Cowichan Valley

Meet Vijay! Vijay has volunteered with The Salvation Army for the past 6 years and continues to give back to his community every weekend. In an exclusive interview, we spoke with Vijay about the things he loved most about volunteering and what he gained from the experience. 1. Opportunity to help others This is the main reason I wanted to start volunteering. I knew I wanted to help others and to feel good about giving back. Throughout my time at The Salvation Army, I’ve been able to help dozens of people who are just down on their luck and in need of a listening ear. One of my most memorable volunteer experiences was with a client whom I served on a regular basis. We developed a trusting relationship; He told me about his situation and some of the struggles he was dealing with at the time. Later that evening, I recognized him playing cards at the casino. Shifting attention from my group of friends, I paid close attention to the amounts he was dealing away on each hand, which made me grow more concerned. On his way to the ATM machine, I intercepted and reasoned with him and bought enough time to call him a cab. The next day, I saw him at our regular meal service and he thanked me for keeping that money in his pocket. I then found out that he was on the verge of gambling his rent last night. I couldn’t help but feel like I saved him from being homeless and that the relationship we built had an impact on his life. 2. Learn New Skills One thing I didn’t consider when I started volunteering were all the new skills I learned. During my time in the kitchen, I used all kinds of utensils, tried new foods and brought home cool recipes to try myself. Another skill I learned while volunteering was patience. Before The Salvation Army, I was probably the most impatient person you’d ever meet. I quickly learned that to listen and to empathize means to be patient when it comes to others. 3. Job Opportunities At a time where my professional experience was slim to none, I added length to my resume by including all the volunteer initiatives I was a part of along with a list of references. When securing my first job in my late teens, the program coordinators and staff managers were more than willing to provide a recommendation. As I grew in my professional career, I believe volunteering helped broaden my level of understanding. The compassion I was able to demonstrate from a young age I believe helped me for the latter course of my life. 4. Meet new people Throughout my time at The Salvation Army I met some amazing people. I get to see familiar faces each week, hear about their progress, and offer them words of encouragement to get back on track. I also get to make lifelong friendships with people who I volunteer with on a regular basis. Overall, I am extremely grateful for the opportunities volunteering have provided me. 5. Keeps You Busy More than anything, volunteering was always a way for me to keep busy. Like a lot of teenagers, I complained of being bored and had nothing productive to do. My life became more eventful when I started volunteering. It would give me a reason to wake up when I otherwise would have slept in, and allowed me to look forward to something. I consider myself very blessed and I feel it is important to do something good for others. If you are thinking about volunteering, I say just do it. It’s different than just writing a cheque – it is the ability to interact, provide a positive influence and have a direct impact in the lives of people who need it most.

1. Support the people and causes that are important to you There isn’t a more wonderful feeling than making the choice to join alongside friends, family, and causes dear to your heart. Spending your life attributing meaning to everything you do is in itself a worthwhile experience and one that is sure to leave a lasting impact in the lives around you. By making these connections and establishing close relationships, you are leaving a lasting footprint with those that matter most. By supporting people and causes close to you, you are not only fulfilling your own needs, but also the needs of those you care for. 2. Reflect and decide what is most important in your life When you review your life’s journey, several ideas may come to mind: Did you grow and perhaps transform your life, make changes when you needed to, find your truth, inspire others, become a leader or influence others? Touching lives and exemplifying a truthful path is paramount to living a joyful and purposeful life. Your legacy will live on. 3. Share your blessings with others Now, consider all the blessings in your life; try practicing being mindful and sharing those riches with others. Think about the abundance you’ve received and consider sharing it as fate. Believe that your legacy is to give back this abundance to others. Everyone has blessings to share, even if it is a simple smile of acknowledgement. There are several ways to share your blessings with The Salvation Army. 4. Be a mentor to others A mentor by definition is a more experienced or more knowledgeable person with an area of expertise. Providing guidance, wisdom and connections with others can leave a significant mark to others less experienced in life. A mentor/mentee relationship involves support and harnessing personal development. This process is crucial to sustaining new mindsets and bringing about future and desirable change. These relationships can last a lifetime, and can result in the mentee influencing others down the road. 5. Pursue your passions Your passions are your legacy. Passion comes from an outpouring of the interests and ideas that make a difference in your life. Finding and pursuing your passion allows you to live your life whole heartedly and with full intent. Leaving a legacy is an important part of your life’s work. A legacy develops from a life dedicated to self-reflection and purpose. What will be revealed and what will endure is a truthful and value driven body of living.