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Finding the right supports for children can be a challenge; location, time and programming focus all act as important factors. With funding from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), REACH created an interactive map detailing the wide range of child and youth programs available across the city, as a tool for service providers and families.  “IRCC asked us to make this map to get a better understanding of child and youth programs across Edmonton,” said Lisa Kardosh, Project Manager for REACH Edmonton. “It’s a way for newcomer children and youth to access programs that are close to them. We know that transportation is a big barrier for all vulnerable children, youth and families, but it’s especially true for newcomers.” The map was completed with participation from partners and service providers across the city  “We sent requests to more than 200 organizations asking if they had information they wanted included,” said Kardosh. “We were able to map 109 programs across 24 organizations. We’ll be updating this information three times a year: in summer, fall, and winter.”  Two maps were made, one for internal use and one for external use. The internal map is more detailed and is for partner use.   “The external map, for public use,” said Kardosh. “It’s more concise, more selective in information and visually easier to navigate.” One of the challenges ahead will be maintaining the data so the map remains up-to-date.  “We’re having conversations with 211 and Maps Alberta. We’re working to improve alignments and lessen the information burden on organizations so we’re not asking them for the same info over and over.” The map will have real-world effects on families in Edmonton and the organizations that serve them.  “The idea is fantastic,” says Kerry Woodland, Director of Service Delivery at Boys and Girls Clubs Big Brothers Big Sisters Edmonton. “The logistics can be worrisome, but I feel like REACH has created a good system to update it. That to me is key and it’s been built in at this point so that’s great.” “Like any data system, if you don’t do maintenance the data becomes irrelevant, and it doesn’t take long. If no one updated this in a year it would lose accuracy,” says Woodland.  The map will serve both families and the organizations who serve them.  “I really see 2 audiences, one being families directly. There isn’t a central spot on the internet where they can look at opps for programming so this brings it all together in terms of seeing a full picture. All the right parameters are embedded in this, type, days of week, typography, etc.,” says Woodland. “I think the second audience is staff. We’re often supporting families by referrals and linking them and this way as a front line staff can also go on here to find support and chat with family about options and mitigate any barriers that might exist around language, tech, literacy, and of those barriers that might exist.  It’s good for staff to know what’s going on in the community.” “I hope that we’ll help families know what kind of programs are out there for children and youth and, similarly, partners and service providers will be able to get lots of use out of it in referring clients to programs,” said Woodland.  “If they have a client in their office and a kid could benefit from a homework club, the provider can look at the map and see what’s close to where they live.” “So much of the time I hear that families and providers just don’t know what’s available so I hope this map will help fill that gap,” she says. “I hope we can use it to refine service delivery. If there are five homework clubs or rec programs in a small area, we can look at that together and say are they all at full capacity? Do we need five there? Can one move to the west end or where it’s needed. This way we can distribute programs across the city according to need.” With access to this information, collaboration and coordination across organizations that work with youth and families will hopefully be streamlined.  “I think what exists in our sector is fragmented coordination,” says Woodland. “The barrier is not knowing where to go. You now have one place to go look. I do think it’ll help with coordination. If you were starting a program you might want to see what exists in the community. I just see this coordination improving among agencies.” “I think as a partner, recipient, we’re just so thankful to see it come together for its first iteration and for a first iteration it’s really well done,” she says. “Now we just have to do the knowledge mobilization so people know it’s here.” To view the Child and Youth Services Map, click here ( https://reachedmonton.ca/child-services-map/ )

