It is 5:00 on a Wednesday evening and Claudia Campuzano arrives half an hour early for her shift as a Computer Training Facilitator. A volunteer since September 2014, Claudia has become a familiar face at the Immigrant Centre.

Claudia first came to the Immigrant Centre to have her documents translated into English to obtain a Manitoba Driver’s License. While at the Centre she inquired about volunteer opportunities and a few weeks later, she started volunteering as a Computer Training Facilitator, often up to three times a week. Since then, Claudia has volunteered for over 200 hours at the Immigrant Centre.

Volunteering she believes, “can help newcomers integrate into society”, a concept to which she can personally relate having immigrated to Manitoba from Mexico. “The more you adapt, the more you learn that living in Canada, the sky is the limit. I find this very empowering, especially for women.”

To Claudia, volunteering has been a rewarding experience both personally and professionally. “It is a great way to learn, but it is also an important aspect of Canadian society. Of her volunteer experience at the Immigrant Centre she says, “It’s a very Canadian experience, but it’s also very different. It is very enriching and very multicultural. You get to know people who were born here and people from all over the world: some have just arrived.”

Claudia is glad to have the opportunity to volunteer at the Immigrant Centre, where she can help others “discover their own potential in a country that has so much to offer.”  After a moment of reflection she adds: “The human condition has many similarities. There is a common denominator in everyone. They all want to achieve their goals and they want to do the best for their families.”

The Immigrant Centre thanks you Claudia, for your time and dedication.