Deanna Reid: Volunteer Extraordinaire!

Deanna Reid is a third year Education student at UVic. Deanna is very active in the community. On top of a full time course load she works part-time at Brown’s Social House and My Sister’s Closet, while still finding time to volunteer as a Student Ambassador at UVic, a big sister with Big Brothers Big Sisters Victoria, and the Youth Leader at Glen Garry Hospital.  

How did you get involved volunteering?
 
Well I’ve been volunteering since I was little, but it started with my mom. She is really active in the community, so it’s how I’ve been brought up that you have to give back to the community.
 
What is your main reason for volunteering?
 
It’s great to see that even if you spend a couple of minutes with someone you can can make an impact on their day. It’s really cool to see how powerful a little volunteer work is. Just giving someone a smile or talking to them for a couple of minutes can make an impact. Through my work at Big Brothers Big Sisters I can see how spending an hour with a child once a week impacts their life, that’s why I do it.
 
Have you always had the same responsibilities at Big Brothers Big Sisters?

I have stuck with the same program over the years, the In-School Mentoring program at George Jay Elementary. Being in education it’s great to already be in the schools. My current little brother will be my third little sibling. I have had a little sister and then a little brother before him.
 
How does the In-School Mentoring program work?
 
I meet with the same little sibling once a week for an hour. You have free rein of the school, but they have a mentoring room specifically for the program with a whole bunch of board games and crafts to do with the kids.
 
Can you talk about the new program you are establishing?
 
I don’t have too much information because I’m still in talks right now. But the idea is that we’d get a leadership class to come in once every two weeks and they would interact with the residents. They’d play board games or do activities like bowling or playing shuffle board in the hospital.

A lot of the residents families don’t come to visit, so they don’t have anyone there. It’s nice to bring in kids to liven up the hospital, because it’s kind of a depressing place. It is an old folks home but it is set up like a hospital. The more people you can bring in to offer a friendly smile or spend time with the residents is so important, as I find it really impacts the residents day.
 
What advice would you give to UVic students who want to become involved in the community?
 
You can volunteer pretty much anywhere in anything that your interested in doing. Get out there and volunteer! Go find out more information on a program that interests you.