A new partnership with a local non-profit organization is exploring the way communities talk to themselves about who they are and where they’re going, with the hope of creating more empowered, self-defined communities.  REACH Edmonton collaborates with community partners to develop strategies that make Edmonton a safer and more vibrant city. REACH conducts its work through community involvement, stakeholder engagement and inter-agency collaboration. Its key roles are to convene and coordinate community members in the creation of innovative community safety and crime prevention initiatives.  The REACH Edmonton Council for Safe Communities was established in 2010. Its ambition is to, in one generation (25 years), significantly increase community safety in our region; increase Edmontonians’ perception of safety and inclusion; and engage the people of Edmonton and the region in developing a culture of safety and crime prevention.  REACH thrives on collaboration, working with community partners to develop safety strategies that make Edmonton a safer and more inclusive place to live, work and play.  One of the many community-driven initiatives REACH is involved in is the Neighbourhood Organizing Initiative, which aims to build capacity within communities to address their specific safety and well-being issues.  This work begins when communities connect with REACH seeking safety and well-being support. REACH then responds by engaging community members to identify their needs and priorities. These engagements aim to achieve: An engaged, connected and informed community A common vision of what safety means for a community Community-specific safety tools Connections between communities and external resources and experts Data that informs and drives community-owned safety initiatives  The Neighbourhood Organizing Initiative is now actively supporting neighbourhoods as a convener and coordinator of local initiatives in McCauley, Chinatown, Leefield and North Glenora. As an extension of the neighbourhoods work, REACH is partnering with local, independent media to explore both homegrown solutions and the wider context of the challenges local neighbourhoods wrestle with.  Marilyn Gray, Communications and Storytelling for REACH Edmonton, worked in community newspapers for nearly a decade before joining the REACH team.  “This is a unique opportunity to explore what is happening in a neighbourhood,” says Gray.  What do the challenges look like, what quiet success stories are happening and what kinds of futures are possible?” “Over time, the stories a community tells itself about who it is, where it came from, and where it’s going affects the possibilities we can imagine,” she says. “This collaboration is an opportunity to support the essential work of local, independent media in exploring who we are as co-creators of our communities.” REACH Stories are featured on the REACH Edmonton website here ( https://reachedmonton.ca/stories/ ).  “What we hope to see is the cultivation of a community-wide relationship between REACH and community members. I’m hoping that people who are interested in these kinds of ideas, or who have insight into the challenges and opportunities in their neighbourhoods, will reach out to me and we can build this local body of work together,” says Gray.  For more information about REACH Edmonton, visit www.reachedmonton.ca . To connect with Marilyn Gray about REACH Stories, email [email protected] .

Registration is now open for the 2021 Out of School Time Conference, which takes place online June 23-24. “Space is pretty much unlimited because it’s digital,” says Sofia Alani, Project Manager at REACH Edmonton. This year’s focus is moving forward together in providing programming in the post-pandemic world.  “With Covid hopefully coming to an end and coming out of this, we’re offering sessions on mental health, digital citizenship, and physical literacy,” says Alani. “Things that help us to move forward together.” This year’s conference will include informative and practical sessions focused on building staff and organizational capacity for delivering summer programs.  “It’s a fun and interactive way to engage in meaningful discussions, access valuable training and acquire new skills and helpful tools,” says Alani. Keynote speaker Dr. Gale Gorke will explore the concept of “The Next Right Thing.” Her address will touch on questions like: How do we develop our moral compass, behave ethically, and find purpose in our lives of service to others?  How do we set an example and inspire others to move forward in uncertain times?  The conference is aimed at service providers and organizations offering programming for children and youth during critical out of school hours during summer break.  For more information, or to register for this free conference, visit www.2021OSTConference.eventbrite.ca . Registration closes at 1 p.m. on June 21.

