For Rositsa Ivanova of Toronto, volunteering with CNIB has been an incredible opportunity to learn new skills and make a difference in the lives of Canadians living with sight loss.
In 2019, Rositsa heard about CNIB through a friend that worked for the organization when she was looking for a volunteer opportunity that would help her grow professionally and personally.
“When I contacted CNIB, I was introduced to Come to Work, a program that connects employers with job seekers who are blind or partially sighted," explains Rositsa. “I had a lot of interest in assistive technologies and decided that my skills could be helpful.”
Since she started volunteering with the program, she has helped with creating a resource for CNIB staff to use when working with Salesforce, a customer relationship management platform.
“The document enables our teams to follow the same process across the country, so everyone is inputting the information in the same format,” says Wayne Henshall, Head, Come to Work.
Rositsa also went above and beyond with Connecting the Dots – Canada's largest educational and professional development conference focused on education, technology, and employment for people who are blind or partially sighted.
“During the conference, there was a nervous participant. Instead of leading this individual to where he needed to go, Rositsa engaged in conversation and put him at ease," says Wayne. "Her calm demeanor eased his nerves and gave him the confidence to ask questions in front of 100 people.”
Rositsa says she has learned a lot from Wayne through this volunteer opportunity.
“Working with Wayne and the rest of the team has been excellent because they’re very professional,” says Rositsa. “I learned that I have the willingness and the right mindset to support Come to Work while meeting new people.”
But, it has been a mutually beneficial experience.
“I really enjoy working with Rositsa because we learn from each other,” explains Wayne. “My background is in IT and much of my work is engaging partner employers. As Rositsa explores career opportunities, I can help her on her journey. Rositsa has done so much for CNIB and we're so fortunate to have her as part of our team.”
If Rositsa's story inspires you volunteer with CNIB, apply today!