Volunteering is something I genuinely care about. I like supporting people who are learning, growing, or building their confidence, especially in creative fields. Working with students who are just starting out reminds me why I love design, and it feels meaningful to use my experience to help them take their next steps.
Every year, I volunteer as a Technical Chair for Skills Ontario's Graphic Design Studio Production competition. While the main event happens in May, the work starts months earlier. My co-chair and I plan, write, and build the full assignment that students will complete. The challenge covers core areas of design like logo creation, packaging, print layout, and basic website design.
On competition day, high school and college students from across Ontario have eight hours to complete the project we created for their level. Afterwards, we review and score each submission, select the top three students in each group, and support the first-place winners as they move on to Skills Canada.
This is a role I look forward to every year. It combines my professional skills with my passion for encouraging young designers, and it is incredibly rewarding to watch students grow in confidence and creativity while working through a real design brief.