Finding worthwhile work experience is one thing. However, finding worthwhile work experience that also gives you a chance to get involved with your community is something entirely different, and arguably more rewarding.

“I think the only challenge would be if you haven’t been exposed to this community before, maybe there are some preconceived notions that you might have, but the best way to engage with diversity is to jump right in,” says Elizabeth Reynolds, national manager of diversity equity and inclusion at KPMG, about working in the LGBT community. “I think the more you learn about different, diverse people, the more you learn about yourself.”

Corporate pride

There are many opportunities to gain valuable, career-building work experience through work with the LGBT community, like volunteering for Pride events all around Canada. Whether grassroots or corporate, they’re always looking for people to share their talents and help out. Ray Lam, general manager of the Vancouver Pride Society, says, “our primary challenge is having enough hands and feet on the ground.”

Vancouver Pride is the largest, single-day event in Vancouver, as well as the largest creative festival in Western Canada and, according to Lam, this gives people looking to gain work experience many options. “All of the positions we’ve created have direct ties to [university and college] programs. We try to make sure that our positions complement their [volunteers’] education,” he says. “Basically, you’re getting to test the knowledge you’re learning in school in a real-world situation.”

For example, they have the B2B (business-to-business) coordinator job, which involves a lot of work with Vancouver Pride partners and the media firms that they work with. Lam says that this job is geared for those students who want real-world work experience because, “We have this massive, international marketing firm that’s working with two or three of our different [corporate] partners, and if you get that position, you get to work directly with these firms, brainstorm ideas with them on how to turn a festival booth into something of an attraction, and how to create on-site activation so people know you’re there, know you’re supporting Pride, and they can engage with your organization.”

Community pride

Grassroots Pride events are also great places to gain work experience because there are more opportunities to take on leadership roles. “It’s a big workload to plan a full week of events,” says Noah Davis-Power, chairman of St. John’s Pride. “When we do get our volunteers, they’re just as much a part of the organizational aspect as the people on the board. Students will certainly gain a lot of organizational and leadership experience. Putting on your resumé that you helped organize Pride week is a plus, no matter what, whether it’s in Newfoundland or Toronto.”

Davis-Power, the youngest member of the board at 19 years-old, understands the value of participating in Pride events to expand your work experience. He has done a lot of work for the LGBT community, particularly in the high schools here in Newfoundland, like start one of the first gay-straight alliances in the province. He says that working with the LGBT community for events like Pride “gives us a chance to all come together and see each other in the best light, where we are united and coming out and celebrating the diversity that is in our community. I think that that’s what Pride week is all about, and that’s what we make it about here in Newfoundland and Labrador.”

Some people find the experience so rewarding that they return and continue their work with Pride, and even start to branch out and do different things within the community, because there are always new things to learn. “When it comes to work experience, being a part of the machine of the parade team offers few hard skills,” says Sean Nauth, a master of arts, sustainable energy and policy student who has volunteered and worked in different aspects of Pride Toronto. “I learned about event management and organization. My tasks were to hire brand ambassadors, procure uniforms in the right sizes, arrange the schedule for the day of when our truck was to arrive and organize a pick up of our team after the parade. This work allowed me to work on my organization and working under pressure skills, as money, time, and keeping the client happy were stresses I had to confront, leading up to and during the event.”

Whether it be corporate- or community-driven, in a big city or small town, supporting the LGBT community through work for Pride events around Canada are a win-win for everyone involved, especially students who want to expand their knowledge and gain real-world work experience. Lam says, “the more you invest in Pride, the more Pride will invest in you.”

Photo: myillo/iStock