Often, the public conversation around Black experiences in Alberta are centred on the immigrant experiences.   However, since many early Black settlers in Alberta arrived from the United States along with early European settlers, the narrative of being newly-arrived to the country doesn’t fit for many Black youth in Edmonton.   To address this gap in the narrative, REACH Edmonton in collaboration with Coalitions Creating Equity (CCE) teamed up with Deborah Dobbins to create a video that shares the experiences of Black youth in their own words.   “Deborah was a big part of Coalitions Creating Equity (CCE),” says Helen Rusich, a Project Manager with REACH Edmonton. “She has worked to bring the story of African Americans to Alberta for 50 years and is an incredible, understated resource. She was a guide of sorts for the regional coordinators, myself included.”   Dobbins collaborated to create We Are The Roots: Black Settlers and their Experiences of Discrimination on the Canadian Prairies with Dr. Jenna Bailey and Dr. David Este in 2018. A followup to this video, designed for school-age children, will be released in the fall titled Black Lives in Alberta: Over a Century of Racial Injustice Continues. With the CCE project ending, Deborah suggested an educational video be made to share the stories of Black youth with Albertans.   “Having seen the We Are The Roots video and knowing Deborah’s desire to create an accompanying video on the youth experience, we worked together to make this happen” says Rusich.    Alberta: Growing Up Black!  aims to show that Black youth have a specific story and experience in Alberta.   “It’s very important that we’re Canadian. From the first Canadians in Western Canada, as a group, we are part of those roots. That is why our specific story needs to be told, because we can’t say where we’re from,” says Dobbins. “We’re not from Trinidad, Jamaica, or Sierra Leone, we’re from Canada and the U.S. Our history and our legacy, our experiences are totally different from an immigrant from an African or Caribbean Country. So it’s important to distinguish that, because our story is totally different.”   The video will premiere with a live, online event featuring a panel discussion on June 22 at 4 p.m. June 22, also known as Juneteenth, is an important day for the North American Black community, marking the day the last state abolished slavery.  For details on tickets for this free, live streamed event, click here ( https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/film-premiere-alberta-growing-up-black-tickets-157444602043 )    “We hope to eventually get our history firm in the Alberta curriculum, not just on the sideline but deliberately in there and also have a cultural community centre that represents these roots,” says Dobbins. “That’s the hope. That’s why we’re doing all these things. Our mandate is to honour, educate and celebrate the community.”

When the Covid-19 pandemic forced fundamental shifts in how supportive programming is provided, many organizations found themselves faced with barriers they had never experienced in addition to intensified existing challenges.   Nadine Moore is a program coordinator for Healthy Active Community Kids, an after school program for kids aged 6 to 12 with a focus on Indigenous, low income and immigrant families.   “The schools we serve are in the red zone for the social census,” says Moore.   The program aims to build social, emotional and physical skills while preventing risky behaviour during critical after-school hours.   “It’s a holistic program focused on working with children to explore how they can better themselves by exploring anger, sharing, and self-control in a fun way,” she says.     “When the pandemic first started, we had a lot of engagement with parents and children for our services and a lot of communication going on,” said Moore. “Whether it was online programs, grants, supporting people with food, we had a lot of people looking for services.”   “Once we settled into the pandemic and everything started moving online we started seeing online fatigue among parents and community members. It became harder to get ahold of people.”   Moore wasn’t alone in struggling to stay connected with parents and families.   “We’ve always had barriers with communications with parents, this just made us realize that it wasn’t just us,” she says. “Everyone’s kind of having the same issue with trying to reach out to people and trying to connect. If anything, the pandemic has taught us this isn’t just out barrier, a lot of organizations are facing this challenge.”   The organization offers one two-hour program at six schools once a week. At the beginning of the pandemic, they reduced programming down to one hour because there was no access to washrooms.   “We continued that until last fall but now it’s all strictly online programming,” she said. “Pre-pandemic, we had about 120 kids showing up. Now it’s not a lot. Registration is pretty high but on average there’s only eight to 10 girls and about nine boys.”   