I come from a country with 2500 years history, Iran. This is my first year of bachelor at University of Manitoba as an international student and I’m currently majoring in general sciences. 

I entered Canada about a year ago and I was a really shy girl who couldn’t speak English very well, so I couldn’t communicate with anyone at school and make new friends. After two months, one of my classmates informed me about a volunteering opportunity after school and I decided not to lose that because I knew volunteering is appreciated in Canada. And that was the beginning. At the Boys and Girls Club I got the chance to participate in fund-raising and community-engaged events like the Pancake Breakfast, Siloam Mission and Multicultural Festival. I also had the opportunity to be a mentor for younger kids and learn new skills along the way. I learnt how to interact with people of different ages, and gained leadership and community service accomplishments. They have provided us a safe and supportive place to experience new opportunities and build positive relationships. For example, in our site, all the youths were from a different country so I was able to learn about different cultures and communicate with people who don’t have a similar perspective as me. And that’s something that is helping me survive University.

For sure, one of the best things that happened to me at the Boys and Girls Club was meeting these awesome mentors. The people who I know I can reach out to whenever I need help or feel down. I know no matter what I’m going through I have a secret place to find my happiness again. The Boys and Girls Club has opened opportunities to grow and open more doors. 

Finally, they helped me grow, learn, let me put myself out of my comfort zone and strive to be a better person for myself and the community that I’m living in. I wouldn’t be the person I am now without their help. They gave me a voice to speak up so now I can stand here and truly believe that the Boys and Girls Club is a good place to be.