Over the past year, I had the incredible opportunity to volunteer with the Public Health Association of British Columbia’s (PHABC) Rise Up! youth program. Through this volunteer experience, I was able to connect with the amazing team at PHABC, meet other passionate volunteers, and gain deeper insight into food systems work taking place across British Columbia.

The Rise Up! program immediately jumped out to me when I began looking to volunteer in my community. I was applying to a Master of Public Health program, and I was excited to get more involved in local food systems and explore the ways we can support environmental stewardship and healthy communities. I knew I wanted my volunteer placement to support my continued learning in public and environmental health, while gaining skills I could apply to my current role as the Population Health and Wellness Coordinator at a local Community Health Centre.

Volunteering with Rise Up! has given me new insights into environmental stewardship and food systems, and reignited my passion for the field of environmental health and well-being.

I am very grateful that I was able to complete my volunteer placement with the PHABC Communications team as a Communications and Social Media Volunteer. During this placement, I worked with an incredible group of people to share the stories and experiences of Rise Up! volunteers with the wider community. It was wonderful to get a sneak peek into the behind-the-scenes of Rise Up! and work with a team who are so passionate about what they do. As a Communications Volunteer, I was able to experience Rise Up! from different perspectives and watch passionate volunteers across BC get involved in their communities.

The Rise Up! program offered me so much more than I could have imagined when I signed up. The relationships I made with other volunteers, the projects and passions that I saw come to life, and the support and enthusiasm from the Rise Up! team led to such a meaningful experience. Volunteering with Rise Up! has given me new insights into environmental stewardship and food systems, and reignited my passion for the field of environmental health and well-being. I genuinely believe every volunteer who participates in Rise Up! will come away with a spark and an excitement to support the health of our communities and our planet.

I genuinely believe every volunteer who participates in Rise Up! will come away with a spark and an excitement to support the health of our communities and our planet.