Giving Back... Getting More

Growing up in my family, volunteering was non-voluntary; my Dad was very clear that giving back – particularly as a woman of unearned privilege – was obligatory.? He and my mom have modelled this throughout their lives to the benefit of thousands.? At 80 years old, mom still runs a weekly food pantry in her community; when families can’t come to her, Margaret delivers.? Having made personal connections with her clients, she helps them find work, secure childcare, and access other community and social resources.? She says this work – which consumes countless hours – brings her joy and better health.? The lesson Mom imparts to her four kids and seven ‘magnificent’ grandchildren is that you get more than you give when you lean in and demonstrate generosity.?

In that vein, I spent a few days in June at the second annual Sheridan Women in Trades Retreat where women from colleges across Ontario get together to prepare Camp Ak-O-Mak for incoming campers.

?Since 1928, Camp Ak-O-Mak has been helping young girls develop strength and confidence through sport and leadership. I have a deep and personal connection to this camp; I attended as a young person, worked summers there through university, and have been sending my daughter Olive there since she was 8.? I found at camp what Sheridan aspires to deliver for every one of its students:? a sense of belonging, connectedness, resources and empowerment.? Sharing Ak-O-Mak with other women -- particularly in the context of our shared volunteerism – has brought me incredible joy.

The Greek philosopher Aristotle surmised that the essence of life is “To serve others and do good work”.? To precisely that point, the impact of the Women in Trades Retreat goes far beyond a group of students, faculty, and administrators doing repairs and building new structures. Simply:? the experience epitomized the social responsibility of volunteering by demonstrating care for others through connection and community. ?Every attendee, regardless of their age or experience, learned new skills.? In the process, however, everyone – me and Provost Mary Vaughan included – was also uplifted and renewed.? This is consistent with what the literature affirms are the benefits of volunteering on both skill development and overall health.? ?

I’m very proud of our learning community’s long history of volunteerism and community-engagement. ?Youth Amplified, for example, is a suite of community-focused initiatives rooted in Sheridan’s mission to unlock the transformative power of education – and help young people in our local campus-communities. Similarly, our Peer Mentors transform the student experience, and our Mission Zero club works to promote and advance sustainability.

As is often the case, my Mom is right:? you get more than you give when you lean in and demonstrate generosity.?? If you want to learn more, see this UK life course, longitudinal study, which affirmed that “those who engaged in volunteering regularly appeared to experience higher levels of mental well-being than those who never volunteered”.

I owe a debt of gratitude to the women (and men) who joined us at the Trades Retreat, and the leadership team at Camp Ak-O-Mak, for the gift of our time together.