Large Impact through Small Efforts

By Ashley Bae, Open Circle student

As an out-of-province student, I was eager to become involved with the Hamilton community and interact with my peers and underserved communities. I began volunteering with an SOC volunteer circle in my first year. I entered the ‘facilitator’ role in third year to continue my growth in leadership, reflection guidance, and interpersonal skills. Since then, I’ve had three inspiring volunteer experiences, starting with being a role model for elementary students at the Learning and Fun (LAF) program. At LAF, I was surrounded by more than twenty noisy kids; as someone whose experience with children consisted solely of a younger brother, I was introduced to the importance of empathy, active listening, and fostering a positive atmosphere. Discussing the common interest of Star Wars with one kid led to crafting friendship bracelets for each other. Poking fun at silly clay sculptures and saying which of my fellow volunteers they looked like led to learning names. Playing competitive board games and bonding through financial literacy challenges led to the development of trust. These simple actions positively influencing their lives also contributed towards a reciprocally beneficial relationship, where I learned to reinforce my role as a mentor, grow in interpersonal connection, and briefly escape academic life to return to my dramatic, inner child.

Helping out with food distribution at the Good Food Centre gave me a new perspective. While my usual roles involved direct interaction with individuals, this focus on behind-the-scenes organizational tasks gave a deeper understanding of how small, coordinated efforts contribute to a larger impact. This experience profoundly changed every grocery trip I took after, noticing how much I had taken for granted. I felt gratitude for the ability to choose indulgent snacks freely, a luxury I hadn’t appreciated fully before. Additionally, with all the collaboration in our work, I formed stronger connections with fellow student volunteers. Ultimately, my work at the food bank prompted me to reflect on myself deeply, reshaping my perspective and adopting a newfound sense of gratitude.

My current role as a mentor and tutor at Pathways to Education teaches me that there is no upper age limit to mentoring. Though nervous about working with high school students and lacking tutoring experience, I am forever grateful for the skills of patience, clear communication, and creativity I’m gaining.  Learning to explain concepts and witnessing the joy on students’ faces when they understand is a true delight to experience every week. One memory that will remain with me is when a student I work with every week exclaimed, “You explain this better than my teacher,” and she trusted me to the point where she would always seek me out first. As a student who has often felt academically insecure, the confidence she had in me helped build my own, for which I am forever grateful. And the leadership skills gained as a facilitator made me more comfortable working with peers of varying ages, improving my professional and social skills while also bringing out a more outgoing side to myself.

These experiences will stay with me for a long time. I’m truly grateful to SOC for providing me with the opportunity to contribute to the Hamilton community while also fostering my own growth.