Volunteer spotlight: Jacqueline Lee
Jacqueline has shown incredible dedication to WWF-Canada’s work over the past year. Tremendously reliable and with exceptional customer service skills, she arrives bright and early every Friday morning with her trademark smile and positivity to direct calls from the public at our Toronto head-office Reception Desk. In the past year, she has donated over 100 hours of her time to numerous projects; from front desk support, data entry, outreach calls to donors and research. She is a vital support to our organization. We also asked Jacqueline what motivates her to volunteer every week.
Q: Tell us a bit about yourself? What you’re taking in school, your interests, etc.
I am currently finishing my last semester at U of T for my BSC in Political Science and Anthropology. I’ll be applying to law schools in the UK and hopefully end up working for human or environmental rights NGO in Geneva. I have become increasingly interested in primate taxonomy and conservation through my biological anthropology studies. My main interest in life is travelling, and I would love to make my way over to India and South-East Asia as my next destinations, but backpacking anywhere would be my ideal vacation.
Q: What made you decide, or inspired you, to volunteer with WWF?
I’m friends with a previous staff member, who also began as a volunteer, and who said only good things about her experience here, so I decided to volunteer a few hours of my time every week and it turns out I like it just as much as she told me I would. I have loved animals for as long as I can remember, from watching Kratt’s Creatures as a child to horseback riding and gong to the zoo every summer, animals and wildlife conservation has always meant so much to me. My studies in biological anthropology have really highlighted the environmental issues facing all animals, not just primates, and if I can use any of my knowledge and skills to protect wildlife it is my joy to do so. If I can dedicate even a portion of my life to the causes that WWF works so hard to achieve I can sleep easy at night knowing I have done something for the greater good.
Q: What has the experience been like so far?
My experience here has been amazing so far, the staff are always so warm and friendly, the causes are well worth the time and I’ve been able to help out on a variety of different campaigns.
Q: What is your favourite aspect of being a volunteer?
I would like to think my favourite part of being a volunteer would just be the knowledge that I have done something, no matter how small, that helps the wildlife causes that the WWF strives to achieve.
Q: What have you learned or gained from volunteering?
Aside from helping out with administrative tasks, it is nice working in a conservation organization just to see how goals are set and achieved.
Q: What advice would you share with others?
Life should be lived doing the things you love. I truly believe in the causes the WWF is working towards and it brings a lot of positivity to my life knowing I’m helping in my own way.