The Power of Being Part of A Community

Did you know that the MPI Toronto Chapter is the fourth largest? What an incredible opportunity for our local professional community to drive change. Coretta Scott King said it best, "The greatness of a community is most accurately measured by the compassionate actions of its members.”. Have you considered volunteering with our MPI Chapter? My best advice is just to do it! There is so much more to gain than to give. Here are my top three reasons for being an MPI Toronto Chapter Volunteer.

Making Connections
At first, I attended a couple of the many chapter events and was able to meet a few individuals. I still felt disconnected and found it difficult to connect personally. At the advice of another member I signed up for a committee. Before I knew it, I was part of a team of seven working closely together to plan the 2018 GMID. Not only did I become good friends with my teammates, but I also was introduced to so many more event professionals through their networks.

Professional Development
I love attending workshops and participating in webinars. After all, bringing people together to share experiences is what we do. I realized though that I didn't always have an opportunity to practice my new learnings in my current role at work. The beauty when volunteering with MPI Toronto is there is a variety of committees and roles you can try. The leadership team and fellow volunteers are also super supportive to ensure you meet your personal goals. In 2.5 years I have been on three different committees and have worked on portfolios such as marketing, sponsorship, and audiovisual.

Challenging Myself
Let's face it, it's so easy to come up with excuses to not do it. Where's the fun it that? By staying in my challenge zone, I am consistently growing and staying current. Volunteering is my way of contributing and giving back to a greater cause. In return, my work has become easier now that I have the support of such a large community and have acquired new skills.

As a chapter volunteer, you have a voice. MPI Toronto Chapter does a great job of supporting and encouraging volunteers to take action and be creative. I highly recommend taking the first step and getting into your challenge zone. Your community is depending on it.

Interested in becoming a volunteer? Sign up here!

Jennifer Pelletier is a Project Manager at ARHT Media Inc., a Leader in Holographic Telepresence. She is committed to ongoing professional development and received her CMP Certification early 2019. Jennifer is the current Chair for the MPI Toronto Professional Development Committee and a member of MPI Canadian Advisory Committee. She is most recently the recipient of the 2019 MPI Toronto’s New Member of the Year award. Jennifer can be reached through email at jpelletier@arhtmedia.com.