Volunteer

Volunteer of the Month

Poznma Maan

Poznma

Poznma Maan started volunteering at the Immigrant Centre in January 2019. Poznma volunteers as a Cooking and Nutrition Class Assistant, teaching low-cost, healthy recipes and the basics of healthy eating to newcomers.

“Poznma has been a dedicated volunteer in Nutrition Services. She is very kind to the clients and knowledgeable in her field of nutrition. She’s been an excellent addition to our Cooking Matters Program,” says Briana Henry, Manager of Nutrition Services.

I asked Poznma about her experience as an Immigrant Centre volunteer as here’s what she had to say.

How did you hear about the Immigrant Centre (IC)?

I heard about the Immigrant Centre through the Department of Human Nutritional Sciences at University of Manitoba. My counselor sent an email about volunteer opportunities available at IC.

Why did you decide to volunteer at the IC?

As a dietetic student I am always looking to get involved in community volunteering. Immigrant Centre’s cooking class was the perfect opportunity as it gave me chance to learn facilitation skills while meeting with new people from all over the world. As an immigrant myself, I can relate to the participants in the class, which has allowed me to reflect back on my journey in Canada.

What has your volunteer experience been like at the IC?

My volunteer experience has been really good at the Immigrant Centre. I developed a lot of new skills that will help me in the future. I learnt how to facilitate the cooking class, which helped me in developing new leadership skills. Moreover, my time management skills were honed as we only had a certain amount of time in the cooking class. Briana was always available to answer any questions, which made the whole experience really comfortable and fun.

Did you learn anything about the IC that you didn’t know before volunteering?

I had no idea about the plethora of services that Immigrant Centre provided on a daily basis. I especially got to know about the computer classes, the driver’s education classes, and employment services – all of which are extremely important for a new immigrant to settle in Canada.