Volunteer Profile: Khushmol Dhaliwal

What part of the province do you live in?

Edmonton, AB

How and why did you first get involved with JHC (the community response initiative)?

I was a volunteer researcher for the "Youth Take Charge" project along with a classroom facilitator for discussion around human rights when I began in 2017.

What is your current role within JHC?

Currently I serve as a stride advocate and help where I can with the "YEG community response" ISO team.

What are your (volunteer) activities and what do they involve?

I interview and document cases in order to help support individuals in our community take actionable steps towards change. This means I work with the JHC team, the community members we are advocating for, and various community organizations.

How long have you been a part of the community response initiative?

I've been working as a stride advocate since 2020.

What's it like to be a volunteer for this cause?

This position has really allowed me to grow as an individual. I've had the privilege to hear and connect with many members in the community. Volunteering with the JHC has been impactful: It has connected me with the community from various angles and enabled me to learn about our history and continuing contemporary challenges.

What has surprised you most about working on this community initiative?

How much I've learned about my community and getting to work with such an amazing team.

Are there any learnings/ challenges you have experienced through this work? Please tell us about those

This work has taught me that the first part of advocacy work is actively listening to those around you. By listening carefully you can build trust and ultimately better support individuals through challenging periods in their lives.