By Bobbie Bornstein in a conversation with Joyce Yin
We love our volunteers at WVCS! In this month’s blog post, we are highlighting Joyce Yin, who volunteers two afternoons each week at our front desk. Joyce started volunteering with us in 2018 and is a valuable part of our front desk team. As you can see, Joyce always has a smile for everyone she greets (even underneath her mask)! Read on for our conversation with her…
(1) Tell us a little bit about yourself.
I am a Bay Area native, and I graduated undergrad from SJSU in December 2019 with my B.A. in Sociology. I am passionate about connecting, interacting, and encouraging people, helping with their needs, and doing administrative tasks. In my free time, I enjoy spending time with my family and friends, getting involved with my church, and exploring new places and activities such as Muir Woods National Monument and acrylic painting.
(2) How did you find us, when did you start volunteering and why did you choose to volunteer at WVCS?
I found WVCS after discovering it on Google and began volunteering here in September 2018 while I was still in college. I came back in May 2021 during the pandemic. I decided to volunteer again to gain some work experience and better my mental and emotional wellbeing during COVID. Everyone at WVCS is warm, friendly, welcoming, and understanding. I am able to foster friendships and build community with the staff and those that I am volunteering with during my shift. I have been able to utilize my administrative skills and use my language skills to interpret for clients in Mandarin, Chinese, and Spanish.
(3) What have you learned about yourself volunteering here at WVCS especially during COVID-19? It is important to communicate with each other and share my capabilities, needs, limits, and boundaries.
(4) Any special moments you would like to share about your volunteering experience at WVCS? One day, as I was coming out of the restroom during my shift, a staff member saw me and said to me something along the lines of, “I always look forward to seeing you here. I always look forward to the next time I see you. Thank you for all that you do. We appreciate it.” I responded, “Aw, that means a lot to me.” Even though I am a volunteer here, I regard WVCS as my work environment, so it’s an honor to be recognized.
(5) Any other thoughts or comments about your volunteer experience at WVCS?
Many times, in society, I can feel undervalued and overlooked because of my disability. As an unemployed college graduate with a disability, WVCS reminds me that I am making an impact and contributing to my community and society at large. WVCS is awesome!
On behalf of the entire WVCS community, thank YOU, Joyce! We could not do what we do without volunteers like you!
With love,
The WVCS Community