You’ve probably seen Tracey Giroux volunteering in Strathcona County – when we saw her volunteering at Winterfest, Tracey said she had a day off and figured she may as well help out. That’s the kind of community member Tracey is – happy to help out in the community whenever she can!
We decided to ask Tracey some questions to learn more about her volunteering.
Why do you volunteer?
- I am passionate about giving back to my community, and volunteering gives me purpose.
- Volunteering has been good for my own mental health - my job can be intense, and volunteering gives me a break and a chance to do something that lifts me up.
- I love building relationships with others and learning more about our community.One of the places you volunteer is the Strathcona Youth Justice Committee – what is SYJC?
- Youth who commit minor criminal offences get referred to Youth Justice so they can take accountability without getting a criminal record. The Committee talks to the youth about what happened and what is going on in their lives, and then gives the youth some sanctions (like community service hours, apology letters, and written or art assignments) to help them make amends and better understand the impact of their actions.What have you enjoyed about volunteering on the Strathcona Youth Justice Committee?
- Everyone has a story, including youth - I enjoy getting to know them and hearing about their lives.
- I like showing the youth that people in our community want them to succeed even though they have made some mistakes.
- It feels really good to show a youth that we listened to them, and even better to praise them for what they have accomplished through the program.Did you know the Strathcona Youth Justice Committee is currently looking for more volunteer members? Find out more at https://syjc.ca
Volunteer Strathcona would love to tell our community about the places you volunteer! Contact Wendy at Volunteer Strathcona (ed@volunteerstrathcona.ca or 780-464-4335) so we can share your volunteer stories.