VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES

Acceso International’s Board of Directors Sonia Bouffard - VP Programs Colleen Cotter - Secretary Christine Gervais - President Rachel Heft - VP Fundraising Rob Myers - VP Marketing & Publications Eleanor Norman - VP Volunteer Coordination Grant Perry - Treasurer

Acceso International can benefit from your help in the areas of marketing, awareness, fundraising, research, administration and events coordination.

As a volunteer with Acceso International, you will be joining a dynamic and collegial group of forward-looking and progressively-minded academics, educators, social activists, travelers, students and humanitarians. Our volunteer collective operates in a non-hierarchical way according to the principles of equality, solidarity, collegiality, peace, human rights and social justice.

Volunteers, who are approved by the Founders and the Board of Directors, can assist with activities under the supervision of Supporting Members, Officers of the Board of Directors or Founding Members. Approval is granted after the review of the candidates’ curriculum vitae (resume), verification with three references and a police records check for service with the vulnerable sector.

Volunteers, who are approved by the Founders and the Board of Directors as Supporting Members, can assist with the following committees:

Project Management	Fund-raising	Volunteer Coordination
Marketing	Research	Administration

For more information, initial inquiries may be made by e-mail at info@accesointernational.ca

WHY WE VOLUNTEER WITH ACCESO INTERNATIONAL

CO-FOUNDER: “I had lived with a Dominican family and volunteered in the Dominican Republic for two months before attending university. I observed first hand what a privilege it was for students to attend school, even elementary school. When I had the opportunity to volunteer with an organization that sought to provide students in the Caribbean and Latin America with scholarships in order to further their education, I felt that it was a cause I believed in and wanted to work with.”

EDUCATIONAL RESOURCE OFFICER: “I try to live my life as a member of society, being active in my community... the global community. The time that we can dedicate to an organization like Acceso International can and, indeed does have an immense impact in the lives of children and adolescents who have not been as lucky as we have, and do not enjoy the financial means needed to pursue their ambitions. Education does not have an impact solely at the individual level. A skilled person is an asset to his/her community.”

PROJECT COORDINATOR IN MEXICO: “I could have been born anywhere but I was fortunate enough to be raised in Canada. Not everyone is so lucky. The poverty that I have seen in Mexico truly makes me appreciate where I come from. What concerns me the most is the children and the fact that they do not have supplies for school. It is only the children who will suffer in the long run, and I feel the need to help.”

YOUTH LIAISON: “I can't come from a country of such wealth in education as Canada, and be content with ignoring the urgency of those who need so much and ask so little. To be a part of a project like Acceso International, which flourishes in and from my municipality, extending all of its funds directly to the children who need it most, provides me with the tremendous reward of pride in myself and my community.”

EVENTS COORDINATOR: “Becoming a member of Acceso International fulfilled my desire to help improve the literacy problem in my country of origin (Dominican Republic) despite the geographic distance that separates me from it.”

TREASURER: “Volunteering with Acceso International allows me the opportunity to directly influence, in a positive way, the educational experience of students who may not otherwise be able to realize the lifelong benefits of continuing education due to financial limitations beyond their control.”

FOUNDER AND PRESIDENT: “Initially, I sought to address a complex manifestation of inequality and while this concern remains the underlying purpose of my efforts, I have been more recently motivated by the interest of our volunteers and our partner organizations; I am encouraged by our donors' support; and I am especially strengthened by the students' dedication. Through their friendship and solidarity, the people of Latin America and the Caribbean have given more to me than I could ever possibly share with them in a lifetime.”