Cheryl Edwards said that at the age of 39 she had been out of work for 10 years suffering from a host of mental and physical issues stemming from her witnessing a murder when she was 16.
That’s when she decided to volunteer.
“I got tired of being sick after 10 years of battling extreme panic attacks and extreme fears. Not only leaving my home but (also) being home alone scared me as well (so) I said ‘that’s it’. United way is just around the corner from me and I walked (there) and I talked to some people about volunteering and they took me right away,” she said.
At a volunteer recruitment fair last Friday Edwards talked about how volunteering was her path back into the workforce.
After one year of volunteering she started to get paid contracts with the United Way and for the last two years she has had a successful full-time career with them performing various rewarding roles.
One of these roles has her assisting people that have a difficult time accessing medical services in getting travel grants that can help them cover the costs.
Edwards said volunteering could help others create their own success stories.
“I think volunteering is a great path to get integrated back into the workforce. The networking itself (and) meeting people - somebody always knows somebody or some place that’s hiring … or sees that potential in you that you didn’t know you have, “ she said.
“In Sault Ste. Marie it’s all about networking and knowing people,” said Habitat for Humanity Sault Ste. Marie Community Outreach Coordinator Melissa Jones whose employment success story also came out of volunteering.
“When I completed school I found a hard time finding employment for about 6-8 months ... so I started volunteering to keep myself busy and then it ended up turning into a position,” she said.
The Friday and Saturday volunteer fair last week was put on by Volunteer Sault Ste. Marie, a division of the United Way that connects people who want to volunteer with the organizations that need them.
“Volunteer Sault Ste. Marie is the best place to go because we have a database and these agencies call us and say ‘Okay, we’re looking for this many volunteers from this date to the is date’ and (they tell us) the kind of skills that are required for the job,“ said Edwards.
The event showcased over 20 Sault Ste. Marie organizations that fit any volunteering-niche someone might want fill.
Animal lovers could sign up with The Animal Assistance Group, those interested in fitness had the YMCA, and technology and literacy enthusiasts could sign up to help Program Read.
Also present were Meals on Wheels, Sault Area Hospital, Habitat for Humanity, The Ontario Finnish Resthome Association, Algoma Youth Action Alliance, and many other groups.
93-year-old Finnish Resthome volunteer and resident Irene Bradley also talked about how volunteering can lead to a job - for those who want one.
“It’s whether (the person) wants to work or not. A lot of people are out of work because they don’t want to work ... They might have to do a job that they didn’t like…like washing dishes or something like that. A person that would take a job washing dishes could (find) a bigger job. I’ve heard of people washing dishes and seeing how the cook works and becoming a cook themselves ... That could also happen with volunteering,“ she said.
Those interested in volunteering still can by visiting Volunteer Sault Ste. Marie’s website at http://www.volunteerssm.ca/
(PHOTO: Cheryl Edwards talked about hot volunteering with The United Way helped her get back into the workforce after being unemployed for over ten years due to mental and physical illness at a volunteer recruitment fair on Friday, October 2nd 2015. Photo by Jeff Klassen)