Volunteer Highlight August 2024: Noelle Jaipaul

Members of our Board of Directors are in a unique position of trust for our membership and extended community, and are a critical part of our organization. Board Members are responsible for the effective governance of the John Humphrey Centre for Peace and Human Rights (JHC) and support the vision, mission and mandate of the JHC in their commitment to advancing peace and human rights. Noelle has been volunteering with the John Humphrey Centre for nearly two decades and has been part of creating the strategic vision and evolution of JHC during that time. In April 2024, Noelle celebrated the end of her term as a Board Member for the past 9 years! We are truly grateful for her contributions, dedication, time and efforts in supporting and advancing the vision and mission of JHC. Thank you so much Noelle! In this month’s volunteer highlight, Noelle reflects on their time volunteering with JHC - we hope you find it as beautiful and inspiring as we do!

When did you first start volunteering for the John Humphrey Centre (JHC)?

I started volunteering at JHC in 2005. I was a participant in the very first pilot of the Human Rights Facilitator Training Program. Following that, I volunteered in several capacities on different projects, helping Renee, the Executive Director, supporting with the Global Youth Assemblies, and so on. In 2013 I applied to join the board and was successful, and I then served on the board until my term limit was reached this year.

What drew you to volunteer with us in the beginning, and for 9 whole years?!

I was originally drawn to volunteer with JHC because I was learning about international human rights issues in university, and back in 2005 this was my first introduction to the legal and formal mechanisms of human rights. But, I also knew that there were issues that we needed to attend to right here in Edmonton - I was also working at a youth shelter and seeing firsthand how human rights that were, at least legally, inalienable, were not being upheld for some of the most vulnerable people in our community. When I came across JHC and took part in the HRFAC pilot, I quickly became a convert! I firmly believe in the vision, mission, and values of the organization. Another draw has been to support the amazing staff, board members, and other volunteers that I have met over the years.  John Humphrey Centre (JHC) focuses on empowering and educating people on their human rights and this is a fundamental need in this community, and really everywhere. John Humphrey Centre provides an invaluable place for people to come together, share their experiences, learn from one another, and build skills and community. I continued to volunteer through all this time because at JHC we understand that human rights are fundamental, and when one of us doesn't have their rights protected, we all suffer, we are all affected.

What volunteer role(s) have you been involved in and what did those duties involve?

As a member of the Board of Directors my duties included attending monthly meetings as well as longer weekend strategy sessions, drafting policy and strategy for the governance of the organization, assisting with and attending events, working with stakeholders, and raising the visibility of JHC in the city. Over the years I think I was fairly successful in doing a lot around board strategy, building relationships, and supporting the work of the Executive Director to ensure that the mandate and mission of JHC was always at the forefront of the work that we do.

What are some of your most memorable instances volunteering with JHC over the years? What are you most proud of?

I think my most memorable experiences at JHC have been the annual Human Rights Awards events. While JHC holds space for an incredible amount of projects over the course of a year, the Human Rights Awards is a space for the people across all of those projects to come together and celebrate each other. I have heard amazing human rights champions in Edmonton and from across Alberta share their perspectives, experiences, and challenges in the area of Human Rights and feel so privileged to have learned from these incredible award winners. I especially remember the last awards ceremony that we held at Government House: the amazing food we ate, music we listened to, and conversations and camaraderie that was shared by all. The Human Rights Awards are described best as places of hope and joy - they are truly wonderful memories!

I am most proud of the work that I have done on the board to streamline and organize many of our processes. It sounds like boring work (and sometimes it is) but it has helped ensure that JHC has a governance structure that is resilient, transparent, fair and reflective of the needs of the communities we serve. Some of this work has included implementing term limits for the board, establishing an onboarding process for new board members, creating a needs assessment for skills and experience that the board may be lacking, and implementing evaluations so that we can continually improve. All of this is done in order to better support and facilitate the work of all John Humphrey Center staff and volunteers in being able to continue to deliver the programming and supports that are critical in our city.

What challenges do you feel JHC has overcome during your time with us?

Some challenges that I have seen in my time with JHC have included the ebb and flow of the political environment we operate in. It’s hard for non-profits to maintain their sustainability and be resilient in this sort of flux. But, I think over the past decade the Board has worked really closely with the Executive Director, Renee, and the staff to try to make sure we are doing what we can to make sure JHC is strong and stable. For instance, a few years ago we established an endowment fund with the Edmonton Community Foundation to help secure a place for the investments from our generous donors to grow. 

Beyond the financial stress and challenges that are always present in the modern world of non-profits, our Board has made an intentional effort to pay attention to inequality, Injustice, and inaccessibility on nonprofit boards. I have seen organizations that struggle with a lack of equity and diversity and true anti-oppressive values not being able to align their board with their values or mission. Over the past number of years the board has worked extremely hard to implement processes that reflect equity, diversity, and inclusion, and to move towards ways that we, as a board, can be truly anti-colonial and anti-oppressive. 

What learnings/growth did you experience as a volunteer?

So much! Since I have spent so many years with JHC, I’ve really had a lot of growth: my leadership skills, communication skills, and the ability to problem solve; I’ve also developed my capacity to think long-term and strategically. For me, this means really taking a step back from the day-to-day work (which is usually the more fun and exciting stuff!), and asking, ‘what do we need to do today that will serve us in 1, 5, or 10 years?’. I’ve grown in my ability to think from multiple angles and perspectives, think ahead, and plan for sustainability and resiliency of the organization.

Where do you hope to see JHC go in the future?

This organization is such an amazing community of people who are truly invested in the work. The staff and volunteers at JHC care deeply about human rights, and how human rights manifest (or fail to manifest) in our city. I hope that JHC continues to gain attention and support for all the amazing work they do. I hope JHC continues to build on our amazing partnerships, and explore new ones. 

What advice would you give to someone interested in volunteering or to a new volunteer at JHC?

Just jump in! There are so many different ways to get involved at JHC: there isn’t one way to volunteer or one role to fill. I really think our volunteers are amazing because their skills and their contributions run the gamut. I would also say that volunteering is a great way to give back, but it’s also a great way to gain: skills, experience, knowledge, friendships, connections and networks, the list goes on. I have met so many incredible people through my time with JHC - people who are now close friends, and people who I know I can call on for advice, wisdom, and support. I am so grateful for my time at JHC!

Interested in volunteering with the John Humphrey Centre for Peace and Human Rights?
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