Moore is currently working with parents to assess how safe they feel about possible in-person programming over the summer months with groups of five kids at a time.   While the pandemic has presented a wide variety of challenges, there have been some silver linings.   “When Out of School Time was providing us with grants support for families, that was a huge help to some of these parents, there were so many people going through difficult times,” said Moore.  “One of the dads was in a car accident and was at home with the kids and couldn’t move and was out of work and all these things added up. It really helped to be able to give people like that a $500 gift card to a grocery store and that was huge for them.”   While online programming presented certain challenges around engagement, the smaller group sizes led to more personalized programming and one-on-one supports.   “Some of the kids in our girls group weren’t sure about their gender identity,” said Moore. “So we were able to connect with another organization that specializes in gender identity to come and talk to our girls.   While the pandemic continues to present ever-changing challenges, new ways of doing things also present unexpected successes.   “We probably wouldn’t have found that out at our normal program because when there are 30 kids it’s sometimes hard to find that one kid who’s struggling. “

An Edmonton working group is gearing up to mark the 2021 Sexual Exploitation Awareness Week online for the second year in a row.   The Sexual Exploitation Working Group (SEWG) will kick the week off with a live-streamed proclamation event, with remarks by Edmonton City Councillor Scott McKeen and Alberta Minister of Culture, Multiculturalism and Status of Women Leela Aheer.   The Sexual Exploitation Working Group is an Edmonton-based leadership group collaborating to raise awareness of sexual exploitation, sex trafficking and its causes and impacts.   SEWG has been marking the week of awareness annually since 2004 and is held during the Alberta Sexual Violence Awareness Month.    “This is important because we need to keep these critical matters in the public mind,” says Kate Quinn, Executive Director of the Centre to End All Exploitation (CEASE) and Chair of SEWG.   The week will also feature two free, live streamed events over the lunch hours. “We want to engage Edmontonians by providing webinars during this week of awareness,” says Quinn.   On May 18, the group will launch a locally-made video exploring the complexities of how Edmontonians become involved in trafficking, and the challenges of finding a way out.   “This video is an opportunity to hear the experiences of two young people who were involved in sexual exploitation,” says Quinn. “SEWG wanted to understand the dynamic of peer exploitation as a complicating factor in addressing this multi-layered challenge we face in our city by sharing the experiences of these young adults.”   This year, SEWG is also partnering on a webinar that places exploitation in an international context by partnering with the Allies for Youth Connections, presenting Rescue, Recover, Empower: A Global Perspective on Sexual Exploitation. This event will feature a presentation by the Preda Foundation, based in the Philippines.   The High Level Bridge will also be lit up in orange in honour of the week. “Orange combines the warmth of yellow for compassion and red for anger at injustices,” says Quinn. “Anti-human trafficking organizations around the world have chosen orange as their colour. In Edmonton, on May 17, we stand in solidarity with these initiatives by wearing orange.”   All three events are open to the public, free of charge by clicking on the links below.   May 17, 12 noon – Sexual Exploitation Week of Awareness Proclamation https://zoom.us/j/98116599163   May 18, 12 noon – Video launch and discussion https://zoom.us/j/98027480174   May 19, 11:30 a.m. - Rescue, Recover, Empower: A Global Perspective on Sexual Exploitation https://zoom.us/j/99799010936

Data driven decision making is essential when working with complex social issues where the situation on the ground can change quickly. At REACH Edmonton, Jim Zhang helps put data into perspective through his role as Data Storyteller.  “Some examples of data tools are data mining, data visualization, business analytics, and machine learning,” says Jim. “These tools are essential for monitoring and evaluating the project to see what’s working and what’s not.” While collecting data is an important part of providing services that meet the needs on the ground, interpreting that data is essential to making sense of what is really happening, and deciding how initiatives need to change and adapt to ever-shifting realities.  “People have questions and we look at data to try to find the root of the problem, and the solution,” says Jim.  REACH uses data to guide decision making for many initiatives. This helps service providers plan out resource deployment, advocate for additional resources to fill gaps, and complete performance analysis.  