This is a 25 Before 25 post. Check out the rest of my list here.
During my last year in Montreal, I divided my time between a full-time job and volunteering for two non-profit organizations – Equitas International Centre for Human Rights Education and The Yellow Door. I assisted with Equitas’ yearly social media audit and their International Human Rights Training Program (IHRTP) and canvassed for The Yellow Door’s Generations program.
My time with these organizations was the most rewarding experience I had in my “first year out” from university. I learned more about the internal structure of non-profit organizations, received mentorship and guidance from working professionals and was able to contribute to my local and international community in a meaningful way.
When I compiled my 25 Before 25 list, volunteering was one of the first things I included. I was admittedly pretty lazy while in Korea, despite a plethora of volunteer experiences at my disposal, so I wanted to ensure a commitment to some Toronto-based volunteering.
Last week, I volunteered for the Ontario Hospital Association’s conference and exhibition, Health Achieve. Celebrating its 90th Anniversary, HealthAchieve’s mission is to bring the brightest minds from across the globe to share information, discuss current issues in health care and learn about new technological innovations.
I was lucky enough to run Health Achieve’s Instagram for the three-day conference. I was responsible for attending all keynote addresses, educational sessions, product demonstrations and awards ceremonies, posting dynamic and engaging content and interacting with Health Achieve’s Instagram community.
Instagram is easily my favourite social media platform, so having control of a professional account was an incredibly exciting prospect. My strategy was to use HealthAchieve’s Instagram account as a visual and navigational tool for delegates. I highlighted the “best of the exhibit floor” to create excitement for the conference’s best attractions, including their Book Store, Career Lane, New Product Showcase and Green Lane. In addition, I took photos of the conference’s special guests, including Harvard Business professor Michael E. Porter, Earth Harp creator William Close and the TED Senior Fellows, Vijay Gupta, Jessica Green and Nina Tandon. It was exhilarating to wander around the exhibit floor, looking for prime photo opportunities. I don’t think I necessarily missed my calling as a professional photographer, but it was fun to play dress-up for a day.
My favourite parts about the conference were a) the exhibit floor, b) engaging with Health Achieve’s online community and c) the amount of content from the keynote addresses that was relatable back to the world of PR (see here, here and here). The conference was highly collaborative, encouraging a dialogue between speakers and delegates as opposed to a one-sided conversation and highly visual, with a graphic artist illustrating each keynote address on a giant white board.
I learned a lot about professional conduct in the realm of social media (especially when it’s not your own personal account) and that my opinion on the health care world was grossly misinformed (it’s a lot more interesting than I had anticipated). I was lucky enough to work with and learn from a fantastic team (thanks to Makenzie, Chantal, Kumarie and Helena). The entire experience was a great reminder of how much I enjoy volunteering and I’m so thrilled to have volunteered for my first of three great causes!
Millennial Abroad 