Over 40 Peterborough community organizations attended Trent University’s annual volunteer fair to meet motivated and enthusiastic Trent students looking for ways to give back and volunteer in the local community. Organizations, including the Kawartha Komets Special Needs Hockey Program, Dnaagdawenmag Binnoojiiyag Child & Family Services, and the Peterborough Regional Health Centre offered a diverse range of volunteer opportunities for Trent students to get involved. 

“Our Volunteer Expo is one of the most exciting times of the year for Careerspace,” says Kevin Whitmore, director of Careerspace at Trent. “This event features a broad range of opportunities for students to get involved and organizations are always impressed with the calibre and knowledge of Trent students.” 

Experiential learning benefits everyone  

Organizations like the Ontario Turtle Conservation Centre (OTCC) have benefitted from access to Trent students in volunteer roles over the years. During that time, the organization has brought on more than 500 student volunteers. 

“It never ceases to amaze how passionate Trent students are,” says Isa Prophet, volunteer coordinator at OTCC. “I’m so grateful to Trent and Careerspace for the opportunity to bring more people to our organization.” 

Bringing Trent’s talent to the community

A big highlight of this year’s Volunteer Fair was how many students came out to show the community what it means to be a passionate Trent student. With over 500 students in attendance, many organizations left the event with their volunteer lists exceeding 100 sign-ups. 

Trent student Shelby Beebe-Johnson visited many of the booths at the Volunteer Fair. 

“It was really exciting to have this event available to us right here on campus,” says Shelby, a fourth-year student in Ancient Greek and Roman Studies. “I was surprised by how many volunteer opportunities there are in the local area, it’s really eye-opening to see how many organizations I can get involved with.” 

Students interested in more information regarding work and experiential learning opportunities can contact Careerspace.