24/7 Crisis Diversion is one such initiative that has been utilizing data tools to collect event data and perform analysis since its inception back in 2013. More recently, 24/7 Crisis Diversion teams have been collecting the geographic information of each event using ArcGIS mobile apps. This data is further used to track the location of events and analyse which parts of the community or city are more likely to need the assistance of 24/7 teams. The 24/7 Crisis Diversion program also tracks other information like the time of events, type of warm handoff teams provided, etc. All of the data collected by the front line teams is  used to help identify areas in the city where there are increased needs and gaps in service,  track the performance of 24/7 Crisis Diversion teams, and help teams better service Edmontonians.  This is considered business intelligence and it  can help show whether projects are working the way they were expected to and make a better business case for continuing the work.  While many large businesses have the capacity to hire multiple data storytellers, many organizations don’t have the capacity to hire in this specialized area.  “For most companies they don’t just have one person they have a whole data department,” says Jim. “REACH only has funding for one person.” But that doesn’t mean data can’t be used to help smaller organizations make better decisions based on the data they are able to collect.    “With the help from Kris Andreychuk, who is the manager of data science and research from the City of Edmonton, REACH is able to gradually build the data analytic culture and make a difference using data science.” The data collected by 24/7 Crisis Diversion is used by the City of Edmonton to build Community Safety Deployment Dashboard. The dashboard is a predictive deployment tool that uses demand data from the Edmonton Police Service, ETS, Community Standards, Corporate Security and the 24/7 Crisis Diversion Team to put the right resource at the right place, at the right time, for a safer city. “For other small organizations, they can always keep track of data for each event, based on their capacity. Then they can use it to do simple data analysis such as data visualizations, which can be very helpful.”  Using data to base program and initiative decisions makes a stronger case for keeping effective programs running, and helps them pivot when conditions on the ground change, he says.  Valuing data, as an organization, can help create more effective decision making processes, Jim advises. “Keep track of data you have the capacity to collect, and build a culture that values data.”

Working with people in crisis requires empathy and understanding. Qualities Roland has in droves.  With more than 4 years under his belt on Hope Mission’s 24/7 Crisis Diversion team, he’s always ready for anything.  “Someone once said blessed are the flexible for they shall not be broken,” he says, laughing. “We can’t have fine china working around here, we need Rubbermaid containers.” The 24/7 Crisis Diversion initiative dispatches crisis diversion teams around the clock, 365 days a year. They respond to people who are in distress and vulnerable on the streets of Edmonton.   Roland’s positivity is irrepressible. He is able to meet clients where they are, with an immense humanity, no matter what kind of day they’re having. “I was on a van this particular evening. We picked up this older in man who was quite intoxicated, and I had the incredible privilege of sitting in the back with him,” he recalls. “I’m just talking to him and trying to understand why he was in the state he was in. “He looks at me and says, ‘what do you whiteys know about that’?”  “I said, ‘I’m Inuit for crying out loud’. He says, ‘Well, you still wouldn’t understand’.” The man began to tell Roland about his experiences in Canada’s Indian Residential Schools system.  “So I talked to him about how I was in residential school back in Newfoundland and Labrador, and my own experiences,” says Roland. “And he talked to me about this incredible pain he still carries around. He said, ‘it’s the only reason why I drink’.” The man opened up to him about the day-to-day difficulty of living with the trauma he experienced as a child. “He said: ‘you know, the pain from the trauma I experienced at residential school was so intense, when it comes to the surface the only thing that numbs it is alcohol. So I drink because I can’t handle the pain’.” Having experienced this difficulty himself, Roland was able to connect with him through their shared experiences. “I got him to sit down and I shared my story with him, and how I was able to overcome the pain,” he explains. “We need to seek to understand. There’s always a reason why people doing what they’re doing.” Roland remembers when he himself was in a similar situation to the man he was helping that night.  “I always had this incredible statement that I would make to doctors. They would ask me: ‘Are you allergic to anything?’ And I would say: ‘Yes doc, I’m allergic to pain, and I keep it as far away from me as possible.” Running from pain is a natural urge that Roland understands well. But the path to healing is often a painful journey.  “My Creator spoke to me one time and said: ‘I want to walk you to a place of wholeness. But you keep denying pain. If you keep running from pain, you’re not going to get anywhere’.” After 45 years, the memory of the moment he found the courage to face the pain of his trauma is still as visceral as ever. “I’m incredibly privileged that, through an experience that was so painful in my life, I was able to share and bring hope to this individual,” he says.  “I shared my story with this man, and he was crying. We spent time together and I prayed with him. I’ve never seen that gentleman ever again.” “That story still moves me to this day,” he says. “I share my story with anyone who needs to hear it.” Roland knows his story shows people who are struggling that there is hope. He can identify with the struggles, and knows the clients they serve are human beings, deserving of compassion and support.  “I think there’s so many people out there who are in pain and they haven’t found a way out of it and they’re using drugs or alcohol or something to numb that pain,” he says.  “I love being on the van with our people, because my life is not just my own. When I can share it with people, I’m sharing the realities of life, and I’m able to give them hope. If my Creator is able to take me and turn my life around, I believe he can do it for anyone.”  Roland says he himself wouldn’t be where he is today, if someone didn’t reach out to help him. “Someone came a long and loved me. Someone invested in my life. I firmly believe that I’m no different than anyone we serve,” he says. “I’m so thankful for the privilege of being able to love and care for people.” Roland insists that showing up to work every day is a privilege. “Who would not want to do this job?” he asks.  “How can you not love that person? I have this incredible privilege to do this work. I love coming to work every day.” 24/7 Crisis Diversion is a collaborative partnership with Boyle Street Community Services, Canadian Mental Health Association (211 program), HOPE Mission, and REACH Edmonton. There are also stakeholders from Edmonton Police Service and Alberta Health Services Emergency Medical Services.

In honour of National Volunteer Week, April 18-23, we asked some of our volunteers why they work with REACH, and what they’ve gained from serving the community.  Fathiya Abdillahi Volunteer since: 2012 Q: Why did you decide to volunteer with REACH?  A: Initially, I decided to volunteer with REACH because I was in school and the agency I did my practicum with asked me to help out Kelly Holland with 2012 AGM. Once I arrived at the event to provide my support, I met her in person. She was welcoming, she embraced me, and was glad I was there to help out. Since then, I wanted to work alongside Kelly and learn more from her. She made us feel seen, heard and acknowledged, and recognized each volunteer’s potential. Thats why i continued to volunteer with REACH. Q: What have you gained from volunteering? A: I gained the understanding of the true value of community work, as well as friendships and networking opportunities. I learned about the many agencies in my community that are doing important work.  Q: What was your most memorable experience? A: There are too many to name. The volunteer team has grown from just two of us originally to a whole community. My most memorable experience was meeting Dr. Gabor Mate in 2016. How else do you ever get to meet someone of his calibre?  It was only possible because of the opportunities I received volunteering for REACH. For more information about REACH Edmonton’s volunteer program, visit: https://reachedmonton.ca/volunteers/

In honour of National Volunteer Week, April 18-23, we asked some of our volunteers why they work with REACH, and what they’ve gained from serving the community.  Kevin Laxamana REACH volunteer since: 2015 Q: Why did you decide to volunteer with REACH Edmonton?  A: I started in 2015 as an intern for Kelly through the Serving Communities Internship Program (SCIP). I wanted to give back to the community at that point and I thought REACH was the perfect fit for me because I was majoring in Anthropology and Sociology back then.  Q: What did you gain from volunteering?  I gained a lot of experience. I did the database for resources, ran tables at info fairs, helped with the Winter safety fair. Mostly I helped Kelly with different projects and initiatives, including updating and looking for resources and digitizing them.  REACH nominated me for the Alberta top 30 under 30 Award last year – which I won [link to award]. This opened so many doors for the work that I do and made my work and research more open to the public.   Q: What was your most memorable experience?  Just being mentored by Kelly. Kelly is the highlight of volunteering with REACH. It opened so many doors and conncected us to different industries and people.  