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THE CAMPUS RESIDENT APRIL 20, 2015
UNA Volunteer Awards 2015 UNA Volunteer Awards nominee stories Mahta Amanian
Youth Volunteer supporting Children and Seniors
Maram S. Babsail
Norma Rose Point Elementary Hot Lunch Program Coordinator
My name is Mahta Amanian, and I am in grade 12 at University Hill Secondary School. I came to Canada in 2001 and have been living at UBC ever since. Aside from attending school, I play the guitar, bike and draw. I enjoy meeting new people and volunteering in the UNA community. What motivates you to be a volunteer? Volunteering has allowed me to connect with both my community and myself. Throughout the years, I have dedicated myself to supporting children, youth and seniors. In the process, I have learned valuable skills such as adapting to new situations, problem solving and teaching. Whether I am helping children with arts and crafts or guiding seniors on how to use technology, I feel like I am making a difference through my small actions. It is a rewarding feeling that I hope everyone can experience. What is your vision of the UNA community? The UNA community is a place that I call home, and so do many others. It consists of helpful and inspiring people working together to form a welcoming and fun environment. There is never a dull moment since there are so many engaging and exciting events that occur here. I hope that these events continue bringing neighbours together to form strong relationships between people. The future for this community is bright, and I look forward to experiencing it with my peers and neighbours.
I graduated from Altarbia Alislamia Secondary School, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia in 1986. Subsequently, I gained a diploma in computer science from King Saud University in 1992 and did secretarial work for the Institute of Public Administration in 2002. I also studied English Literature in Richmond International College of Canada in 1997. Finally, I have attended a course in basic life support. My hobbies are glass staining— for which I attended two classes in Vancouver in 1997—and photography. I also enjoy fishing, travelling, walking and volunteering in the community. What motivates you to be a volunteer? Born and brought up in the Middle East where charity and volunteering are not so popular despite the extreme needs, I always sensed the huge need for such projects. Unfortunately, many women and I were ‘inhibited’ by local traditions and rules. When my family and I moved to Canada in 2011, I simply ‘unleashed’ my passion and got involved in many volunteer projects: the hot lunch program at Norma Rose Point schools, walking school bus, constructing the school playground, school trips, secretary in the Parents Advisory Council and many others. Being a mother of five children who has no time for full-time job, the volunteer work is my satisfaction. What is your vision of the UNA community? From the first moment, I felt the uniqueness of the UNA community, where members come from different ethnic and cultural background but live in unbelievable harmony as a big family. The place has grown from being a small village back in the 1990s—when my husband and I came to Canada temporarily for his study—to a wonderful glorious city. Sustaining this beautiful place needs a tremendous effort from all of us, and being a member of this family, I am determined to do my share with great pleasure.
Connie Chen
Co-Chair of UHill Elementary PAC
What motivates you to be a volunteer? My best friend and mentor Nancy Brown, who is also a parent, has led my volunteer journey to go a long way. Nancy loves her family and this community wholeheartedly. Her fearless contribution to the community inspires me to follow her. All my volunteer work—Young Naturalist Club, School Garden Project, UBC Farm Friends, U Hill Elementary School PAC as well as helping advise the community about school transition—could not have been done without her wisdom. There are many other great leaders and volunteers in the community. Working with them helps me to evolve my inner strength. My children and their friends have benefited as well. Knowing what previous volunteers accomplished also motivates me to keep volunteering! What is your vision of the UNA Community? Our community uniquely appreciates three major values: education, nature and culture. We live on a world-class university campus, surrounded by Pacific Spirit Regional Park and embraced by the ocean. We also celebrate abundant cultural diversity. People keep immigrating into this fantastic community to build here their new home. In the beginning, some of them—like me—might hesitate to connect with this community due to language barriers. I would like to take this opportunity to encourage them to take small steps to volunteer at the school or community. The more you get to know your community, the more you find how inclusive it is!
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Wesbrook Walk and Talk Club Leader
Connie comes from Taiwan originally. Her family joined the great UBC community in 2009. With her background in nursing, caring for family, friends, community and environment is in Connie’s nature. Starting as a classroom volunteer and attending Parents Advisory Council (PAC) meetings at U Hill Elementary School (which is her children’s school), Connie has been always amazed by the positive mentorship and support that the school community has offered to her.
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Paulyn Lim
The Old Barn Community Centre The University Neighbourhoods Association and
Paulyn worked in a hotel, a bank, a health centre and a hospital prior to immigrating to Canada. Volunteered extensively in various positions in elementary and high schools, church and community: safe arrival & hot lunch programs, audio-visual and photography set-ups, teachers’ appreciation and festive cultural event planning, Grad Parent Committee & Strata Council executive positions. Enjoys physiological effects of Shinrin-yoku (Forest Bathing), exploring new places, learning new skills and experimenting with recipes from different cuisines. What motivates you to be a volunteer? I stumbled into volunteering as a way of settling my young children into a new school environment in a new country. When I joined the inaugural Walk and Talk Club on September 10, 2012, I did not set out to volunteer there. My goal was to regain my own physical fitness as well as to explore the Pacific Spirit Park and the UNA neighborhood. Volunteering was just a natural progression from sharing the passion for the beauty of our natural woods and group photos more efficiently with fellow walkers. Ben, our volunteer leader, generously shared his photographic skills and wealth of knowledge about the fauna and flora in Pacific Spirit Park and UNA, while I collated our growing email list and organized social gatherings. Although the original group of participants dwindled away with the fall of the autumn rains, the most enthusiastic and resilient ones stuck to the Club’s motto to walk rain or shine or snow. To date, the Club has attracted numerous walkers three times weekly not only from the UNA community but as far away as Richmond, Burnaby and West Vancouver. In retrospect, volunteering has allowed me the opportunity to meet new people and share with them my experience while strengthening existing relationships; learn new skills while honing my social and organizational skills in different settings; reach out and give back to the community to make it a better and more enjoyable place. Volunteering is not only fun but also mentally, physically and emotionally enriching. What is your vision of the UNA Community? To foster good neighborliness in our multicultural UNA community, to help new residents feel connected and encourage them to enjoy the beauty and restorative health benefits of walking in the Pacific Spirit Park all year round.