PASSION FOR COMMUNITY SERVICE

Hi everyone,

Thank you for stopping by! Welcome to Teens We Care and my blog! This blog is dedicated to sharing my experiences in pursuing my passion - community service. If this is something you are also passionate about, make sure to carefully read the blog as I promise you don’t want to miss any information.

Before we get started, a little about myself. I‘m a grade 12 student living in Canada. I was born and raised in Vietnam, specifically Ho Chi Minh city. I love volunteering or giving back to the community. I'll dive into my community service journey later. Besides, I‘m interested in photography. That’s why I joined the Yearbook as a photographer and have been promoted to be the co-editor this year.

WHY? MOTIVATIONS?

Many people have told me that my work towards the community is impressive. Although I don't think it is that impressive, I have to agree that I did put a lot of effort into making the community a better place.

My mother works in the pharmacy field where she sometimes travels to underprivileged areas to volunteer. Since I was a kid, I have been taught that it is important to help those who are less fortunate if I am able to. When I was in grade 8, I went on a charitable trip with my class and homeroom teacher to foster home for special needs children. It was the time that I realized my love for community work. However, it took me approximately 2 years to officially start in 2020, the end of grade 10.

HOW DID I START?

Kindness comes from daily things, such as talk to a strangers, help your neighbors collect trash, ...

I started by being a regular volunteer. I looked up the internet for volunteer opportunities. Since I was living in a relatively small city, there were not many positions available. However I did find myself a commitment at the Mission Thrift Store*. In the summer, I volunteered for three days a week, 4 hours a day. I still think that was an impressive commitment now. I got one day of training only because my duties are really basic. I organize the store, collect donations in the back (sometimes), sort and hang clothes, stock items (always), advise customers, and help people carry heavy stuff. I have been there for more than one year. I don't know if I could continue there anymore because of my part-time job and heavy workload for the second semester of senior year but honestly it is a great position to start off.

*other locations I would recommend are the local hospitals, public libraries, senior homes, YMCA, YWCA, or homeless shelters.

My second action was signing up for a community youth group (WILD Outside) where local high school students gather to work on environmental initiatives. I have managed to be in the leadership committee for high-achieving youth (so grateful for that position!!!!!!!!) Typically, we meet bi-weekly or monthly to plan shoreline cleanups, tree-planting, at-home activities such as building bird houses or bat boxes. Through this opportunity, I have obtained a certificate to become a certified outdoor educator where I teach kids about sustainability and lead some outdoor games. I also had a chance to lead a scavenger hunt for neurodivergent adults at the Adults Day Program (ADP) at YMCA.

Last but not least, Teens We Care. Although I started this one later than other two activities, it takes up most of my time now. Honestly, it was not easy to found this organization. I spent months to plan, such as brainstorming the name & goals, creating social media, looking for grants, proposing for funding, recruiting members, and setting up the website. I had to do everything in 1-2 months. Thankfully, with an amazing executive team, I managed to found Teens We Care. As many of you have been wondering, what does "TWC" mean? TWC stands for Teens We Care, meaning we are TEENAGERS, and WE CARE about the community. More information on our mission and initiatives can be found here or our Instagram (@teenswecare) https://www.instagram.com/teenswecare/

ACHIEVEMENTS

So far, I have contributed 120+ service hours towards the WILD Outside youth group. I was featured on some magazines (don't remember exactly how many) due to my dedication. I will put some pictures and links (if available) below.

Also, the proudest thing is the success of TWC. So far, TWC has carried out numerous impactful initiatives as following:

1. 500 period kits for YWCA

2. 75 non-perishable food hampers for Youth Quest Centre

3. 100 care packages for the House of Nazareth

4. A bottle drive raising $100 for Canadian Red Cross

5. A little Free Library

6. 7-8 blog posts about social issues

7. 2000+ followers on Instagram

Nothing can describe my feelings. I think that my effort really paid off.

True North Living

https://www.truenorthliving.ca/wildlife-conservation/key-to-protecting-canadas-wildlife-and-biodiversity/

Canadian Wildlife Federation (CWF) monthly magazine

FINAL THOUGHTS

Do not hesitate to start your passion. As long as you are passionate and enthusiastic, you will be able to achieve your goals. Be Confident! Be Yourself!

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Author:

My name is Jasmine. I am the Founder & President of TWC - a youth-led organization aiming to help those in need during the pandemic. I am a grade 12 student in Canada and I am passionate about making a difference in the community. Besides, I have a lot of different hobbies, such as photography, dancing. Also, I am the Co-Editor of the Yearbook Committee where I have a chance to utilize my creativity.

Feel free to reach out to me @teenswecare or teenswecare@gmail.com