Langley, B.C.It"s not uncommon to see teams of youth representing local organizations at summer events throughout our community. What is unusual, is when those teams also volunteer at local non-profits for eight hours a week as a way of giving back and growing their leadership skills while attaining valuable work experience. For Envision Financial, a division of First West Credit Union, these elements form a key component of their newly-created community crew program.
"When we decided to create a youth ambassador program to represent our organization at community events, we wanted to tie it into our commitment to make a meaningful difference in our local communities," says Dave Lanphear, president of Envision Financial, "We know that for many of our non-profit partners, getting consistent volunteers can be a challenge and we also know that for today"s youth, gaining valuable work experience can make a big difference in creating job opportunities in the future. Including these components in our community crew plans just seemed like the right thing to do."
After a rigorous round of interviews, five keen senior high school and post-secondary students were selected to form Envision Financial"s inaugural community crew. They"ve already made several appearances at local community events, offering free services such as face painting, games and activities for children.
Each member of the community crew has also been matched up with a non-profit partner, based on their interests. These non-profit organizations are Alexandra House, Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Langley, the City of Surrey Children"s Festival, the Gateway of Hope and Sources Women"s Resources Centre. The students will be paid by Envision Financial for the time they spend at the non-profit organization they are supporting.
"Being a part of this program is such an amazing opportunity for all of us," says Allie Connor, community crew team lead. "We are developing new skills and gaining leadership experiences that wouldn"t be available to us at most summer employment opportunities. We"ve even met with senior leaders at Envision Financial who have shared their career highlights and wisdom with us. It"s going to be a great summer and we' all proud to be part of the Envision Financial team!"
About Envision Financial
Envision Financial is a premier provider of banking, investment and insurance services for residents and businesses throughout the Fraser Valley, Lower Mainland and Kitimat regions. As a division of First West Credit Union, B.C.'s third-largest credit union with 54 branches and 38 insurance offices throughout the province, Envision Financial brings innovative products, an extensive branch network and local decision making to the banking experience. For more information on Envision Financial, visit
www.envisionfinancial.ca.
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Photo caption: The Envision Financial Community Crew will be making a meaningful difference in local communities this summer.
