This November, the Langara Global Volunteer Program (LGVP) will be celebrating a milestone anniversary—it’s 20th. Started in 2005 by Teresa Brooks, Associate Director, International Student Services at Langara College, and a colleague, Cathy Snyder Lowe, the program provides volunteer opportunities for international and domestic students while supporting a variety of cultural events, social gatherings, and recreational activities at the college. Volunteers receive training and orientation to gain valuable skills while supporting the Langara Global office.

“When we started the program 20 years ago, we started it at that time when work opportunities were limited for international students on campus. IRCC’s off-campus work program and the post-graduation work permit didn’t exist yet so students didn’t have any work opportunities at all beyond their studies,” says Teresa.

“Our goals were two-fold: to provide a chance for international students to gain work experience, and to give our team more resources internally to offer events and activities to the college’s student body at large,” she says.

Since its inception, more than 420 international and domestic students have volunteered their time.

To be considered, students are expected to submit an application and resume and take part in a group selection event, similar to an interview. If they’re selected, they must volunteer for a minimum of two semesters though many stay on for longer. Teresa says both the hiring process and subsequent volunteer experience have helped many students land jobs outside of the college.  

Olga MacDougall, a former volunteer with the program, is one such student. “My experience volunteering as a campus tour guide, newsletter editor, and i-Café organizer certainly came in handy during my first full-time job. Through LGVP I was able to confidently lead an intercultural team of eight, set up information sessions, and organize events,” she concludes.

To mark LGVP’s anniversary this month, the Langara Global team will be launching a social media campaign on both the Langara Global and Langara Global Volunteer Program Instagram accounts to celebrate the past 20 years of the program and to look forward to the next 20 years.