The boxes are unpacked and your new house looks like your home again. Your spouse is busy with their new job and your kids are in school. Now you are looking for a way to connect with your new community. Or perhaps you have been in Europe for a while and are settled but looking for new experiences.
Volunteering is a great way to connect to your community, whether you have just arrived or have been here for a while. It offers you the opportunity to make friends and build bonds. It also allows you to acquire news skills to add to your resume and fill in a gap created by limited (or perhaps non-existent) employment opportunities during this posting.
Volunteering has also been proven to have numerous benefits for your physical and mental health;
Builds self-esteem and confidence
Reduces stress and anxiety
Helps to prevent depression
Improves your immune system
Contributes to longevity
Reduces risk of Alzheimer’s
Most importantly perhaps, is that it is a great way to build and be part of a resilient CAF community. There are many examples of vibrant, supportive CAF communities across Europe which are being supported entirely by CAF community members who volunteer their time to help their fellow CAF families. As families find themselves without access to the supports that are available in Canada, due to the language barrier, these volunteers play an important role in enhancing the quality of life in their community.
There are not always a lot of opportunities in the various countries in which our families live but MFS(E) provides volunteer opportunities both in our centres and virtually for those who do not live close to a centre? There are also other CAF organizations in Europe, such as PSP, actively looking for volunteers.
If you are part of a CAF community that lives remotely, you can even create your own volunteer opportunities by planning community activities, supported by MFS(E).
For more information on what volunteer opportunities might be available to you, contact the MFS(E) staff responsible for your location.