Durham Community Foundation. Most young people my age don’t even know this foundation exists. Why? Well because it is a very small foundation based in Durham Region that exists solely for the community in hopes to make a lasting change.
I am a 20-year-old, Public Relations student at Durham College, in my final semester. Part of my schooling was to find a non-profit placement to experience this sector of working. In all honesty I had my doubts. I didn’t know anything about non-profit other than the breast cancer, and cystic fibrosis foundations that are huge nationwide. Durham Community Foundation on the other hand- is a teeny, tiny, operation ran by one amazing woman, Janet Georgieff.
I approached Janet after briefly reading the website and in all honesty for me, it was the fact that I lived in Whitby, so this would not be very far travel for me.
I have now been with DCF for almost a year, as I started my volunteer time June 2010, and now have been with them each Monday since January 2011. My time here has been amazing. Not only do I thoroughly enjoy coming to work each Monday- but also I like it more than school! Completely volunteer based, but it is just amazing learning the things I am doing.
I really have loved taking on the “social-media guru” role here. Janet, bless her heart, is not the most social-media tech savvy. That’s where I come in! My Internet computer nerdy and geeky expertise finally comes in handy! I really feel as though this has been my strong point. Yes, I tweet everyday, I’m in the Facebook world, and have my own personal travel blog. The one thing Janet has introduced me to, is the world of LinkedIn, which is still a work in progress.
It is amazing to know I have been a part of what I understand is one of the most successful years Durham Community Foundation has ever had, and actually been contributing. I have met so many wonderful people who live and work in Durham Region that these connections I know will last a lifetime. I have not only helped with the planning and execution of the 2011 Odyssey Ball, but it was one of the most successful Balls' in DCF's history! After raising a record $44,000 and attending one of the greatest events of my life, I learned so much about event planning and how much time and effort it takes.
For me, I did my usual 40 hours community service for high school, which were mandatory, but back then I was unfocused into what I wanted to do after high school. Had I had known about these opportunities, I would have jumped at doing something like this. Any high school student’s unsure of where to get their hours- TRSUT ME!! Many, if not all, of these foundations will love help, and the amount of gratitude I feel on a day to day basis makes it all worth it.
I 100% plan on continuing to volunteer as much as I can with DCF, even after my short 14-week placement is done. This foundation has not only taught me so much more than I could have thought, but I have made a life-long friend in Janet, and made many connections in the PR world. In the beginning I thought 14 weeks sounded like such a long time, and now here I am with only 2 weeks left feeling very time constricted. I can truly say I enjoyed my time at DCF and I encourage anyone who is unsure about volunteering to just do it! It feels so amazing and there really are no negatives at all.
Erin Stevenhaagen
PR Intern for Durham Community Foundation
