RESILIENCE RENOVATIONS REVOLUTION RECONCILIATION

Volunteering at VIU
A gift to others and to themselves
By Wendy Thomas
Jill Buckley, a self-described caregiver, has lived in
Powell River for over 30 years. Jill volunteers as a tutor
at Vancouver Island University (VIU) because she
feels that helping others is a skill she can share. “They
are eager to learn and that is gratifying.” Jill gets the
“warm and fuzzy feeling” when she finishes a tutoring
session. “Because the Adult Basic Education students
I work with are so motivated, I feel I can’t do enough
for them.” Once a week Jill works with a small group
of English as a Second language (ESL) students at the
VIU campus, helping them follow the class lesson and
understand the new vocabulary. “Working as a tutor
makes you realize how difficult it must be to move to
another country and learn a new language, to navigate
the buses and everything else in life.”
Arialyn Zlatner, 20, a university student working on
her Bachelor of Arts at VIU, is another enthusiastic tutor
on the campus. Arialyn moved to Powell River last
year and immediately signed up for the tutor training
program. “I hope I’m making the learners’ lives
better and that I have some sort of positive impact.”
Last year Arialyn was matched with Tomo, a visiting
Japanese student taking ESL and ABE classes at VIU.
Arialyn and Tomo are now great friends. “Giving out
that positive energy — that’s what comes back to you!”
Arialyn realizes that her volunteer tutoring experience
THANKS: Arialyn
Zlatner, Honami Ota
and Jill Buckley.
will help her in whatever career path she follows. She
sees that connecting with new people in meaningful
ways is essential to her future success.
International students attending VIU value the twofold
nature of volunteerism: they are matched with
tutors to help with their class work and communication
skills; in turn, the international students give
Giving out that positive
energy – that’s what
comes back to you!
— Honami Ota
back to the community. Honami Ota, 20, arrived in
Powell River on September 2, immersing herself in
English through her classes, activities, and volunteer
experiences. Each week she helps with a kindergarten
class as they burn off energy after lunch; she joins in
at the Family Place, entertaining babies and toddlers;
and she offers a hand and conversation to the Olive
Devaud residents in the evening.
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POWELL RIVER LIVING • october 2013 • 27