We were promised the best education Canada has to offer. We were told that after acquiring a university degree the world would be our oyster. We were, or at least, I was, encouraged to choose a university instead of a college by my high school teachers. College was stigmatized. The girls (I went to a Catholic, all-girl high school) who skipped out on classes and hung outside smoking cigarettes and weed chose colleges. Those girls are now well on their way to obtaining full-time jobs. We, on the other hand, are well on our way to writing our hearts out on blogs like these, contacting charities and agencies who are looking for volunteers, and hoping, mightily hoping, that someone, somewhere will notice our potential and scoop us out of the misery of unemployment.
I have applied for jobs in the retail industry, jobs for reception, administrative assistants, entry-level-anything, everywhere. To no avail. Because I am an intern from 9-5 for three days a week, I am unemployable. I would not trade the skills I am gaining for any administrative assistant positions. It is providing me with a solid foundation to demonstrate the best of my skills, and for that I am remarkably lucky.
However, for those who have not landed an internship, who cannot afford to go back to school, and are regrettably unemployed, there is hope for you and it comes in the form of philanthropy.
There are associations, foundations, clubs, charities and NGOs all over the globe that are seeking people like us--people who have copious amounts of energy to employ and no one to give us the shot. Whether it be assisting those who courageously defend the decrepit state of the environment, those who defend the rights of women internationally, or those who are concerned about the homeless men in your municipality, they want us. They are looking for us. Of course, it won't rack in the dough, but it will fulfil us in ways we might not have completely been aware of before. We will be learning about diplomacy, solidarity, pragmatism, development, government assistance (or lackthereof) and will be able to help those that need it as well as ourselves. We might even make a connection with someone who is looking for an employee just like us.
Who knows. What I'm saying is, we might as well step outside and help out where we can instead of pity ourselves in the bleakness of our rooms.
I live in the fabulous, vibrant city of Toronto. If you do too, here are some associations who are regularly looking for volunteers, and could use someone like you:
For more information about NGOs in your city, check out Foreign Affairs, Trade and International Development Canada and Charity Village.
Good luck!
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