during a therapy session or workshop, clinicians and several other members of the Grandview team always strive to provide the most exceptional quality of care and service to their clients and to each other, something that I have rarely seen in the various places I have volunteered. Everyone is made to be treated equally and when one is in need of help, whether it is to discuss the best pursuit of action for a specific issue or to just clarify a need from a family, everyone is available to help in any way they can. It truly allows you to feel like you are connected to a greater family, rather than being a fellow volunteer.
What do you like to do when you are not volunteering?
Apart from volunteering, I am an avid bookworm where I try to finish at least 2-3 books a month and I am an experimental baker, always looking for new recipes to try and master.
Meet Elliot!
What is it about volunteering at Grandview Kids that appeals to you personally?
What appeals to me about volunteering with Grandview Kids is personally, it allows me to give back to the place that helped me when I was younger. The therapists at Grandview helped me learn how to talk and even how to print my own name. I feel included and like part of a team at Grandview. I am now a college graduate and Grandview helped me get there.
How has volunteer work had an impact on your life?
Volunteer work has had an impact on me on a positive note because volunteering has made me become a true leader and a good citizen. I feel good when I can give my opinion and thoughts as part of the Youth Advisory Committee in order to help Grandview become a better place for kids. Volunteering has made me work hard so I can be a positive role model for any Grandview kid out there who thinks they won’t get there. I am now working as a Physical Fitness and Literacy Associate at the Abilities Centre and volunteering at Grandview and other places (Kerry’s Place, Vikings Rugby League and Pickering All Abilities Soccer) has helped me create a good resume.
What has your favourite event or volunteer assignment been with Grandview Kids and why?
My favourite event/volunteer assignment with Grandview Kids has always been McHappy Day. It is my favourite event because I got to work in the Drive Through and give orders to customers. I had a lot of friends and teachers stop by to get their orders from me. We raised a lot of money! I liked helping out with these fundraisers because they were all about showing teamwork and helping others in the community to make Grandview Children’s Centre a more accessible environment.
Why do you think it is important to volunteer (for Grandview Kids and elsewhere)?
It is important to help volunteer at Grandview and other places because it just feels good to give back and help others. To see smiles on people’s faces when you make them happy makes it all worth it. I think it helps to show that we are just like everyone else and we have a lot to offer too.
What do you like to do when you are not volunteering?
I like to read books and play sports like baseball, soccer, rugby, and archery. I also like to play in a band with my bandmates at Online Math and Guitar. Finally, I also like to be involved with social groups at the Abilities Centre.
This year’s theme for National Volunteer Week is Volunteering is Empathy in Action. Click here to learn more about National Volunteer Week.
