Youth from the Open Door Society joined seniors at the Central Haven Care Home for a colourful and explosive art project, providing the seniors with companionship and the youth with a way to get involved in their community.
Twenty-five youth from the Open Door Society spent Saturday afternoon throwing paint-filled eggs at canvases with the home’s seniors.
The Open Door Society said the goal of this project is to show the youth what it’s like to volunteer.
“Our job is to help these youth find employment. Lots of them are brand-new to Canada and don’t have volunteer experience, so this was an opportunity to bring the newcomers together and also bring the seniors together and do a fun art project,” said Avery Cochlan from the society.
Weitong “Angel” Huang, one of the youth who helped out, said this experience has made her want to spend more time volunteering.
But it’s not just the youth who reaped the benefits. The care home said volunteers are a lifeline.
“They provide so much companionship to our residents. The amount of energy and enthusiasm our volunteers bring, especially during the holiday season too. We find that extra little bit of companionship really goes a long way,” said Eric Anderson, who works at the care home.
“Normally that’s not something we do in this space, so yeah, it brought a lot of excitement and energy.”
