We Create Change
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Volunteer Corner
The Volunteer Corner is a place for all We Day volunteers!
Here you will find all the information you need to become a more confident and knowledgeable volunteer.
WELCOME TO THE WE DAY VOLUNTEER CORNER!
Thank you for signing up to volunteer at We Day! We are so thrilled that you are a part of the volunteer team. It is truly because of you and your dedication that Free The Children is able to execute We Day year after year.
First things first, let us introduce ourselves. We are Melissa Hughes and Diana Church, and work at Free The Children as the We Day volunteer team. We take care of all things volunteer-related for We Day and are both so excited that you have made the decision to volunteer for this amazing event.
We will be bringing you the inside scoop on all things We Day, like the history and evolution of the event and everything else you need to know about being a We Day volunteer.
We Day is becoming an international event and we are so excited. We will be engaging and empowering more youth than ever before!
We are so thrilled to have you join us on the We Day journey this year. Check the rest of the We Day Volunteer Corner for new and exciting updates!
Be the change,
Melissa & Diana
THE FIVE “W”s OF WE DAY!
Often in life we come back to the five W’s we learned in elementary school: Who? What? Where? When? and why? These questions are present in all that we do, in every decision we make and in the most important moments of our lives.
In this post, we will be sharing with you the five W’s of We Day: What is the ultimate purpose of the event? Where and when does it take place? Who is involved in making it a success?
What?
We Day, the largest event of its kind, takes places in cities across Canada. Within stadiums full of cheering young people, We Day brings some of the greatest social issues of today to the forefront, and-no matter the cause, no matter the issue-provides ways in which every young person can find their place within the movement to create global change. The end to apathy is realized as young people discover that they are all part of the movement to create global change.
Where/ When?
Toronto: September 28, 2012
Vancouver: October 18, 2012
Alberta: October 24, 2012
Manitoba: October 30, 2012
Waterloo Region: November 14, 2012
Montreal: November 20, 2012
Saskatchewan: February 27, 2013
Seattle: March 27, 2013
National We Day (Ottawa/Gatineau): April 29, 2013
Who?
Tens of thousands of youth, who earn their tickets to We Day by committing to take one global and one local action to make their community and world a better place.
Some of the greatest social justice leaders and performers of today, who inspire change and inform young people about social justice issues.
Our incredible sponsors, who make it possible for participants to attend We Day at no cost.
Free The Children staff who work hard to plan and execute several We Day events every year.
You, our amazing volunteers who give time and energy to help make We Day a success.
Why?
At Free The Children the “why” is something that we talk about often. Why do we choose to do the work we do? Why do we offer the programming that we do? Why do we work in the countries that we do?
Everyone has their own “why” and every “why” has an answer. We encourage you to discover your “why.” Why are you drawn to social issues and world change? Why did you decide to volunteer with We Day and Free The Children?
If you are so inclined, feel free to share your “why” with us! Just e-mailvolunteers@freethechildren.com. We love learning more about our incredible volunteers.
Stay great and see you soon!
INTRODUCING THE POWER OF WE
Let’s think back to 2007. It was the year of the first ever iPhone and most importantly, the first ever We Day.
We want to take you back to 2007 when we saw the beginning of the movement of our time.
The first We Day took place at the Ricoh Coliseum in Toronto, Ontario. 6,500 youth were given the chance to be a part of this momentous occasion. It was the first time youth from across Canada came together to learn about social justice issues in the world. They celebrated their success of taking action globally and within their communities.
The day included performances from: Brian Melo, 2007 winner of Canadian Idol and pop-rock band Hanson; Lieutenant General Romeo Dallaire; Canadian television personality and former MTV host Jessi Cruickshank; the cast of Degrassi; and former Olympian Mark Tewksbury. Many of these performers continue to be ambassadors of Free The Children and have continued to make appearances at We Day over the past few years.
Free The Children speakers including performer, storyteller and current Free The Children Youth Programming Director Louise Kent; were given the opportunity to address thousands of students. At the time it was the largest crowd either of them had ever performed for.
When staff of Free The Children describe their first We Day they say, “There was energy like no other”. Stories are shared about how the students were chanting so loudly that security was worried that a riot had ensued before the start of the show. Throughout the day each performance and guest got a standing ovation as the crowd was truly inspired. Each person who was a part of the event was touched by the power of ‘We’ and it marked the beginning of the movement of our time.
Since 2007 We Day has inspired thousands of youth and has built a community of young people dedicated to social change. By joining us as a volunteer at We Day you too are a part of this movement.
As We Day moves into its 6th year, we strive to capture that same energy that was present at out very first event. We are constantly evolving, growing and trying to find new ways to engage and inspire youth to be agents of change. As a volunteer at We Day you will get the chance to experience the energy and enthusiasm that surrounds We Day first-hand. You will get to see the faces of inspired youth and get to be a part of the journey. Your high energy and positivity helps create the excitement and buzz that defines We Day. We encourage you to help us make this We Day season one of our best yet.
We look forward to your energy, enthusiasm, helping hands and positive attitude this We Day season!
Click here to learn more about the history of We Day.
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QUESTIONS
If you have any questions about volunteering at We Day, please read our Volunteer FAQ.
CONTACT US
All other volunteers, please direct your questions to volunteers@freethechildren.com.
