Volunteer Spotlight: Laura Miller
Written by Jessica Pang-Parks, Volunteer Coordinator, Donor Relations & Services
Volunteers are critical to the success of WWF-Canada’s conservation programs. From stuffing envelopes to event support, all the hard work and precious time given to WWF by volunteers helps to make our work possible.
Over the past year, Laura has contributed to WWF’s mission by volunteering with the Donor Relations & Services Team and the Development Team. As a recent environmental studies graduate and a lifelong nature-lover, Laura’s passion for conservation is evident in her enthusiasm for volunteering at our WWF-Canada head office. Laura brings her positive energy and amazing interpersonal skills to managing the reception desk, cataloguing Planned Giving donations, and making outbound calls to donors.
We recently chatted with Laura about her experience at WWF.
Tell us a bit about yourself?
I grew up in Thunder Bay, Ontario and moved to Toronto in 2007 to do my undergrad in Environmental Studies. My enormous love for both natural and urban spaces is, I believe, directly correlated to my small-town outdoorsy upbringing. This perfectly complements the fast-paced, metropolitan lifestyle I now enjoy in this vibrant city. Since university, I’ve lived to travel, and what excites me the most in my adventures (and what makes me book that first flight every time) is the thrilling prospect of exploring a new natural space; I’m a diver, a hiker, and a down-to-my-soul sunset-lover. What’s most important to me while traveling has always been to spend some time volunteering; it’s a wonderful way to really breathe a culture in. I’ve had the privilege of working on some incredible marine conservation projects while out there in this fascinating world.
What made you decide, or inspired you, to volunteer with WWF?
For a long time I had known about WWF and its unrivalled success in conservation initiatives, both in Canada and abroad. As a recent grad I knew I had a lot to learn. I wanted to be exposed to the day-to-day procedures of a well-established organization and see firsthand how conservation projects are actually implemented by NGO’s. There couldn’t possibly be a better place to do it than at WWF. WWF’s mandate aligns very closely with my own beliefs about environmental work and I suspected that I would benefit hugely from the wealth of knowledge and commitment to healing our planet that the staff possessed. I was right!
What has the experience been like so far?
It has been such an incredible opportunity to work alongside the passionate and skilled individuals who are on staff at WWF Canada. I feel that my contribution, however small, is one piece of an enormous effort dedicated to bringing about change in our world. Thus, I take pride in even the most minor tasks I carry out at the office. I consistently find myself heading home after a busy day of volunteering with a bounce in my step and a light heart, as the day’s events have once again confirmed that we are doing a good thing here, and that what we do matters.
What is your favourite aspect of being a volunteer?
What I love most about going into the office each week is the incredible kindness with which I have been treated and the warm and encouraging smiles that meet me as I move through the buzzing halls. Even the busiest and most senior-level staff always have a moment for a friendly “hello”. The staff I work with directly have been really wonderful about taking the time to ensure that I am equipped with the tools and knowledge necessary to complete a task, as well as availing themselves for any questions that I may have. The opportunity to be mentored like that is truly invaluable to developing my career path.
What have you learned or gained from volunteering?
Before I started volunteering with WWF Canada, I hadn’t yet understood what my part would be in a vast and undefined global campaign to save our earth. Slowly, these little pieces started to come together, creating a cohesive picture of what my role in this whole thing might be. I owe so much of that understanding and discovery to my time spent over the past year with WWF. Working for positive change and contributing to the great environmental work being done out there in the world has always been my ultimate goal. Thanks to what I’ve learned at WWF and the patient staff members who have taken the time to nurture my growth, I now better understand how I may navigate these next steps. I have learned many skills and uncovered a lot about what conservation work really looks like, and I have become far more confident in my own abilities and strengths.
What advice would you share with others?
Everybody should volunteer! Volunteer because it makes you feel great and because you need to gain experience for that elusive “workforce”. Volunteer because it looks good on your grad school applications and because your parents will be proud. But most of all, (and this is the big one) volunteer because those who are in a position of such privilege, as we westerners are, must give something back. We are compelled to act against the known destruction, suffering, and ignorance that exist around us. Once we can learn to take a step back from our own oh-so-very-important lives and learn to give without expecting a return for our efforts, we are doing so much more than simply answering phones or filing papers or drowning in Excel spreadsheets—we are rallying to create positive change in our society. What we become is a piece of a collective of citizens who are reaching out fervently to one another and acknowledging that we really are in this together, and we owe it to each other to choose to stand up and do something.
