It’s International Volunteer Day: Why Volunteering Matters 💜

On International Volunteer Day (December 5, 2025) we are taking a moment to reflect and recognize how volunteering and helping others has always been a big part of the Canadian identity and value system. However, over the last decade, the number of people volunteering and the number of hours dedicated to help others has been on the decline across the country. To celebrate the volunteers that are such a critical part of YCI and our programs like HerStart, we sat down with 3 current volunteers completing HerStart International Fellowships in Tanzania, Uganda and Ghana.

Hear what they have to say about why they volunteer – they just might inspire you to give your time and skills to causes you care about too! 

Already volunteered your time recently, or looking for ways to do it? Beyond the HerStart International Fellowship program, be sure to click here to check out the platform Time to Act — YCI is a proud founding partner of this movement to celebrate and inspire a wave of positive actions across communities in Canada and around the world.