April 19 to 25 is National Volunteer Week in Canada. Here at CCI-LEX, volunteers are the lifeblood of our school – we couldn’t do what we do without them! In the 2018-19 school year, our volunteers put in over 5000 teaching hours and supported the school with dozens of additional activities and events, impacting the lives of 540 newcomers from 82 countries. Most of our volunteers stay on for more than one year, and a handful have been involved with the school for over a decade. Our culture of volunteerism has also led to the growth and development of our volunteerism for newcomers in the community program. Last year, 181 student participants contributed almost 600 volunteer hours at various community organizations in the city. Needless to say, their involvement has been extensive.
This year is turning out to be quite different from previous years due to the COVID-19 pandemic. While CCI-LEX cannot presently offer in-person classes, our volunteers are proving invaluable in facing these challenging times and brainstorming new solutions together. With their help and initiative, CCI-LEX is moving LEX classes online with the help of Zoom (a web-based video conferencing tool), starting with higher-level (intermediate) classes and eventually progressing to lower-level (beginner) classes. Our volunteers are also helping create activities, games, and resources for our website so students can continue studying and practicing their English from home. Please join us in expressing our appreciation and gratitude to all of our amazing volunteers!
“Everything is good, all professor has been very professionals and kind. Congratulations!”
“… teachers was good and friendly. So far I learned many things from them. Thanks a lot for those who volunteer here.”
“At CCI-LEX, I learned how to make happy other people.”
