Healthy Kids • Y Stories • YMCA Volunteers
The Difference You Make Volunteering: Yussra’s Story
12 April 2019 - by Dawn Yan
It’s that time of year again! National Volunteer Week is here and there’s no better time to acknowledge the great work our volunteers do across our charity. From high school and college students, to new grads, adults and seniors alike, volunteers come from near and far, year-round to donate their time and skills to the Y. Whether it’s at a Child Care Centre, Camp/Outdoor Education Centre, Health & Fitness Centre, or an Employment & Community Centre, our volunteers play a crucial role in helping us foster healthy communities across the GTA.
At the Y, we value our rich history in partnering with our volunteers; that’s why we’ve asked volunteers like Yussra Sherally to share her personal story and experience as a volunteer with us this week.
Yussra is currently a first-year student in the Early Childhood Leadership (ECL) Program at George Brown College, and is expected to graduate in 2022 with a Bachelor of ECL. Since January 2019, Yussra has been a placement student with us, working closely with pre-school children at Toronto Pinnacle YMCA Child Care.
Knowing that she’s a young professional filled with drive and a passion for working with children, I asked Yussra why she chose the Y for her placement. “There’s so much that we can learn from children as adults,” she explained. “Children always remind us to live life to the fullest and to love wholeheartedly and unconditionally. I volunteer with children because I’m passionate about helping them build a solid foundation for learning and want to be a part of that learning experience.
On top of that, children just have so much to offer! Whether it be a sense of fulfillment, their endless energy, constant joy, or simply their happiness, they offer us these simple moments and experiences that we often overlook as adults — they remind us to live life without regrets, and to always find a reason to smile or be happy despite the circumstances.”
But Yussra could work with children at countless other Child Care centres, I pointed out. So what sets the Y apart? Without missing a beat, Yussra replies: “The Y has done an exceptional job at making each person (student, educator, parent, or child) feel welcomed, respected, and valued.
I also love how family oriented the Y is — it’s a Centre of Community that’s structured around the values of love, support, and nourishment. Beyond this, the Child Care community is filled with beautiful, kind-hearted individuals who are all chasing a similar goal; we’re all striving to foster and promote a rich, nurturing, and stimulating environment for children where they can feel a sense of belonging, inclusivity, security, and well-being. On top of that, I’ve noticed that the educators and supervisors at my centre always ensure that children and parents have a voice when it comes to the child’s schedule and programming.
I definitely think that my time, efforts, and contributions at the Y have made a positive impact on children's lives. During my time as a placement student, I’ve done my best to ensure that each child has felt loved, cared for, and valued. I think by doing so, I’ve not only led by example but have also shown them what it means to be a trusted adult ally.”
I was eager to hear some specific examples, so I asked Yussra to share one of her favourite moments — but apparently, it’s hard to narrow it down! “There’s so many! Every day at the Y is such a delight,” Yussra tells me. “To be honest, I have more favourite moments than I can count...but two of my absolute favourites would probably be:
Yussra wrapped up our chat with some words of wisdom for anyone thinking of volunteering or working with YMCA Child Care: “Simply do it. Go for it! Because I promise you, you’ll never regret it. Mark my words!”
Whether you want to learn new skills, you’re interested in meeting new people, or you need a safe and welcoming place to complete your placement and/or volunteer hours for school, Volunteering at the Y is a perfect fit. Celebrate National Volunteer Week with us by reading more inspirational stories like Yussra’s.
At the Y, we value our rich history in partnering with our volunteers; that’s why we’ve asked volunteers like Yussra Sherally to share her personal story and experience as a volunteer with us this week.
Yussra is currently a first-year student in the Early Childhood Leadership (ECL) Program at George Brown College, and is expected to graduate in 2022 with a Bachelor of ECL. Since January 2019, Yussra has been a placement student with us, working closely with pre-school children at Toronto Pinnacle YMCA Child Care.
Knowing that she’s a young professional filled with drive and a passion for working with children, I asked Yussra why she chose the Y for her placement. “There’s so much that we can learn from children as adults,” she explained. “Children always remind us to live life to the fullest and to love wholeheartedly and unconditionally. I volunteer with children because I’m passionate about helping them build a solid foundation for learning and want to be a part of that learning experience.
On top of that, children just have so much to offer! Whether it be a sense of fulfillment, their endless energy, constant joy, or simply their happiness, they offer us these simple moments and experiences that we often overlook as adults — they remind us to live life without regrets, and to always find a reason to smile or be happy despite the circumstances.”
But Yussra could work with children at countless other Child Care centres, I pointed out. So what sets the Y apart? Without missing a beat, Yussra replies: “The Y has done an exceptional job at making each person (student, educator, parent, or child) feel welcomed, respected, and valued.
I also love how family oriented the Y is — it’s a Centre of Community that’s structured around the values of love, support, and nourishment. Beyond this, the Child Care community is filled with beautiful, kind-hearted individuals who are all chasing a similar goal; we’re all striving to foster and promote a rich, nurturing, and stimulating environment for children where they can feel a sense of belonging, inclusivity, security, and well-being. On top of that, I’ve noticed that the educators and supervisors at my centre always ensure that children and parents have a voice when it comes to the child’s schedule and programming.
I definitely think that my time, efforts, and contributions at the Y have made a positive impact on children's lives. During my time as a placement student, I’ve done my best to ensure that each child has felt loved, cared for, and valued. I think by doing so, I’ve not only led by example but have also shown them what it means to be a trusted adult ally.”
I was eager to hear some specific examples, so I asked Yussra to share one of her favourite moments — but apparently, it’s hard to narrow it down! “There’s so many! Every day at the Y is such a delight,” Yussra tells me. “To be honest, I have more favourite moments than I can count...but two of my absolute favourites would probably be:
- I came into work on a gloomy Friday morning not long ago. Similar to how it is for many others, the weather outside impacted my mood a little. However, as soon as I walked into the classroom, all the children instantly turned to me and exclaimed ‘Yussra!’ and they ran towards me with the biggest smiles and laughs. One child even tugged on my shoulder and said: ‘Yussra, where were you? I missed you!’ Hearing the children say these things and witnessing how genuinely happy they were when I arrived completely turned my day around.
- Another memorable moment that I’ll never forget is when a child with autism embraced and acknowledged me. While this may not sound like much, it meant the absolute world to me as this child did not typically make any physical or emotional contact with anyone at our centre. But one day, while I was sitting on the sofa, the child greeted me with a warm hug. I was astonished and knew right then and there that this would be a moment that I cherished for the rest of my life.”
Yussra wrapped up our chat with some words of wisdom for anyone thinking of volunteering or working with YMCA Child Care: “Simply do it. Go for it! Because I promise you, you’ll never regret it. Mark my words!”
Whether you want to learn new skills, you’re interested in meeting new people, or you need a safe and welcoming place to complete your placement and/or volunteer hours for school, Volunteering at the Y is a perfect fit. Celebrate National Volunteer Week with us by reading more inspirational stories like Yussra’s.