I think the best thing the one thing I gained for the last few years gained a mentor in Kelly and I think mentorship is a vital experience for youth and people starting their careers. I now consider myself a community builder and that started with REACH.  Volunteering with REACH opened so many doors for me and made me realize there is so much more to do and so much work needs to be done in community work especially with the youth. I believe that community work is self-care, because if the community is healthy the individuals who are part of it will be healthy as well.  It’s an act of service and also a labour of love, that’s how I see it.  If you are volunteering for an org like REACH it is not just volunteering, it’s like having a family outside of your inner circle. I always joke with Kelly I call her my non-profit mama.  For more information about REACH Edmonton’s volunteer program, visit: https://reachedmonton.ca/volunteers/

In honour of National Volunteer Week, April 18-23, we asked some of our volunteers why they work with REACH, and what they’ve gained from serving the community.  Abel Paulos REACH Volunteer Since: 2013 Q: Why did you decide to volunteer with REACH Edmonton?  A: I joined in my second year at the University after a classmate who volunteered with REACH introduced me to the organization.  Q: What have you gained from volunteering?  A: When I started, I was very young and shy. I wanted to branch out and gain experience. REACH gave me the opportunity to meet new people and connect with different organizations. I was also able to strengthen my personal skills. A main highlight was working with Kelly. The work she does for REACH and the volunteers is absolutely amazing. Kelly saw my potential and gave me opportunities that I don’t think very many others would have given me at that age. The experience I have today is because of her influence and I’m forever grateful.\ Q: What was your most memorable experience?  A: Every REACH AGM is a blast for volunteers. It’s also an opportunity to see local people you would typically see on TV or hear on the radio, which gives volutneers the opportunity to network and spark insightful conversations. The AGM provides a platform where community partners can come together as one to support the goal of creating a safer community. These experiences and conversations provided me an opportunity to see so much good in this city.  My most memorable AGM experience was when Paul Schmitz was the keynote speaker. Following his keynote, I purchased his book Everyone Leads: Building Leadership from the Community Up. This book has taught me many things about leadership.  For more information about REACH Edmonton’s volunteer program, visit: https://reachedmonton.ca/volunteers/

In honour of National Volunteer Week, April 18-23, we asked some of our volunteers why they work with REACH, and what they’ve gained from serving the community.  Domina Lufuma Volunteer since: 2014 Q: Why did you decide to volunteer with REACH?  A: At first it was in the  I was just looking for a volunteer opportunity outside of U of A campus.  I got on the website and I was looking at what you guys do, and I looked at the vision and it was like taking accountability for community safety, community ownership.  At first itw as for Kelly Holland, her spirit was just very welcoming and I felt very invited. Q: What have you gained from volunteering? A: Personally, sharpen my skills, mentorship leadership skills, lead and oversee a team of volunteers, that wasn’t easy. Comms skills. I think the first time I facilitated a circle. Building relationships and networking because as a vol we had to go to different events and be able to connect with other organizations.  I learned to advocate for my self and confidently speak up and use my voice.  Realizing that when you have the best tools you can be your best advocate.  I loved the workshops and conferences and being able to learn and broaden my understanding of complex issues. (Diverse Voices, Crime prevention week, Immigration and Refugee PTSD, Police Citizens Academy, Community policing crime prevention strategy).  Reason I’m here is because of all the people who believed in me.  Community and networks. Q: What was your most memorable experience? A: I was going though a hard time at school mentally and financially. I was on the verge of being homeless. I remember I had signed up for different vol activities and I wasn’t there.  I figure you guys provably wouldn’t want me back and I remember coming to the office and asking for Kelly and I felt shame. I thought you guys wouldn’t want me back.  Kelly came with a big hug, and the key question was : how are you doing, are you doing okay?  It just took a heavy weight away from me. Some organizations might feel like you owe them your time and energy and I was very touched. Kelly didn’t give up on me and REACH believed in me.  For more information about REACH Edmonton’s volunteer program, visit: https://reachedmonton.ca/volunteers/