A summer co-op work term has affirmed for Joel Maves that his future lies in making a difference in young lives.

The third-year student in Brock’s international dual degree program spent the summer completing a co-op work term at Youth Unlimited, a local not-for-profit Christian outreach organization that works primarily with troubled teens.

It was through this experience that his eyes were opened to the potential career path helping others may take him down.

Though Maves is taking classes within the Goodman School of Business, he was anxious to participate in a co-op that allowed him to explore his interest in not-for-profit youth work.

“Through participating in church youth groups growing up and being a camp counsellor, I have discovered a passion for facilitating programs for youth and building relationships with them,” he said.

Maves found it helpful to be able to apply his classroom skills in a real-world working environment.

“In my co-op, I found things that applied directly to organizational behaviour, such as dealing with conflicts within the organization or examining the style of leadership that my supervisor was using,” he said.

To secure his position with the organization, Maves had to fundraise much of his own salary, complementing the summer student grant Youth Unlimited had already been awarded.

He created a fundraising campaign and, with the help of friends, family and other supporters, was able to reach his $4,400 goal and serve as the organization’s summer program co-ordinator.

Maves felt one of the biggest draws of working with a not-for-profit organization like Youth Unlimited was the diversity of tasks he was able to take on.

“There was no average day,” he said. “I took care of office work, helped to clean the youth centre, planned weekly events and fundraised to send kids to summer camp. I facilitated a weekly faith-based talk and games program for young men, and hosted our drop-in night for guys and girls.”

The organization also hosts weekly programming for girls and offers a variety of programs and support networks for young parents.

“A lot of the time I was just a listening ear,” he said of his time with Youth Unlimited. “I am here to encourage and uplift those who need it and to help out when they are struggling with self-esteem issues.”

Beyond providing a safe space for young people, the organization also aims to help them develop emotionally, intellectually, spiritually, physically and socially.

“When they come to us they are encouraged to pursue their interests and we try to help,” said Maves. “One of our students wanted to join the military, and we helped him figure out what he needed to do and how we could assist in that process.”

Maves is aware that his work term was different from the office jobs that many students pursue, but he emphasized that co-op students can grow their careers in any work environment.

“Don’t be frightened by unconventional opportunities,” he said. “They make you stand out and add tons of value to your resumé.”

With 15 per cent of Brock’s students completing co-op work terms in 40 different programs, Maves is one of many participants using the co-op to fast track their career. He was particularly grateful to the Co-op Education team for keeping him on track to achieve his goal of working with youth.

“Having assignments throughout my work term helped to keep me accountable,” he said. “I was able to keep track of what I learned, and that helped me to tangibly gauge my improvement while also having time for self reflection.

“I knew that I had an interest in working with youth,” he said. “And now I can say that I actually do enjoy it a lot and that I am passionate about entering a career in the not-for-profit sector. It has been fantastic to work with Youth Unlimited, and I hope to use my connection with the organization to continue to work with young people once I have finished my degree.”