As of this fall, a student’s GPA will not be the only thing prospective employers will be considering, as volunteer work will now officially be acknowledged through a co-curricular record issued by the university.
This new transcript “supports the initiative that students take and gratifies their hard [volunteer] work,” according to Concordia media relations advisor Fiona Downey.
All volunteer activities that have been approved by an official “validator’ will become part of their permanent record which the university hopes will act as an incentive for students to become more involved.
Officially recognizing and validating community work is already in place at several American colleges. Seven universities across Canada have also followed suit, but Concordia will be the first in Quebec to adopt a similar policy.
The university’s decision to establish co-curricular records perfectly compliments the recent development of the Leadership, Initiative, and Volunteer Engagement (LIVE) centre, an organization that hopes to promote student engagement in the school, community and beyond.
The goal of LIVE, which opened its doors in June 2010, is to enlighten students on the variety of social engagement opportunities around them. Coordinator Valerie Millette feels students are often unaware of the endless possibilities and see volunteering as limited to working in a soup kitchen or a senior’s residence.
Brochures line the walls of the LIVE center on the sixth floor of the Hall building, and with categories ranging from environmental groups and animal shelters to work with street kids and seniors groups, those looking to volunteer aren’t short of options. “I want students to come in and say “wow, I never thought there was so much out there for me to do!’ ” Millette said.
As a former career advisor at Concordia, Millette added that students should play to their strengths and volunteer to better themselves in preparation for their future endeavors. “Even if you’re doing it to help someone else, you’re helping yourself out, too,” she said, noting that in difficult economic times sometimes a university degree isn’t as valued by employers as hands-on work experience.
Aside from linking student volunteers to the places and people that need their help, LIVE also hopes to raise the awareness of the how-tos of volunteering and its benefits. Throughout the academic year several workshops will be given to provide students with the knowledge they need to be efficient and satisfied volunteers.
